Every year during this summer period, the Victims’ Guarantee Fund, otherwise known as FGAO for Compulsory Damage Insurance Guarantee Fund, takes stock of the previous year. If you don’t know what it is, know that thanks to it, people who are victims of traffic accidents caused by drivers who lack insurance (or have fled) can still get compensation. And more than ever, in 2023, FGAO had plenty to do!
Last year, about 7,687 victims, injured or dead (160), were actually cared for by the FGAO. A number down 9.7% compared to 2022, but which hides other realities: the number of uninsured vehicles involved in personal injury accidents continues to rise, +5% compared to 2022. And a level compensation that explodes!
Sharply increasing expenses
In 2023, 137.4 million euros were paid out by the victims’ guarantee fund to injured persons or to the families of the deceased. An increase of 28% compared to the previous year, which can both be explained by a higher number of seriously injured peopleand also by sharply increasing amounts awarded by the courts.
Regarding victims, if the distribution of victims is slightly higher for men, with 56%, compared to 44% for women, it should be noted that 39% of those injured have lifelong consequences. As for the vehicles involved, the vast majority are light vehicles (cars), at 77%, front two wheels, 8%. On the other hand, utility vehicles fell from the podium (6%), now ahead of personal travel equipment, such as electric scooters, which represent 7% of the vehicles involved and whose growth is dazzling: + 68% since 2022!
The departments that are hardest hit by a lack of insurance
In its barometer, FGAO paints a portrait of uninsured or unidentified writers. Starting with their place of residence, the five departments where the number of accidents without insurance was the highest. And if in 5th position we find Bouches-du-Rhône (13), the other four are around Paris: Val-d’Oise (95) in 4th Paris (75) in 3rd, Val-de-Marne (94 ) in 2nd and Seine-St-Denis (93) in 1st place.
While the national average for the number of uninsured accidents per 10,000 vehicles is 1.4, in Seine-St-Denis it is 7.27, twice as many as Val-de-Marne (3.91).
The typical profile of the driver without insurance
Finally, let’s look at the typical profile of the authors. And the vast majority, 93%, are natural persons, and not companies/company cars. Furthermore, among the uninsured perpetrators, we find the vast majority of men, 79%, against 21% of women.. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between age and driving without insurance, as those under the age of 35 make up 60% of uninsured drivers.
Finally, the socio-professional category (CSP) also plays a role in uninsurance, because workers (22%), students (16%) and the unemployed (11%) are overrepresented among uninsured drivers ) and people without activities (9%). Which shows one thing: the cost of insurance is a real problem and sometimes an obstacle.
