§ 31-47-8.1. Verification of proof of financial security. (a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall select random samples of registrations of motor vehicles subject to this chapter, or owners of them, for the purpose of verifying whether or not the motor vehicles have proof of financial security as defined in this chapter. The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall verify proof of financial security by sending requests for verification to the owner and/or insurer of the randomly selected motor vehicles.

(b) In addition to general random samples of motor vehicle registrations, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall select for verification other random samples, including, but not limited to, registrations of motor vehicles owned by persons:

(1) Whose motor vehicle registrations during the preceding four (4) years have been suspended pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;

(2) Who during the preceding four (4) years have been convicted of violating the provisions of this chapter while operating vehicles owned by other persons;

(3) Whose driving privileges have been suspended during the preceding four (4) years; or

(4) Who during the preceding four (4) years acquired ownership of motor vehicles while the registrations of those vehicles under the previous owners were suspended pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(c) Upon receiving certification from the department of revenue under § 31-26-6 of the name of an owner or operator of any motor vehicle involved in an accident, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall verify whether or not at the time of the accident the motor vehicle was covered by proof of financial security as defined in this chapter.

(d) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall send to owners of randomly selected motor vehicles, or to randomly selected motor vehicle owners, requests for information about their motor vehicles and proof of financial security. The request shall require the owner to state whether or not the motor vehicle had proof of financial security on the verification date stated in the administrator's request and the request may require, but is not limited to, a statement by the owner of the names and addresses of insurers, policy numbers, and expiration dates of insurance coverage or similar information as to other types of proof of financial security.

(1) Within twenty (20) days after the administrator of the division of motor vehicles mails a request, the owner to whom it is sent shall furnish the requested information to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles above the owner's signed affirmation that the information is true and correct. Proof of financial security in effect on the verification date, as prescribed by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles, may be considered by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles to be a satisfactory response to the request for information.

(2) If the owner responds to the request for information by asserting that the motor vehicle was covered by proof of financial security on the verification date stated in the administrator's request, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles may conduct a verification of the response by furnishing necessary information to any insurer named in the response. The insurer shall within twenty (20) days inform the assistant director if an individual did not have in force motor vehicle insurance in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

If the administrator of the division of motor vehicles determines that an owner has registered or maintained the registration of a motor vehicle without proof of financial security as required by this chapter, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall notify the owner and the owner shall be deemed to have registered or maintained registration of a motor vehicle in violation of this chapter unless the owner within twenty (20) days furnishes proof of financial security in effect on the verification date as prescribed by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles.

(e) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles may send to insurers of randomly selected motor vehicles requests for verification as to whether or not the verification date given for that vehicle is true and accurate in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(1) The insurer shall within twenty (20) days inform the administrator of the division of motor vehicles if an individual did not have in force motor vehicle insurance in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(2) If the insurer informs the administrator of the division of motor vehicles that the motor vehicle was not insured by the insurer on the verification date stated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall require the owner to show proof of financial security within twenty (20) days of the administrator's request. Any owner who fails to respond to that request shall be deemed to have registered or maintained registration of a motor vehicle in violation of this chapter.

(f) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall promulgate regulations for the procedures for verification of proof of financial security. The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall also promulgate rules and regulations for the method in which the random selection shall be conducted.

(g) No random sample selected under this section shall be categorized on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, economic status or geography.

(h) No verification procedure established under this section shall include individual inspections of motor vehicles on a highway solely for the purpose of verifying the existence of evidence of proof of financial security. The verification procedure shall be based solely upon a review of documentary information.

History of Section. (P.L. 1993, ch. 378, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 75; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 75; P.L. 2008, ch. 98, § 29; P.L. 2008, ch. 145, § 29.)