What is the Motor Insurers' Bureau?

What is the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB)?

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau is a UK organisation set up to provide compensation to victims of collisions on the road with uninsured or untraceable drivers. Established in 1946, their key values include “reducing the level and impact of uninsured driving in the UK" and “compensating victims of uninsured and untraced drivers fairly and promptly."

So, if you have been injured in a road traffic accident – and the other driver either doesn’t have insurance or can’t be traced – then you might want to know a little more about them.

What does the MIB do and how are they funded?

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau ensures there’s a compensation fund available for people who have been injured in accidents caused by uninsured or untraced drivers. Agreements with the Department of Transport – namely the Untraced Drivers Agreement and the Uninsured Drivers Agreement – are reviewed from time to time to ensure they are adequate and up to date.

By law, all insurance companies operating in the UK must contribute to the MIB’s funding, as set out in the Road Traffic Act 1988. This requires every insurer dealing with compulsory motor insurance to be a member of the MIB, and to contribute to its funding.

What is the Motor Insurers’ Bureau uninsured driver’s agreement?

As a core principle of its operation, the MIB will consider a claim under the Uninsured Drivers Scheme if it can be shown that no policy of insurance existed at the time of accident to cover the defendant driver’s (i.e. the driver at fault) vehicle.

You can find out whether the other vehicle was insured by visiting the askMID website.

What is the Motor Insurers’ Bureau untraced driver’s agreement?

The Untraced Drivers scheme helps hit and run victims. Where the driver responsible for the collision leaves the scene and cannot be traced, the MIB will consider a claim under the uninsured driver’s scheme.

You must report the incident to police within 14 days (if you are claiming for personal injury) and must tell your insurance company about the accident before a claim can be submitted to the MIB.

The MIB green card scheme explained

The Motor Insurer’s Bureau green card scheme deals with incidents involving foreign registered vehicles.

If you have been involved in an accident with a vehicle registered outside of the UK, the driver may provide you with details of a green card, which provides proof of insurance. If the insurer has an agent in the UK, it is likely they will deal with your claim directly. Where there is no UK agent, the MIB will investigate your claim instead.

How do I make a claim through the MIB?

If you have been injured in an accident with an uninsured or untraced driver, you are entitled to make a personal injury claim through the MIB.

Make sure you obtain as much information as possible following the collision, i.e. the name and address of the other driver, plus the vehicle registration, make and model.

If the other driver is not prepared to provide any information, you are entitled to make a complaint to the police as it is a criminal offence not to provide insurance details following a road traffic accident.

Provided that the other driver was not insured, you can submit a claim to the MIB under the scheme, and they will investigate.

Limitation periods apply – in most cases, it’s three years from the date of accident for personal injury claims (for children, this time limit does not commence until their 18th birthday).

How much compensation could I receive through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau?

The amount of compensation you could be awarded through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau will depend on several factors, particularly the severity of your injuries. Other factors include any financial losses you have suffered due to your injuries, and the extent of damage to any of your property.

If you’ve been involved in an incident with an uninsured or untraceable driver, you should speak to a specialised road traffic accident solicitor for legal advice. They will be able to support you in making a claim and help to calculate how much compensation you could be owed.

Do I need a solicitor to make a claim with the MIB?

If you’ve been injured in a road collision through no fault of your own and either cannot trace the other driver, or the driver was uninsured, then seeking the advice of a qualified road traffic accident lawyer is very strongly recommended. Your lawyer will be able to advise you on how a claim against the MIB will proceed and what compensation you may be entitled to.

For a free consultation, call us anytime 24/7 on freephone 0330 041 5869 or contact us online and we’ll be happy to help you.

All information was correct at the time of publication.