5 things you might not know about the Motor Insurers Bureau

Here are 5 things you might not know about the MIB

1. They ensure 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.

2. All insurers must contribute to the fund by law – namely section 95 of the 1988 Road Traffic Act which requires every insurer dealing with compulsory motor insurance to be a member of the MIB, and to contribute to its funding.

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

Tips on claiming against an uninsured driver

• 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 then 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.

4. 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 drivers 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.

5. They have a Green Card Scheme that deals with foreign registered vehicles. If you are involved in an accident with a foreign vehicle then the other driver may provide you with details of a Green Card.

This is international proof of insurance and, if there is an agent in the UK, then they are likely to deal with your claim. The MIB website can tell you whether there is a UK agent to direct your claim to. If there is no UK agent then the MIB will investigate your claim.

Claiming against the MIB

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

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).

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.