It’s estimated that there are between 1.5 million and 2 million uninsured drivers on the roads in the UK. What happens if one of these drivers causes or contributes to an accident?
The ‘Motor Insurance Bureau‘ (MIB) exists to prevent the injustice of an injured party being unable to claim compensation if they’re the victim of an uninsured drivers negligence. The MIB steps in where the driver responsible for the accident has no valid insurance policy to cover the cost of the accident. The role of the MIB is almost to act as the insurance company for the uninsured driver.
The cost of running the MIB is paid out of a central fund from contributions from all the insurance companies that provide motor vehicle insurance in the UK.
The MIB is responsible for paying the same compensation that an innocent driver would be able to recover from the insurance company of an insured driver. This may include the cost of repairing or replacing a damaged vehicle or other property and the cost of hiring a replacement vehicle where these costs are not covered by the innocent party’s own insurance. Importantly, the MIB will also pay compensation where the victim has suffered an injury caused by an uninsured driver.
The MIB will investigate the accident the same way as an insurance company would investigate an accident caused by one of their policyholders. It is still necessary to show that the uninsured driver was to blame for the accident. The MIB have strict criteria and requirements for applications for compensation under the scheme and it is important that forms are completed accurately and within particular time limits.
It is therefore important to seek professional advice if you have been the innocent victim of an uninsured driver. The Injury Lawyers will act on your behalf to make a claim through the MIB at absolutely no cost to you. We ensure that you receive all of the compensation that you are entitled to claim for, whether the other driver was insured or not. Unlike most other law firms, we do not take a percentage of the compensation paid out by the MIB.
The MIB also pays compensation in hit and run cases where the driver responsible for the road traffic accident cannot be traced after leaving the scene.
