Have you been in a Car Accident with an Uninsured Driver? Fear not

Panic is almost immediately likely to set in if you discover the person driving the car that caused the accident was not insured. However, it is not the end of the world if you are hit by an uninsured driver. The government set up the Motor Insurers Bureau in 1946 to assist those who have suffered loss at the hands of an uninsured driver. They operate under 2 different Agreements, one for Uninsured Drivers and one for Untraced Drivers (Hit and Run). Please see our earlier blog for untraced driver information.

The Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) is funded by an estimated £30 a year from every insured driver’s premiums. The MIB was therefore set up to manage a fund designated to compensate those injured in an accident caused by uninsured drivers.

Shocking figures released by the MIB show that every three days someone is involved in an accident with an uninsured driver which will ultimately lead to a fatality. There are estimated one million car drivers who are still using the UK’s national road network without insurance.

The MIB settles about 25,000 claims a year and on average 120 relate to an accident where someone has died at the hands of a driver who either had no insurance or left the scene.

We are here to help you successfully claim against an uninsured driver. See below the process in order to submit a claim to the MIB;

• A search is conducted through an online database called “AskMID” which will confirm whether the other vehicle involved in the accident is insured.
• You will need the name and address of the other driver as well as the vehicle registration number, make and model of the other vehicle.
• If the person driving the other vehicle refused to give you details of their insurance make a formal complaint to the police. You are entitled to do this as a refusal to give insurance information is a criminal offence.
• If you have comprehensive motor insurance for your vehicle you should make a claim for any repairs through your own insurer.

Once the MIB receive a completed claim form detailing the accident, the MIB will carry out their own investigations to establish the facts and assess any compensation that might be due. This may include obtaining a police report, contacting other bodies such as the DVLA and obtaining independent reports from motor engineers or witnesses.

When the MIB have completed their investigations, if you are entitled to compensation, the MIB will make a final compensation payment. Compensation is only payable where some fault can be established on the part of the driver you consider responsible.

If you have been involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, don’t delay the matter! Call us today to speak to our friendly team who deal with uninsured driver accidents.

Faaria Basharat

Paralegal