The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) is a non-profit private company limited by guarantee, established in 1946 by an agreement between the motor insurance industry and the Secretary of State for Transport. Its purpose is to ensure that victims of road accidents caused by uninsured or untraced (hit-and-run) drivers receive compensation for their injuries and losses, even where no insurer is available to meet the claim under a conventional policy. The MIB's funding comes from a levy paid by all FCA-authorised UK motor insurers - effectively a cost shared across the entire insured driving population and reflected, as a small component, in every motor insurance premium. The MIB's compensation role is distinct from its operational role in running the Motor Insurance Database (MID) - the database that underpins the Continuous Insurance Enforcement scheme and ANPR enforcement. This article focuses on MIB's compensation function. For the MID, see our Motor Insurance Database guide. For the scale of the uninsured driver problem, see our uninsured drivers UK guide. For the full market overview, visit the car insurance hub. The two MIB Agreements - an overviewThe MIB operates under two distinct Agreements with the Secretary of State, each applying to a different category of uncompensated victim:
Note: Both Agreements are formal legal documents made between the MIB and the Secretary of State for Transport. They were updated in 2017 and the current versions apply to accidents occurring on or after 1 August 2017. Earlier accidents are governed by the 1999 (Uninsured) and 2003 (Untraced) Agreements respectively. Claiming under the Uninsured Drivers Agreement 2017The Uninsured Drivers Agreement (UDA) 2017 applies where the at-fault driver is identified but does not have a valid motor insurance policy covering the accident. The MIB steps into the shoes of the absent insurer and compensates the victim as though there had been a valid policy. The key conditions and process are as follows: Eligibility conditions (UDA 2017 clause 7). To make a claim under the UDA 2017, the claimant must: (a) have reported the accident to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and obtained a crime reference number; (b) give MIB notice of the claim and provide the required information specified in the Agreement; (c) take reasonable steps to obtain judgment against the uninsured driver where required; and (d) not have been a passenger in the uninsured vehicle with knowledge that it was uninsured (the knowledge exclusion - clause 7(1)(f) of the UDA 2017). The knowledge exclusion. A passenger who knew or ought to have known that the vehicle was being used without insurance is excluded from UDA 2017 compensation. This is a significant exclusion that has been the subject of UK court decisions and European Court of Human Rights consideration. The current position under domestic law following the UK's departure from the EU and the ending of direct EU law supremacy is that the knowledge exclusion applies as drafted in the 2017 Agreement, subject to any domestic court rulings on its application. What can be claimed. The UDA 2017 covers the same heads of loss that would be recoverable under a valid third-party motor insurance policy: death, personal injury (including general damages and special damages for loss of earnings, care costs and treatment), and property damage. Property damage claims under the UDA 2017 are subject to a deductible (excess) of £300 (UDA 2017 clause 8(1)(a)) - the first £300 of property damage is not recoverable from the MIB. There is no upper monetary limit on personal injury claims under the UDA 2017.
Claiming under the Untraced Drivers Agreement 2017The Untraced Drivers Agreement (UTDA) 2017 applies where the vehicle that caused the accident cannot be identified - typically hit-and-run incidents where the at-fault vehicle fled the scene without stopping. This is a fundamentally different legal situation from the UDA 2017: the MIB compensates the victim directly (rather than stepping into the shoes of an absent insurer) through its own internal assessment process, rather than through court proceedings against an identified driver. Key conditions and features: Police reporting requirement. The accident must be reported to the police within 14 days of it occurring (or as soon as reasonably practicable after that if the claimant was physically incapable of reporting sooner). The claimant must provide the MIB with the crime reference number. This 14-day window is a strict condition in the UTDA 2017 and failure to comply may result in the claim being rejected. Application time limit. The application to the MIB under the UTDA 2017 must be made within 3 years of the date of the accident. This mirrors the general limitation period for personal injury claims under the Limitation Act 1980, though the UTDA time limit runs from the accident date rather than the date of knowledge. Property damage exclusion under the UTDA. A significant distinction between the two Agreements is that the UTDA 2017 does not cover property damage in hit-and-run cases where there is no corroborating evidence of the untraced vehicle (UTDA 2017 clause 8). This means a driver whose car is damaged by a hit-and-run vehicle that cannot be identified generally cannot recover their vehicle damage from the MIB under the UTDA - they must claim through their own comprehensive policy (if they have one). Personal injury claims from untraced driver accidents are fully covered where eligibility conditions are met. MIB assessment process under the UTDA. Unlike the UDA (where the MIB satisfies court judgments), UTDA claims are assessed by MIB's own claims handlers and, if disputed, by an independent arbitrator. The claimant does not need to bring court proceedings against anyone - the MIB effectively acts as both compensator and initial assessor. The UTDA 2017 sets out detailed appeals provisions including arbitration by a single arbitrator appointed under the scheme. Step-by-step: how to make an MIB claimStep 1 - Report to police immediately. Report the accident to the police as soon as reasonably practicable (UTDA 2017: within 14 days). Obtain the crime reference number. Without this, your MIB claim will be at risk of rejection regardless of the merits. Step 2 - Gather evidence. Collect: photographs of the scene and vehicle damage; witness details and statements; dashcam footage; medical records and GP/hospital referral letters for injuries; details of the at-fault vehicle (registration number, make, model) if known; and the police crime reference number. Step 3 - Notify MIB (UDA claims). For uninsured driver claims, notify the MIB of the claim using the online portal at mib.org.uk or by post. The MIB must be notified as a party to the proceedings before judgment is obtained against the uninsured driver - failure to notify the MIB before issue of proceedings can affect entitlement to MIB satisfaction of the judgment. Step 4 - Apply to MIB (UTDA claims). For untraced driver claims, complete the UTDA application form at mib.org.uk within 3 years of the accident. The MIB will acknowledge, investigate and assess the claim internally. Step 5 - Legal advice. MIB claims - particularly for serious personal injury - are complex and the Agreements contain numerous conditions and exclusions. Instructing a personal injury solicitor experienced in MIB claims is strongly advisable for significant injuries. Most personal injury solicitors operate on a no-win no-fee (conditional fee agreement) basis for MIB claims. Step 6 - Subrogation. Where the MIB pays a claim under the UDA 2017, it has the right of subrogation - it can pursue the uninsured driver for recovery of the sums paid out. The MIB actively pursues uninsured drivers for recovery and can obtain County Court judgments against them, register debt with credit reference agencies, and instruct bailiffs. For claims guidance from a policyholder's own insurer perspective, see how to claim car insurance after an accident. Recent changes (2024-2026)The MIB Agreements were updated in 2017 and no further substantive amendment has been made in the 2024-2026 period. The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 creates a parallel liability framework for accidents involving self-driving vehicles - when a listed automated vehicle is driving itself, the authorised self-driving entity (ASDE, typically the manufacturer) bears primary liability rather than the MIB. The Act does not remove MIB liability for accidents caused by uninsured human-driven vehicles; the RTA 1988 and MIB framework continue unchanged for those cases. The MIB updated its online portal for claims submission in 2023, making digital applications available for both UDA and UTDA claims. Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is the Motor Insurers' Bureau?The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) is a non-profit private company limited by guarantee, established in 1946 by an agreement between the UK motor insurance industry and the Secretary of State for Transport. Its primary function is to compensate victims of road accidents caused by uninsured or untraced (hit-and-run) drivers in Great Britain, under two formal Agreements with the Secretary of State - the Uninsured Drivers Agreement 2017 and the Untraced Drivers Agreement 2017. The MIB is funded by a levy on all FCA-authorised UK motor insurers. Can I claim from the MIB if I was injured by an uninsured driver?Yes. If you are injured in a road accident caused by a driver who has no valid motor insurance, you can make a claim to the MIB under the Uninsured Drivers Agreement 2017. You must report the accident to police, notify the MIB of the claim, and (for property damage) be aware that a £300 deductible applies. For personal injury claims there is no upper monetary limit. You do not need to be an insured driver yourself to be eligible as a third-party victim - pedestrians, cyclists and passengers can all make MIB claims if injured by an uninsured driver. What if the driver who hit me drove away and cannot be identified?If the at-fault vehicle cannot be identified, you can make a claim under the Untraced Drivers Agreement 2017. Report to police within 14 days (or as soon as reasonably practicable) and apply to the MIB within 3 years of the accident. Personal injury compensation is available under the UTDA. However, property damage claims (vehicle damage) are generally not covered under the UTDA 2017 in untraced driver cases where there is no corroborating witness evidence - you would need to claim through your own comprehensive policy for the vehicle damage element. Does the passenger knowledge exclusion affect MIB claims?Yes. Under clause 7(1)(f) of the UDA 2017, a passenger who knew or ought to have known that the vehicle they were travelling in was uninsured is excluded from MIB compensation. This exclusion applies on an objective test - what the passenger knew or reasonably ought to have known - not merely on what they claim to have known subjectively. The exclusion has been tested in UK courts and remains part of the current 2017 Agreement. Passengers in vehicles driven by friends or family members should be aware of this exclusion if they had any reason to suspect the driver was uninsured. How long does an MIB claim take to resolve?Timescales vary considerably depending on the nature and severity of the claim. Straightforward property damage claims with an identified uninsured driver can be resolved within months once liability is established. Serious personal injury claims - particularly those involving long-term care needs or significant loss of earnings - may take years to fully resolve, as medical prognosis needs to be established before the full value of the claim can be assessed. Instructing an experienced personal injury solicitor is strongly advisable for significant MIB claims to ensure all heads of loss are properly valued and claimed. Is there a limit on how much the MIB pays out?There is no upper monetary limit on personal injury (including fatal accident) compensation under either the UDA 2017 or the UTDA 2017. The MIB compensates to the same extent as a court would award against a properly insured driver, including general damages, special damages (loss of earnings, care costs, treatment costs) and any other recoverable heads of loss under English law. Property damage under the UDA 2017 is unlimited in amount but subject to the £300 deductible. The UTDA 2017 generally excludes property damage in untraced driver cases as noted above.
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Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) UK 2026: Claiming Against Uninsured Drivers
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