By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 3rd September 2024. This is a guide to making a Motor Insurer’s Bureau (MIB) claim if you were in a car accident with an uninsured or untraceable driver.
This guide explains what the MIB is and includes a compensation table. It also looks at tips for making an MIB claim. Below, you will find MIB payout examples for UK claims. We also discuss how much compensation for a hit and run could be appropriate, as well as looking at how long it takes to get paid after a settlement and what impacts MIB claim success.
Road traffic accidents happen every day in the UK. Victims suffer a wide range of injuries, from minor whiplash to severe brain injuries. Unfortunately, such accidents are made even worse when an uninsured driver or an untraced driver is involved.
If the person who has caused the accident did not have the required insurance or they fled the scene, you will still be able to make a claim. You will make your claim to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.
How We Can Help
At Accident Claims, we have many years of experience in helping personal injury victims to get the compensation they deserve. We will conduct an MIB claim review to give you a realistic picture of your chances of securing compensation, as well as an overview of how much money you could receive. With our experience, you can rest assured that your claim is in safe hands. Read on to discover everything you need to know about the Motor Insurers’ Bureau compensation calculator. For more information on No Win No Fee Motor Insurers’ Bureau claims, and to see if you are entitled to claim you can also call us on 0800 073 8801.
Choose a Section
- MIB Payout Examples
- When Can I Claim For An Accident With An Uninsured Driver?
- What To Do If Hurt By An Uninsured Driver
- How To Claim Through The Motor Insurers’ Bureau
- Making A No Win No Fee MIB Claim
- More Resources
MIB Payout Examples
In this section we examine some MIB payout examples and explain how these figures are reached. Compensation in a successful MIB claim can be awarded under up to two heads of loss, these are:
- Compensation for physical and psychological injuries is awarded under general damages.
- Certain financial losses that stem from those injuries are compensated under special damages.
Reaching a possible compensation figure is one of the many tasks our panel of expert road traffic accident solicitors can assist you with. Those assigned this particular task can refer to your provided medical documents in conjunction with the relevant brackets from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).
The JCG publication contains compensation guidelines taken from previous court cases. We have used a relevant selection of these, apart from the top entry, in the table below. We’ve also included two examples of the whiplash tariff from the Whiplash Injury Regulations in the last two rows. This is because the way whiplash injuries are valued changed when these Regulations were brought in. There is a set tariff found in the legislation, but it only applies to drivers and passengers over the age of 18 who suffered their injuries in England and Wales.
Compensation Table
Please take note that this table has been provided to act as guidance only.
| Injury sustained | Guideline amount | Extra notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries with financial losses. | Up to £1,000,000+ | A combination of injuries with financial losses such as home adaptations, loss of income and medical costs, for example. |
| Very severe brain damage (a) | £344,150 to £493,000 | For these cases, the person who has been injured will usually not have any response to their environment. The exact payout will be based on numerous factors, ranging from the person's physical limitations to how much insight they have. |
| Moderate brain injury (c) (i) | £183,190 to £267,340 | The person's dependence on other people will play a role in determining the payout they receive, as well the impact of the injury on their personality and the extent of intellectual deficit. |
| Less severe brain damage (d) | £18,700 to £52,550 | From whether the person has suffered with depression to the extent of the original injury, there are numerous factors considered when determining the payout amount. |
| Severe neck injuries (a) (i) | In the region of £181,020 | The higher level of payout is for extremely severe injuries, for example, spastic quadriparesis of a permanent nature. |
| Moderate neck injuries (b) (i) | £30,500 to £46,970 | Most claimants in this category have already had a condition that has gotten worse due to the accident, as well as fractions and dislocations. |
| Severe back injuries (a) (i) | £111,150 to £196,450 | Spinal cord damage and nerve root damage will demand a higher payout. |
| Moderate back injuries (b) (i) | £33,880 to £47,320 | Injuries that fall into this category include the like of soft tissue injuries, ligament disturbance, and muscle injuries. |
| Whiplash tariff | £4,345 | Symptoms last longer than 18 months but not longer than 24, alongside minor psychological injuries. |
| Whiplash tariff | £4,215 | Symptoms last between 18-24 months. |
MIB Payouts Examples – What Are Special Damages?
You may also be eligible for special damages when claiming through the MIB. The payout examples above illustrate amounts for general damages, but special damages address any financial losses caused by your injuries.
For example, if you claim through the MIB because an uninsured driver hit your car, causing you to suffer a broken leg, this may mean you need to take time off work to recover. In this case, any earnings you lose because of this could be claimed back under special damages. This heading can also cover:
- Medical costs
- Prescriptions
- Home adjustments
- Mobility aids
- Care costs
- Domestic help
For more information on MIB payout amounts, get in touch with our team of helpful advisors. They can evaluate your claim, and could potentially connect you with one of our solicitors to help you claim.
When Can I Claim For An Accident With An Uninsured Driver?
If you are injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, you may be able to file a claim with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). The MIB can provide compensation to those who have been involved in an accident with an uninsured or untraceable driver, such as a hit and run.
All MIB claims must meet the same eligibility criteria as a personal injury claim for them to be valid. This is:
- You were owed a duty of care by another road user.
- They breached this duty.
- Due to this breach, you were injured.
All road users have a duty of care towards each other, not to use the roads in a way that could cause harm. Furthermore, they must obey the Road Traffic Act 1988, and refer to the rules and guidance of the Highway Code. If you were to be involved in an accident with an uninsured or untraceable driver, and can meet the aforementioned eligibility criteria, you may be able to claim MIB compensation.
To check the validity of your case or to ask any questions about how to use an MIB compensation calculator, you can contact our team of advisors.
What To Do If Hurt By An Uninsured Driver
Having covered the eligibility criteria and discussed some MIB payout examples, in this section, we’re going to examine what to do if hurt by an uninsured driver. In order to make an MIB claim, you will need to provide some supporting evidence.
Examples could include:
- As with any accident, but especially with road traffic collisions, it is always advisable to seek professional medical help. Your health and that of any occupants is the primary concern, however the medical records from your treatment can be used as evidence.
- If the police attended the accident, or the driver fled the scene, you should file a police report. You’ll be given a crime reference number and this report can form part of your evidence.
- Copies of any video footage, such as from CCTV or dash cam devices, can be requested from the owners.
- You can also take photographs of the vehicles involved and your injuries.
For further information on the evidence you could collect or to get a free assessment of your eligibility to claim, contact our team today using the details provided below.
How To Claim Through Motor Insurers’ Bureau
The MIB claim process is straightforward when you work with Accident Claims. When you make contact us, we will provide you with a no-obligation consultation, free of charge. This will include us querying about what happened to you. This is nothing for you to worry about; it is only so we are able to provide accurate and effective advice. It also gives you the chance to ask any queries you have, be it about the MIB untraced drivers agreement or how much an MIB first offer could be.
The MIB handles more than 20,000 claims every year against untraced motorists and uninsured motorists. Their website contains plenty of useful information, including the Motor Insurers’ Database. This is the only central database in the UK for insured vehicles.
We also often get asked: If I make a MIB claim how long will it take? The process of claiming MIB compensation does differ from claim to claim. Some cases are a lot easier than others, but we will always endeavour to get your claim resolved as quickly as we can.
If you’d like more information on the MIB claim process, or MIB payout amounts then you can continue reading or get in touch with our team today for free legal advice.
How Long Do I Have To Make An MIB Claim?
Road traffic accident claims, like all personal injury claims are subject to the Limitation Act 1980 and must be made within 3 years of the accident taking place. However, there are circumstances where the court can grant exceptions to this. For example:
- Children: those under 18 when the accident occurs will have the 3 years counted from the day they turn 18.
- Those without sufficient mental capacity: An injured person who lacks the mental capacity to claim for themselves will have the 3-year limit frozen altogether.
Now, the court may appoint a litigation friend to act on behalf of the injured person and begin the claim sooner. To learn about the time limits in road accident claims, or to find out if any exceptions apply in your particular circumstances, contact our advisory team using the details given below.
Making A No Win No Fee MIB Claim
If you have eligible grounds to make a claim through the MIB, you could benefit from working with a solicitor. Our solicitors offer several services, including help gathering evidence and sending important correspondence on your behalf. Additionally, they offer these services under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This type of No Win No Fee arrangement means you don’t typically have to pay your solicitor for their work upfront or throughout the process of your claim.
If your MIB claim is a success, you will pay your solicitor a success fee from your compensation. This is deducted as a percentage which has a legal cap ensuring you keep the majority of your payout. However, if your claim fails, this fee won’t be taken.
If you require any further guidance after reading our guide, such as on the eligibility criteria for personal injury claims, the factors considered when calculating an MIB payout or examples of the services one of our solicitors could offer, please contact an advisor. To do so, you can:
- Contact an advisor by calling 0800 073 8801
- Use Live Chat to connect with us
- Contact us via our contact form.
More Resources:
- Lorry or HGV claims guide: This guide will tell you everything you need to know about claiming after an accident with a lorry or HGV.
- Council Compensation Payouts Claims Guide:This is a guide on claiming compensation from your local council after an accident caused by negligence.
- Whiplash- symptoms and more: This link will take you to our guide to whiplash injury. It talks about symptoms and how much compensation you could be owed.
- Foreign vehicle accident claims : Involved in an accident with a foreign vehicle? We can help you claim the compensation you deserve. MIB payout examples are included here too.
- Motor Insurance Bureau’s Site: This link takes you to the website of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. Not only will you find information on making a claim. You can also access the Motor Insurance Database. This is the only central record of all vehicles that are insured in the United Kingdom.
- Uninsured vehicle operator information: This link takes you to the UK Government website. Here you will find information on claiming compensation if you have been the victim of a hit and run. You can download the government’s ‘making a claim’ guide.
More Guidance
- Safety Stats on the roads: This link takes you to road accident and safety statistics in the UK since 2010. You can download data tables and publications from the Department for Transport.
- NHS Whiplash Information: Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained due to a road traffic accident. This page from the NHS reveals everything you need to know about the condition, including the symptoms of whiplash. Plus, it gives insight into treatment, causes, and outlook. Plus, details on when to get medical advice.
- Mobility Scooter Accident Claims: We hope that our Motor Insurers’ Bureau compensation calculator guide has been helpful for you. If, however, you still have any questions you’d like to ask, then you’re welcome to get in touch with us. You can contact us about topics such as MIB claims, MIB payout amounts or MIB payout examples. You can reach our advisors using the contact details featured within this guide.
