If you were in a car accident & you discover the other driver has no insurance, what can you do?
Bringing a claim against an uninsured driver may seem daunting & complicated. Fortunately, in Ireland, the MIBI (Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland) was established to deal with this exact situation. At Douglas Law our experienced personal injuries solicitors will advise & guide you on the process of bringing a claim when the other driver is uninsured.
How to make a claim against an uninsured driver
The MIBI is a non-profit organisation funded by all companies providing car insurance in Ireland.
When the other driver is uninsured & provided they are at fault for the accident, your claim for personal injuries is against the MIBI. As a result, investigations must be carried out to be able to provide all the necessary information in the MIBI claim notification form. Once the MIBI are notified of your claim they will launch their own investigation.
What to do after an accident with an uninsured driver
Hopefully at the scene of the accident you were able to gather some vital information such as:-
- the other driver’s name & contact details;
- their car registration, make and model;
- details of their most recent insurance company (if they have an insurance disc displayed);
- Photographs of the scene, the location, your car & the other car;
- any witnesses’ names & contact details;
After the accident, once you are safely home, you should report the accident to your own insurance company.
If you later discover that the other driver is uninsured (for example even though there was an insurance disc displayed it might later transpire the insurance policy had expired, the policy had lapsed or the driver was driving while disqualified) you should immediately report the accident to the Gardaí.
If you were involved in a hit and run accident, write down as many details as you can remember about the other car & the circumstances of the accident.
What compensation can I claim?
If the uninsured driver caused the accident, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical costs to include doctor’s fees, physiotherapy costs, prescription expenses & the cost of x-rays & scans;
- Loss of earnings;
- the cost of repairs to your vehicle.
Contact us
If you have been injured in an accident with an uninsured driver, contact our dedicated team of experienced personal injuries solicitors in Cork who will:-
- take all necessary steps to fully investigate the circumstances of the accident;
- advise you as to whether you have grounds to bring a claim;
- secure essential evidence which may be required in Court at a later date;
- complete the MIBI claim notification form for you & send it to the MIBI.
We are available to answer your questions and provide you with advice.
You can email our personal injury solicitors Gráinne O’Donovan on grainne@douglaslawsolicitors.ie or Aoife McCarthy on aoife@douglaslawsolicitors.ie to arrange a consultation or contact us by telephone on 021 4897254.
We also offer video consultations via Skype or Zoom.
For more information on some of the issues mentioned in this blog please go to our dedicated personal injuries website which can be viewed here.
*In contentious business a solicitor may not charge fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award of settlement.