Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support is available to drivers involved in accidents with untraceable drivers (a) in cases where the innocent driver cannot afford to wait the time it takes for the Motor Insurance Bureau to process a claim and (b) generally; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of measures to (i) expedite the claims process and (ii) provide interim financial assistance to such drivers.

The Department for Transport is a party to the Uninsured and Untraced Drivers’ Agreements with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). However, the MIB is an independent organisation within the motor insurance industry and is separate from Government.

The MIB is responsible for decisions dealing with the investigation and payment of claims and there is no final appeal to the Secretary of State for Transport. This means that the Secretary of State has no role in the supervision of individual cases, which is the role of the MIB. Disputes that arise under the agreements are settled by way of arbitration. If a claimant is dissatisfied with the way that their claim is handled the MIB has its own formal complaints procedure.