1. Reference number
We will write to you or your representative to confirm we have received your claim and will give you a reference that you must use for all correspondence.
2. Claims submitted online
If you submit your claim online, on receipt of a notification from the MIB you should then send in any supporting documentation quoting the reference you will be given. We will start our investigations as soon as possible.
3. Our investigations
The MIB will carry out its own investigations to establish the facts and assess any compensation that might be due. Our investigations are likely to include:
- establishing the facts
- obtaining statements from witnesses
- obtaining a police report
- contacting other bodies such as the DVLA and your insurer
We may appoint an investigator to come and see you and take a formal written statement.
The Untraced Drivers' Agreement requires you to provide us with reasonable information and co-operation with our enquiries.
4. Personal Injury claims
If you are claiming for personal injury, we may need to obtain some additional information.
- copies of your medical records from your GP and any hospital you attended after the accident
- an independent medical report
You will be asked for permission before any approaches are made to your doctor or to a hospital.
5. Timescales
We will make every effort to decide on whether to make a compensation payment within three months.
6. Police reports
As part of our enquiries, we sometimes need to obtain the police report relating to the accident. It can take some time to obtain a police report, as the police can not release the report until any criminal prosecutions are concluded. We will keep you informed of the progress of any claim requiring a police report.
7. Compensation
If you are eligible for compensation, a decision on the appropriate amount will usually take longer than three months. We will keep you informed as the claim progresses.
Why might it take longer?
There are some common factors that have an effect on how long things take, such as injury claims for which we may need to get an independent medical report. If the medical experts do not agree on the effects of the injury, this will take time to resolve.
We may have to obtain independent reports to establish the extent of some parts of your claim, such as loss of earnings or care needs.
Compensation
When we have completed all our investigations, if you are entitled to compensation, we will make a final compensation payment. We will do this following agreement with you or your representative. In some cases we can consider requests for interim payments during our investigations.
If our investigations conclude that you are not entitled to compensation, we will write to you or your representative with our decision and the reasons why.
Compensation is only payable where some fault can be established on the part of the driver that you consider responsible. If the evidence confirms you were partly or wholly responsible, the compensation payment will be reduced or not paid at all.
If you do not agree with our decision about whether you are entitled to compensation or about how much compensation is due, you can appeal to an independent arbitrator. Our written decision about your claim will include details about how to appeal and when this must be done by.
We also have a complaints procedure to which you will have access at any time during this process if you are unhappy with the way your claim is being handled.
How do I know I’m being treated fairly?
Read through the Customer Charter which sets out how we treat our customers.
