Being involved in a car accident is potentially one of the most harrowing experiences possible in day-to-day life. One minute your partner and children are safely driving home from a visit to a relatives; the next, you’re receiving a telephone call from a hospital telling you that the whole family is in a critical condition.

It can be because of no mistake of their own – simply another driver behaving recklessly on the roads is enough to cause a crash. But what about if the other driver just speeds off in a ‘hit-and-run’ style incident? As well as the outrage that such thoughtlessness provokes, one is also left with a seemingly untraceable insurance claim. Money may be badly needed to care for the injured, and one’s patience could be frayed after the trauma of dealing with the crash detritus.

So just how does one claim when the identity of the driver is shrouded in mystery? Fortunately, there is a body to deal with such events: the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) is a nationwide scheme set-up to help the victims of accidents with untraceable and uninsured motorists. It’s a scheme that all insurers in the UK contribute to, and is thus funded by all legitimate drivers in the country. Don’t feel bad about claiming through it should the worst happen – you help finance it!

The system in place should you want to make an accident claim is actually quite simple. Firstly, one should contact their own insurance company and let them know the exact details of the accident. You should be very diligent at this stage – one false move and your whole claim may be rendered invalid. Secondly, legal expense insurance should be taken out with your own personal injury lawyer to help protect you against any legal costs that may arise. The accident claim is then submitted to the MIB – either by the claimant themselves or the lawyer involved – and a dossier of evidence to prove the other driver was at fault compiled and submitted to the appropriate governing bodies. Photographs and video recordings of the accident scene; police statements and reports; witness statements; medical checks: all these things can be used to further the case for a successful claim to proceed.

One huge downside of dealing with the MIB is that there is a capped upper limit for insurance payouts. Even if you’re left paralysed with no legs, the MIB will only pay up to a certain amount in compensation. Paradoxically, the drivers who suffer the most trivial of accidents actually benefit most from the services of the MIB. Remember though: you have only 14 days to report the accident to the police. If you’ve been badly injured, there may be some leeway in this, but generally the figure holds true. You’ll probably be so angry that you will need little encouragement to get on the case and start claiming. As long as you can remember the registration number of the vehicle that caused the accident, you should be fine. Otherwise, a cat and mouse hunt may begin. Either way, the MIB is a supportive net that all potential claimants should always bear in mind.

Jack is an author of several articles pertaining to No Win No Fee, Compensation Claims, Personal Injury Claims and other legal articles.