What is the MIBI and when can I claim from it?

What the Law Says

The legal foundation for the MIBI’s role comes from the Road Traffic Act 1961, which places obligations on motor insurers and supports compensation mechanisms for victims of negligent driving where insurance is absent or the driver cannot be identified.

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) is not a government body but a voluntary agreement established in 1955 between the Irish government and all motor insurers operating in Ireland. Its purpose is to provide compensation to people injured or suffering property damage in road traffic accidents caused by drivers who are either uninsured or cannot be traced.

While the MIBI itself operates under a private agreement, its statutory underpinning comes from the Road Traffic Act 1961 — specifically section 78 — which requires every vehicle used in a public place to be covered by a policy of insurance against third-party liability. This requirement makes the MIBI’s role essential: it steps in where that legal requirement has been breached.

Importantly, the MIBI only handles claims arising from accidents involving ‘uninsured’ or ‘untraced’ drivers — not disputes over fault between insured drivers, which are handled by insurers directly.

Statutory Text

Every person who uses a motor vehicle on a road shall cause the vehicle to be covered by a policy of insurance… against any liability which may be incurred by him… in respect of death or bodily injury to any person or damage to property caused by or arising out of the use of the vehicle on a road.

— Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 78 — Insurance against third-party risks

What to Do

Sources