What Is the Motor Insurance Database?
What Is the Motor Insurance Database (MID)?
The MID is the central record of insured vehicles in the UK. It is used to enforce motor trade insurance laws by the Police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and is managed by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).
Finding Uninsured Vehicles
Driving in the UK without insurance is illegal, but you can’t tell just from sight whether or not someone is insured on a particular vehicle. So how is this law enforced? Through the coordinated sharing of information between agencies.
Under the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) Scheme, the MIB and the DVLA use the database to share information in order to identify uninsured vehicles. The police and enforcement agencies also use the MID to hold uninsured drivers to account and remove uninsured vehicles from the road.
Can anyone access the MID?
There are a number of levels of access to the MID insurance database, depending on who is using the information. Due to data protection laws, it is not possible for everyone to have full access to the MID, but the general public can use the MID database in some cases.
Public Access: The public can use the MID to find an insurer in the event of an accident, and to check the insurance status of a vehicle. This is done through askMID.com.
Insurer Access: Insurers can use the MID as long as the company is a member of the MIB, which is compulsory under The Road Traffic Act 1988.
Brokers: Some insurers allow brokers to access and update MID records on their behalf. This is done through the insurer at their discretion.
Fleet and Motor Trade: Some insurers allow policyholders who have multiple vehicles on a single policy to access the MID and maintain their own records.
Solicitors: Solicitors can make multiple checks on the MID to check claims records of prospective clients.
Police: Police forces are the biggest users of the MID, making over 2 million enquiries each month.
What Can I Use the MID for? Insurance & askMID.com
If you’re a member of the general public, you can use askMID.com to check the status of your own vehicle or another vehicle after an accident. If your own vehicle is not present on the MID, you need to speak with your insurer immediately.
Insurers can use the MID to find third-party insurers in the event of an accident and to verify that entries for their policyholders are up to date.
What is the Motor Insurers’ Bureau?
Founded in 1946, the MIB was formed to support motorists involved in accidents with uninsured drivers. Despite third-party insurance being mandatory since 1930, many accidents involving uninsured drivers still occur today. If you are hit by an uninsured driver or a driver with invalid insurance, the MIB can provide a contribution to the cost of repairs, under an agreement called The Uninsured Driver’s Agreement.
All insurers that sell car or motor insurance are required to be members of the MIB.
