Motor Insurance Database
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The Motor Insurer's Bureau or MIB, is an organisation that was formed in 1946 to compensate the accident victims of untraceable or uninsured drivers. Every car insurance company must be an MIB member and pays a levy which helps fund the MIB and the compensation it pays out. In order to reduce the number of uninsured drivers on our roads, and therefore reduce the cost of compensation, the MIB set up the Motor Insurance Database, or MID. It is a record of all insured vehicles in the UK and is used by various agencies including Government departments and the Police.

The UK is required to comply with the 4th EU Motor Insurance Directive, which states that all EU Member States should have a national information centre that contains all the insurance details of all vehicles on the road. Naturally, the Police also use this same information source to check whether a vehicle on the road is insured or not. Nowadays, squad cars have sophisticated cameras with automatic number plate recognition technology, so the Police do not have to pull you over to check your insurance details. Their onboard computer will automatically check the MID, and will flag up any vehicle that does not appear on it, in which case the you will be pulled over and asked to produce proof of your insurance.

FAQ's

Can I check if my car is on the MID?

Yes. You can check whether your own car is on the MID for free at askmid.com

What do I do if my car isn't found on the MID?

Assuming it is insured properly, you will need to contact your insurance provider as soon as possible and request that they update the MID.

Why must my car be registered on the MID?

Insurance companies are legally required to update the MID with policy details for any vehicle they insure.

What happens if I don't insure my car?

You run a high risk of being stopped by the Police, who may confiscate any vehicle if they have reason to believe it is uninsured. If your vehicle is found to be uninsured you would face a minimum of 6 penalty points and/or disqualification, a minimum fine of £200 and release fees of £150 or more. It is also important to note future insurance premiums are likely to be increased.