Dr Nicholas Bevan

Dr Nicholas Bevan
www.nicholasbevan.com

Saturday 28 May 2016

PUTTING WRONGS TO RIGHTS (Part 1)

Why the Motor Insurers' Bureau is liable for motor accidents on private property


In the first of two New Law Journal articles, Putting wrongs to rights,  I argue the case for fixing the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) with liability to compensate motor accident victims who fall through the safety net provided by compulsory third party motor insurance under Part VI of the Road Traffic Act 1988.


I revisit primary European law principles relating to state liability.  Applying this law to the MIB, I conclude that as this state incepted insurance consortium discharges a public service that is regulated by the Secretary of State for Transport and because it has also been conferred with special powers to enable it to discharge that role (one that is clearly defined by Article 10 of the European Directive 2009/103 on motor insurance, in mandatory terms) it is subject to its direct effect.  

Consequently, the MIB is liable to compensate victims who qualify for protection under Article 10 regardless of whether or not our national law provision actually extends to the accident circumstances.