The Motor Vehicle collision Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC) was created to pay benefits to automobile crash victims, pedestrians, or cyclists who were injured by an uninsured vehicle. MVIAC provides both no-fault benefits up to $50,000.00, as well as the available coverage for up to $25,000.00 per person injured in a crash.

Filing a claim through MVAIC is a method to make a recovery if you are involved in a crash and neither you, nor anyone in your household owned a vehicle at the time. MVAIC also applies if coverage is denied or disclaimed, the collision was a hit and run, it involved a stolen vehicle, or the owner did not give driver permission to use the car (denial of permissive use).

The requirements for MVAIC benefits are:

• You were involved in a motor vehicle crash in New York.
• You were a resident of New York when the crash occurred. Under special circumstances, residents of other states may be eligible for MVAIC benefits. If you were not a resident of New York when the collision occurred, and you have questions pertaining to eligibility, please contact MVAIC by phone at (646)205-7800, or via email at HelpDesk@mvaic.com.
• You have no other automobile insurance available to you. If you or any of your household relatives own an insured motor vehicle, you will be required to file a claim with that insurance company to see if you are covered under that policy for benefits.
• You were NOT the owner of the uninsured vehicle that was involved in the crash.
• You were NOT the spouse of the owner of the uninsured vehicle, or a passenger in that uninsured vehicle.
• Additionally, there are time frame requirements that must be adhered to. If these timeframes are not met, your eligibility could be affected...
• The motor vehicle collision must be reported to the Police (Peace Officer) within 24 hours of the accident occurring.
• A Notice of Intention (NOI) is submitted to MVAIC within 90 days of the collision, if the accident was with a Hit & Run or unidentified motor vehicle.
• A Notice of Intention (NOI) is submitted to MVAIC within 180 days of the collision, if the accident was with an identified motor vehicle.

MVAIC may require you to provide a Bicycle Crash Claim form, in addition to the Notice of Intention claim forms

The requirements above are set forth in Article 52 of the New York Insurance Law:

It is imperative that you Report the collision within 24 hours, or as soon as reasonably possible, or you may not be able to make an MVIAC claim, especially if it is a "hit and run" accident.

If you need to make a MVAIC claim, we would highly suggest contacting a lawyer, as the rules involved in the claims process are highly technical and you need court approval to start a lawsuit against MVIAC.