Hit by an uninsured driver?
Being in a car accident is stressful at the best of times, but the situation can be made ten times harder if you’re hit by an uninsured driver. In a normal car accident, the insurance company of the person who’s at fault would pay for damages. Check out our article on what to do after a car accident.
But if you’re hit by an uninsured driver, it might be a bit more tricky. Good news is, there are processes in place to help make sure you’re not left out of pocket.
Reporting an uninsured driver
If you can, you want to try and get this information down:
- The car brand (Example – Ford, Audi, BMW), model (Example – Fiesta, A1, Series 1) and registration plate
- The other driver’s name, address and insurance details
- The damage that was caused and the driving conditions
- Contact details and statements of any witnesses
You’ll need to report the car accident details to the police, and you can try and take a picture of the scene for evidence only if it’s safe. If the car isn’t yours, you’ll also need to give the car owner’s name and address.
If they refuse to give you all of the information, say that they’re uninsured or they leave the scene without stopping, call the police. You need to call the police within 5 days of the accident anyway. If you’ve been injured, you need to call the police within 14 days, or as soon as you can.
You can also find someone’s insurance details using the askMID insurance check. It’s also a good idea to let your insurer know about the accident as soon as possible.
Uninsured driver’s promise
The uninsured driver’s promise is something some insurers offer to protect you if you’re hit by an uninsured driver including your no claims bonus. We do not offer this, but if there’s an uninsured driver’s promise, your insurer will pay for damages made to your car.
Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB)
You may be able to claim from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) if you’re hit by an uninsured driver. The MIB is there to compensate victims of uninsured and untraced drivers. Basically, every insurer in the UK has to pay a membership fee to the MIB to be able to sell insurance in the UK. The MIB use this money to contribute towards pay-outs.
If you want to make a claim for compensation for injury or damaged property, give them a call for advice or make a claim online. They’ll do their own investigations into the incident, including getting witness statements and police reports. MIB should decide whether or not you’ll receive a payment within three months. If MIB decide that you’re eligible for compensation, it’ll take a little longer to decide the amount. If it’s found that you’re at fault, you won’t receive any compensation.
What happens to uninsured drivers in an accident?
The police could give a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points. If the case goes to court, the fine will be unlimited. The driver could also be disqualified from driving and the car could be seized. So not worth the risk if you’re ever considering jumping in a car you’re not insured on.
What happens if I’ve only got third party insurance?
You don’t always need extra insurance to drive other cars if you’re insured on your own car, because it can sometimes be included in your own insurance as third party insurance. If it’s included for you, it’s usually only valid if:
- You’re the policy holder
- You have permission from the car owner to drive their car
- You’re using the car for reasons that your insurance covers you for
- You’re borrowing the car, not paying for it
- You’re over 25
You probably shouldn’t do this often though, because if you’re in an accident or there’s any damage, you’ll have to pay for your own car and injury expenses and your insurer won’t help you with your claim. If the accident with an insured or uninsured driver isn’t your fault, external claim companies like the MIB may be able to help you with a claim, but it will cost. Ouch.
Overall it’s a bit more complicated and instead, you can grab some temporary insurance off us to save you any problems in the long run. Here’s how to make a claim in someone else’s car.
Don’t risk it – make sure you’re insured before you borrow someone else’s car! You can get temporary insurance from anything between 1 hour up to 60 days at a time, so you can get as little or as much as you need, and all the peace of mind.