Car Insurance: Involved in an Accident with an Uninsured Driver?

Uninsured drivers have a ten-fold higher chance of drinking and driving and a three-fold greater chance of being convicted for driving without due care. Uninsured drivers also cause at least one accident every six month. One in twenty motorists drive regularly without insurance. Uninsured motorists are responsible for 10% of all accidents. What should you do if you are in an accident with one of them?

You won’t be able to see that the other driver has no insurance so you will have to respond in the usual way. Note the make, model, and registration numbers of the other vehicle. Note the name and address of the other driver – although it’s unlikely that he will give you all his details. However, it is important to record the words of the other driver. If you don’t have this information, you won’t have any leverage when trying to get your money back.

Note the extent of damage done to the car in front and the scene at the accident site. Note road markings, weather conditions, light and weather conditions, and whether or not the other vehicle had its lights on. If you have an independent witness, get their contact information. If you have a camera, make sure to take many pictures. Make sure that the driver is clearly visible in each one. That one might be a hit with the police!

Your insurer will pay to repair your vehicle if your policy is comprehensive. However, you may lose your no-claims discount if you haven’t paid to protect it. Then there’s your excess payment. This is the first portion of the repair cost that you will have to cover. Unless you have a policy that waives excess payments in the event you are hit by an uninsured motorist, you will have to pay this amount.

Third party car insurance is a tough choice. Your insurance company won’t cover your repairs. The other driver isn’t insured so you aren’t going to be able to recover any money from him. There is no guarantee that he will pay up even if you do succeed in a court action. The only way to get a guaranteed settlement is to file a claim with the Motor Insurers Bureau. However, you will still need to pay the initial PS300.

Motor Insurers Bureau insists you have the registration numbers of the other drivers and that you report the accident to police. As the Bureau is likely to request a copy of the accident report, always ask the police to obtain it. The Bureau’s telephone number is 01908 671681 or you can e-mail them on enquiries@mib.org.uk.

Right now, The UK’s Law is being amended in order to crackdown upon uninsured motorists. It is not too late. Anybody driving a vehicle without insurance will now be subject to a fixed PS100 penalty and their car can also be seized and destroyed. The average penalty for driving without insurance is currently just PS170. This is hardly harsh considering the high cost of car insurance. A fine of PS100 plus the possibility of losing your car is more likely. Let’s pray that the courts will fully enforce the harsh sentence!

According to a police spokesperson, uninsured drivers often commit other driving-related offenses, including driving without a driving license or MOT certificate. We are doing all we can to remove these dangerous and illegal drivers from our roads.