Car Insurance. Involved In An Accident With An Uninsured Driver?

Summary: Uninsured drivers are ten times more likely to drink and drive and three times more likely to be convicted of driving without due care and attention. They also cause one accident every six months. In fact one in twenty motorists regularly drive without insurance. It's therefore not perhaps surprising that, one in ten of all motorists have been involved in accidents with uninsured drivers. The question is what to do if you're involved in an accident with one?

Uninsured drivers are ten times more likely to drink and drive and three times more likely to be convicted of driving without due care and attention. They also cause one accident every six months. In fact one in twenty motorists regularly drive without insurance. It's therefore not perhaps surprising that, one in ten of all motorists have been involved in accidents with uninsured drivers. The question is what to do if you're involved in an accident with one? At the time of the accident you're unlikely to realise that the other driver is uninsured so you'll have to react in the normal way. Take a note of the other car's make, model and registration number. Also note the other driver's name and address - but whether he'll give you his correct details is perhaps unlikely! Nevertheless, always record what the other driver says. Unless you have this information you'll have no leg to stand on when it comes to getting some of your money back. Also take notes about the damage to the other car and the accident scene. Remember to note road markings, road signs, light and weather conditions and whether the other car had its lights on - in fact as much detail as possible. Then if you're lucky enough to have an independent witness get their full contact details. And if you happen to have a camera in the car, take lots of pictures - and try and get one with the other driver clearly in the picture. The police might like that one! If your policy is comprehensive, your insurer pay for your car to be repaired but you could lose your no claims discount unless you've paid to protect it. But then there's the issue of your excess payment - that's the first part of the repair cost you have to pay for. You'll have to pay that unless you're lucky enough to have a policy that waives the excess payment if you're hit by an uninsured driver. For those of you with third party car insurance, you're in for a hard time. Your insurer won't pay for your repairs and, as the other driver is uninsured, you're not going to get any money off him unless you can trace him and succeed in a court action. Even then there's no guarantee that he'll pay up! Your only guaranteed solution is to make a compensation claim to the Motor Insurers' Bureau - but you'll still have to pay the first