Your insurance if you're hit by an uninsured driver

No one ever wants to be in a car accident – it can mean work to your car and bills to pay, not to mention any injuries you might face. But if you’re hit by a driver and they don’t have any car insurance, it can be even more trouble.

It’s illegal to drive without any car insurance but that doesn’t stop thousands of uninsured drivers on UK roads – with more than 24,000 payouts due to uninsured drivers last year. If you’re unlucky enough to be in an accident with one, it can cause problems for you – let’s find out how.

Motor Insurers' Bureau

If an uninsured driver hits you or it’s a hit and run, the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) could pay out compensation. UK motor insurers cover the cost of the MIB through policy premiums, with around £15 to £30 of your yearly premium going to the company.

First off, report your accident to the police and you can then make a claim through the MIB. There might be an excess fee if the MIB can’t find the other driver, but this will depend on what you’re claiming for.

Find out what happens when you make a claim through the MIB.

At fault or not?

The MIB doesn’t just pay out because you were in an accident with an uninsured driver – only for accidents that weren’t your fault. Non-fault claims are those where the other driver was at fault – if they drove into you while you were waiting at traffic lights, for example. You can only claim if the other driver caused the accident.

Claims through the MIB can take up to 18 months, so you may have to pay for the repairs to your car and claim this back afterwards.

Will insurance go up?

If you’re in a crash with an uninsured driver, your insurance premium could increase when you renew it. This is because you’ll probably lose any no claims bonus you might have when you claim for the damage to your car.

Some insurers will protect your no claims discount if you’re in a non-fault accident with an uninsured driver so you won’t lose out if you make a claim. But this doesn’t mean your premium won’t still go up because you’ve had an accident, as your insurer could see you as more of a risk.

You can pay to protect your no claims bonus so even if you’re in a crash and make a claim, you won’t lose this. This will add around 10% to the cost of your policy. There’s usually a limit to how many claims you can make before you lose the no claims bonus protection, so it’s worth speaking to your insurer to find out their policy if you’re interested in doing this.