Hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver: what now?

At the scene: what to get when the other driver won't cooperate

A driver with no insurance may give false details, refuse to give any or simply drive off. Get what you can before they go:

• the registration number, above everything else. Say it out loud into your phone's voice recorder if you can't write it down
• the make, model and colour, plus any damage or stickers that would help pick the car out
• a description of the driver and any passengers
• which way they went
• photos or video of their car and the scene, if you can take them safely
• names and phone numbers of anyone who saw it

If you have a dashcam, save the clip. Most dashcams record over older footage on a loop, so lock the file or copy it off before it's gone.

Don't follow them, and don't get into an argument at the roadside. If anyone is hurt, the road is blocked or you feel threatened, call 999.

Reporting it to the police

If the other driver didn't give you their details at the scene, report the accident to the police as soon as possible and within 24 hours. Use 999 for an emergency, otherwise 101 or your police force's online reporting. Ask for a reference number and keep it somewhere safe, because your insurer and the MIB will ask for it.

Driving without insurance is an offence, and the police can trace a vehicle from its registration. If they find the driver and it turns out there was insurance after all, the claim goes to that insurer like any other non-fault accident claim.

How can I check if the other car was insured?

The Motor Insurance Database holds records of insured vehicles in the UK, and its askMID service lets people involved in an accident check whether the other vehicle was insured on the day. You'll need the registration and the date. If it doesn't show as insured, tell the police and your insurer.

How does an uninsured driver claim work?

There are two main routes, and sometimes both play a part.

Your own policy. Fully comp cover pays for repairs to your car whoever was to blame. Many fully comp policies also include an uninsured driver promise, which usually means that if an uninsured driver hits you and it wasn't your fault, you won't pay your excess and your no claims bonus won't be affected. There are normally conditions, such as giving the other vehicle's registration, so read the wording, because it varies between insurers.

The Motor Insurers' Bureau. The MIB is funded by motor insurers to compensate people hurt or out of pocket because of uninsured and untraced drivers. It works under two agreements with the government: the Uninsured Drivers' Agreement and the Untraced Drivers' Agreement. If you only have third party cover, your policy won't pay for your own car, so the MIB is usually where you'd turn. The MIB has its own conditions and time limits, and an excess can apply on vehicle damage, so read its guidance before you start and don't leave it to drift.

What happens if the driver is never found?

This is the harder case. The MIB also handles claims where the driver can't be traced, but the rules are narrower, particularly for damage to vehicles, so check its guidance against your own situation.

For many people the realistic route is their own fully comp policy. Bear in mind that an uninsured driver promise usually needs the other vehicle to be identified, so a hit-and-run with no registration may count against your no claims bonus. Insurers vary on this, and our guide to whether a non-fault accident affects your insurance covers how claims are recorded.

If your car was hit while parked and nobody left a note, our article on what to do when someone hits your parked car covers witnesses, doorbell cameras and footage.

Getting the car repaired

Whichever way the claim goes, the repair itself is a normal one. It's your choice which bodyshop repairs the car. If your own insurer is paying, though, read the policy first: some charge a higher excess, limit what they'll pay or drop the courtesy car if you go outside their approved list, so let them know where the car is going before any work starts.

At Newbridge Accident Repair Centre we can give you an estimate, deal with your insurer on approval and carry out the accident repair at any of our three sites. If your insurer won't give you a courtesy car, ask us, as we run our own fleet and may be able to help. And if the police trace the driver and they turn out to be insured, we can switch to handling it as a non-fault claim.

Our numbers are 01268 590 722 for the Basildon bodyshop, 01322 930 719 for Newbridge Dartford in Stone and 020 8659 2221 for Newbridge London in Sydenham. If the car is driveable, you can get a repair quote from photos first. Before you pick a site, have a look at what customers say on Google about Basildon, Dartford or Sydenham.