Should I Report the Uninsured Driver to the Police?

By: Tracy Wilkinson - Updated: 17 Jul 2016 | *Discuss

 

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Q.

In June 2008 my car was hit at the front and from the rear in an accident. No persons were injured. My car was a write off. The driver of the car that was at fault and hit the front of my vehicle was... uninsured!

My insurer is withholding the excess and since the driver was uninsured, they will hold me at fault and will load up my future premiums.

I have photographs of the accident site, and details of the guilty person's address and telephone number and his car. Should I report this person to the police?

A.

It's bad enough being involved in an road accident when it's not your fault - but then to find out that the person who is at fault is breaking the law and driving while uninsured is the icing on the cake! You certainly shouldn't be held at fault as your car was involved due to the uninsured driver - but fault claims mean that you pay higher premiums in future, so if the uninsured driver doesn't come forward, you can end up in this situation.

So What Happens if the Other Driver is Uninsured?

If you are fully comprehensively insured then any damage caused to your vehicle will be covered by your policy, however you will be expected to pay out the agreed excess and you may also end up losing your no claims bonus into the bargain.

If you have a third party policy then you won't be covered for any damages caused to your own car, but your insurance company will still need to be told about the situation and Witholding this information could invalidate future claims.

What Should I do if this Happens to Me?

• Get in touch with the police asap
• Get the driver's details and if different, the owner's: this includes name, address, registration number and details of their insurance policy
• As soon as you can, call your insurer and ask them to check the Motor Insurance Database to check the details you have been given.
• Take photographs of the scene, even mobile phone photos will be sufficient.
• Don't discuss fault or blame with the other driver, as they may use that in their defence if it ever goes to court
• Get witnesses if possible.

Even if you do all the things listed above, if the driver is in a stolen car, or just goes missing, then it can be incredibly hard to track them down, and many motorists are left high and dry and out of pocket when they end up in this situation.

In your case, it sounds as though you did everything right, except not involving the police straight away. You have photographs of the accident and all the details needed to identify the culprit and where he lives. You should contact the police immediately, and tell them what happened. They can take it from there, investigate whether or not he was insured, and then it's up to your insurance company to get it sorted out for you. After all, it's what you pay them for - make them work for your money!

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