If you are not sure the other vehicle is insured, you can check. Here is how, and what your options are if it turns out there is no cover.
Checking the Motor Insurance Database
The askMID service lets you check whether a vehicle appears as insured. After an incident you can use the free service by entering the registration and the date of the accident.
Records are not always updated instantly, so a blank result on the same day is not proof on its own.
↑ Back to contentsIf the other vehicle is uninsured
Report the incident to the police, they take uninsured driving seriously. Notify your own insurer, and gather every piece of evidence you can while it is fresh.
Claims involving untraced or uninsured drivers can be pursued through the Motor Insurers Bureau, and regulated partners can advise on that route.
- Photograph the vehicle, registration and the scene.
- Take witness details before people leave.
- Check for dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage nearby.
- Keep a written note of exactly what was said.
Getting the repair moving
An uninsured third party does not have to mean an unrepaired car. Speak to a bodyshop early so you know the true cost and can weigh your options properly.
↑ Back to contentsFrequently asked questions
The insurance questions drivers ask us most
Straight answers on premiums, excess, write-offs and replacement vehicles, written by our Bristol repair team.
- Non-fault accident: what it means and what to do (UK guide)A plain-English UK guide to non-fault accidents: how liability is decided, your repair and replacement vehicle options, and the mistakes that cost drivers money.
- What to do after a car accident that wasn’t your faultThe exact steps to take at the scene, in the first 24 hours and in the first week after someone else hits your car in the UK.
- Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance? (UK)How a non-fault claim can show on your record, what happens to your premium and what to check with your insurer.
- Do I have to pay my insurance excess?When an excess applies after a non-fault accident, and the practical routes that can avoid paying one up front.
Your next steps
Based on what you have just read, these are the pages most drivers go to next.
Prefer to speak to someone now?
SAR Group is a repair-led accident support and bodyshop business, and your first point of contact after a non-fault accident. We are not an FCA-authorised claims management company: every non-fault case is handled through our authorised and regulated partner network.