If the driver who hit you had no insurance, or drove off before you could get their details, you are not automatically out of options. The Motor Insurers' Bureau exists precisely for this situation.
Check the position first
Before assuming the other driver was uninsured, check the Motor Insurance Database through askMID using the registration. Drivers sometimes give a wrong or lapsed policy number at the roadside when cover actually exists.
↑ Back to contentsReport it properly
Report the incident to the police, and get an incident reference number. For an untraced driver this is normally a requirement before a claim can proceed.
- Report as soon as you reasonably can
- Keep the police reference safe, you will be asked for it
- Tell your own insurer even if you do not intend to claim
- Gather CCTV, doorbell footage and witness details quickly, they get overwritten
How the MIB route works
The Motor Insurers' Bureau operates two schemes, one for uninsured drivers and one for untraced drivers. Both are funded by a levy on insurance premiums and both have their own rules, evidence requirements and contributions.
Timescales tend to be longer than a normal insurer-to-insurer claim, so make sure your practical needs, particularly repair and transport, are dealt with alongside rather than after.
↑ 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.