This is the worst situation to be in. You’ve done everything possible to ensure that you are on the road legally but then you have an accident caused by the other driver. You stop at the scene and either they don’t bother to stop and you have no details to trace them or they give you some details which later turn out to be incorrect. Alternatively you may be taken away from the scene in an ambulance and not have chance to gather all of the details. Sadly, it’s also a common problem.
You can of course claim for your vehicle damage via your own fully comprehensive motor insurance but the penalty is that this will have implications for your no claims bonus. As frustrating as this is it’s the best way to mitigate your losses and stop you from incurring any further expenses from not being able to drive. It will help to get your vehicle or back up and running so that you can get on with life. However, the difficulty comes if you suffer an injury and need compensation to help you get back on your feet.
In these circumstances you may be able to initiate a claim via the Motor Insurers Bureau Untraced Drivers Agreement. The provisions of the agreement are detailed and difficult for a lay person to navigate. You won’t be entitled to compensation for all of your losses in the same way that you would be if you were pursuing a civil claim but you MUST ensure that you have reported the accident to the police as quickly as possible. You will need to verify therefore that the accident happened and have as much information and evidence to verify that the offending vehicle and motorist was at the scene of the accident. Any delay in reporting matters to the police will inevitably impact upon your potential claim.
For help and assistance navigating the Motor Insurers Untraced Driver’s Agreement contact SHU Law on 01142255891/01142256666 or email enquiries@shulaw.co.uk.