What to do if you're hit by an uninsured driver as Birmingham named UK's worst

Car experts have issued advice on what to do if you're hit by an uninsured driver. Shockingly, according to Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), a pedestrian is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver every 20 minutes in the UK.

The costs of crashes involving uninsured drivers adds around £30 to the insurance price of law-abiding motorists. Recently, Birmingham was named the worst place in the country for uninsured drivers.

It topped a league of shame which also featured parts of Wolverhampton, Walsall and Solihull. So it might be worth knowing what to do if you're ever involved in a collision with an uninsured driver.

READ MORE: Warning to West Midlands drivers flouting rule who are told 'we're coming for you'

Your insurance company should have a policy in place if you've had an accident or collision with an uninsured driver. In the event of a crash, the first thing to do is take as many details as you can, according to experts at Confused.com.

This includes the make, model and registration number of the other car; the other driver's name and address; details of any nearby witnesses; photos and details of any damage.

You should also get in touch with the police as soon as you can if the other driver doesn't have insurance. If you're injured in the collision, you’ve got 14 days to contact police. If there’s any damage to the vehicle, you need to do this within five days.

If you don't report the collision to the police, you could be committing an offence. The penalties include a fine, up to six months in prison, or penalty points on your license.

How do I claim on my insurance if an uninsured driver hits me?

If you have comprehensive car insurance you could still make a claim on the other driver's policy - even if the process may be more complicated. If you only have third-party fire and theft you can make a claim with the MIB.

They specialise in handling cases where one driver doesn’t have car insurance. The MIB should try to reclaim the costs of the accident from the third party where possible.

What do I do if the other car drives off after hitting me?

If you've been caught in a hit-and-run crash, here's what you need to do:

• Gather evidence to prove the other driver's - known as the untraceable driver's - negligence caused the crash -t his could be witnesses, CCTV or dashcam footage.
• Taking photos of the damage to your car or markings on the road that are a result of the accident might also support your claim
• Get in touch with the police and your insurance company to make them aware
• Make a claim against the untraceable driver on the MIB website

You’ll need to make any claims for vehicle damage within nine months of the accident. There will usually be a £300 excess on these claims. Claims for personal injury need to be made within three years.

Will my claim be successful if I’m hit by an untraceable driver?

It depends who is at fault, according to Confused.com experts. The MIB should work with your insurance company and the police to work out who’s at fault for the crash.

If they find that you were at fault – either wholly or partially – they might reject or reduce the amount of your claim. But they won’t throw out a claim purely because you can't find the other driver.

There are some situations where the MIB might be more likely to reject a claim:

• If you were a passenger in a car that you knew wasn’t insured
• If you were a passenger in a car driven by a drunk-driver
• The collision happened on a private road or area that doesn’t have full public access

Will my no-claims discount be protected if I've been hit by an uninsured driver?

If you’re hit by an uninsured driver you might still lose some of your no-claims bonus. This is because the claim would need to be paid by your insurance company in the absence of an insurance policy for the driver that was at fault.

But there are some insurers that might protect your no-claims discount in this situation, so check your policy to find out.

What do I do if I hit an uninsured driver?

If you’re at fault in this scenario, the other driver should be able to claim from your insurance policy. The fact that they’re uninsured shouldn’t change that.

If you have a comprehensive car insurance policy, you could also claim to cover damage to your car. You could still report them to the police for not having insurance, though. Call 101 or use your local police force’s live chat facility if it has one.