How to Claim Injury Compensation for Hit & Run or Uninsured Driver Accidents

By Ian Morris | Updated March 21st, 2024

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If you’ve been injured in a road accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you’re fully entitled to make a claim for compensation. But what if an illegal driver crashes in to you and either doesn’t have insurance, or speeds off before you have the chance to get their registration number? How can you still claim compensation?

In the case of a hit and run or uninsured driver causing an accident, there is no insurer to claim from. Most people assume you can do nothing and will have to claim against their own comprehensive insurance for the damage to their vehicle. If you have comprehensive cover, you can do this, but you will probably lose your excess and certainly can’t claim for injuries.

Luckily, there is a body set up to provide access to compensation for just this kind of incident. They are the not-so-well known ‘Motor Insurers Bureau‘ or MIB.

Key Takeaways

Report the accident to the police as soon as possible.
Gather evidence if you can, including photos, witness contact details, and the location and time of the accident.
Seek medical attention immediately for any injuries.
Contact the MIB for guidance on filing a compensation claim for hit and run accidents.

Can I Make a Hit and Run Accident Compensation Claim?

Yes, if you’ve been a victim of a hit and run accident in the UK, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries and damages. The process may seem daunting, especially when the driver responsible for the accident has not been identified. However, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) provides a pathway for victims to claim compensation in these situations.

Victims of hit and run accidents, including pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, or passengers, are eligible to claim compensation. The claim is not limited to physical injuries but can also cover emotional distress and financial losses resulting from the accident.

To warrant a claim, the claimant must have received professional medical treatment for their injuries from a hospital or GP, and the injuries must be adequately severe (usually a minimum recovery period of 4-6 weeks).

Reporting the Accident to the Police

So now you know about the MIB, but what criteria do they use to evaluate whether or not a claimant has a valid claim? In MIB claims, it is vital – absolutely vital – that an incident is reported to the police and that an incident reference number is issued to the claimant. In the case of hit and run accidents the police should be notified immediately where possible, and certainly following any emergency medical treatment.

Instances where a driver provides what seems to be genuine insurance details which later turn out to be fake, the police should be told as soon as this fact becomes known.

The Evidence You Need to Make a Hit and Run Claim

It’s helpful to gather as much specific information about the accident as possible. Try to record the following:

Registration of the uninsured, or hit and run vehicle, if possible
Accident date and time
Accident location (street name, road number, roundabout name etc)
Full contact details of any witnesses
Details of any police involvement (reference number, officer numbers etc)

If you’ve been unable to gather this information, for whatever reason, don’t panic. It can still be possible for you to pursue a claim. We’ll always advise you on the best course of action for your particular situation.

The Benefits of Claiming Compensation

There are many compelling reasons for pursuing your legal right to make a claim – the end goal is to get you fair compensation for injuries that were not your fault. A successful claim can also release funds to pay for private treatment to speed your recovery process.

Should your injuries have stopped you from working and resulted in lost income – now and in the future – this will also be taken into account. Other incurred costs, such as transport and additional medical treatments, will be covered too.

All our road accident claims are made on a no-win, no-fee basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t be charged a penny.

How the Claims Process Works for Hit and Run Accidents

Immediate Actions: Ensure you and anyone else involved are safe. Contact the police and gather evidence.
Medical Attention: Seek medical care and ensure injuries are documented.
Police Report: A police report is mandatory for a claim.
Contacting the MIB: Initiate contact with the MIB as soon as possible.
Claim Filing: Compile necessary documentation and file your claim.
Resolution: Be patient and cooperative throughout the process.

Tips for Success

Detailed Documentation: Keep thorough records of all evidence and documentation related to the accident and your injuries.
Legal Advice: Consider consulting with a personal injury solicitor who has experience with MIB claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let us help

Being involved in a hit and run accident can be a distressing experience, leaving you with many uncertainties. However, understanding your rights and the steps to take can significantly improve your chances of securing the compensation you deserve. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau plays a crucial role in supporting victims of such incidents, ensuring that justice can be sought even in the absence of the at-fault driver.

You’re in safe hands with Direct2Compensation. Our claims process is transparent and effective, and you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with our no-win, no-fee approach.

To find out more, or to start your claim today, call us on 01225 430285. If you prefer, . After just a few minutes on the phone, we’ll have enough information to allow our solicitors to get your claim started.

84 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus hit and run claim examples...

I recently had a car accident where I was chased by hooligans for no reason and they hit the back of my car, but then started to attack my car. I got away and reported to the police with the number plate. Police located the car which was uninsured and sorn. The person denied being involved in the accident. Am I able to claim via MIB for personal Injuries as he is denying the incident? I have got crime ref number and had nhs physio treatment since the incident.

We can assist you with a claim in this scenario.

Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can begin the process of helping you to understand your options and discuss pursuing your claim.

I was involved in an accident on Friday when a van illegally drove on the wrong side of the road to overtake the single lane traffic. I was turning right out of a side road when stationary traffic on each side of the road stopped to let me out, before I could clear the turning the van swerved in front of me from the wrong side of the road and smashed into my car damaging the front and passenger side. I managed to get his number plate as did a witness to the crash who was in the stationary traffic that the at fault drivers illegal overtook. My insurance company won’t pay out as my car was a damage repairable when I bought it, even though they knew this they have now voided my insurance. I have contacted the insurers of the hit and run driver, but they say they need to speak to him to assess liability. I reported this to the police immediately after it happened. What can I do?

We can only assist in matters that involve a personal injury – whether physical or emotional. Therefore, if you were uninjured, we can’t advise you.

However, if you were injured you should still be able to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation – if you have a witness (and can provide their details) to corroborate the version of events you have given here.

A final offer for my personal injury claim has been made following a hit and run RTA involving the police. I have been told by the appointed solicitors that I cannot make a case for more compensation due to an unintended error on the medical form.
My injury has turned out to be a lot worst than first diagnosed. Basically the specialists ignored my requests from the start for an x-ray of some sort. I have now undergone a number of different procedures including an MIRI scan due to the increasing discomfort that I currently experiencing. Please advise?

It is hard, if not impossible for us to offer any particularly helpful advice in this situation as your claim is being pursued by a Solicitor and they clearly have the full facts of the case at hand with regards to the advice that they are giving you.

If you believe that they have handled your claim poorly – with special regard to the medical expert and medical report, you should make a formal complaint against them. Once that is done, if you remain discontented with their response, you could escalate it to the regulatory authorities and possibly pursue a claim against them for professional negligence if it is found that they have indeed not upheld your best interests in their work on your behalf.

Hi on 14/3/22 I was hit by another car who failed to stop, I contacted the police straight away and contacted insurance company. I then went to work as a nurse I did not want to leave the ward vulnerable. I had to leave shift early due to vomiting, back pain and stiffness. I am on medication for my back but this had resolved the pain. Since the accident I have had to go back to my Gp to have analgesia increased and be put on more analgesia. My question is as the driving failed to stop I am I able to claim. Many thanks

Even in cases where a 3rd party vehicle has fled from the scene of a road traffic accident and the details of the vehicle or driver are unknown, a non-fault party who has sustained injury may make a claim. To qualify, the injured party must have reported the incident to the police and sought medical attention. If so, they can make a personal injury claim to the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) scheme for untraced or uninsured drivers.

Due to recent changes in the way road traffic accident claimants can pursue claims, unless your injuries exceed £5000 in value (and as you have no broken bones or lacerations would require your whiplash symptoms to be severe and last for a number of months), it is too early to say whether we can assist you (as legal fees cannot be recovered unless value exceeds the £5000 threshold). This leaves you with two choices as follows:

As you have a claim limitation period of 3 years from the date of the accident you may opt to:

1, Wait for a period of 6-9 months post accident to assess your injuries and recovery from the same. If after 6 months, your injury symptoms persist and you have had to seek further medical intervention (referral for specialist treatment or ongoing physiotherapy), contact us to start a No Win No Fee claim via the Motor Insurers Bureau.

2, Make an immediate claim without legal representation to the Motor Insurers Bureau. An application form can be completed online via https://www.mib.org.uk/making-a-claim/ and submitted and a claimant does not require a Solicitor.

The benefit of option 2 is that a claim may start immediately. The negative of option 2 is that you won’t have legal representation and will not necessarily be certain as to whether your rights are being upheld or whether the value of any settlement is appropriate. Although it would slow the process down somewhat, the benefit of option 1 would be that you would be able to trust a specialist Solicitor to uphold your rights and act for you on a No Win No Fee basis.

I was hit from the rear hard while stationary at a red light pushing me into the car in front. Three police officers and an ambulance attended. In the ambulance a police officer gave me the details regarding the car in front and said I would be contacted that evening regarding details of the vehicle that hit me. To date, two days later, nobody has rang. I was given an incident number at the scene then taken home by the police. Can I assume that as there was a police presence they will have taken details such as car registration number, name and address, that I can pass on to my insurers?

Given the police and ambulance attendance at the scene of your road traffic accident, one would imagine that the police have taken the relevant details.

As you have a police incident number, you may wish to make contact with the Police to obtain the vehicle registration of the car that caused the collision. As you were pushed from behind in to the car ahead of you, the car ahead of you may wish to claim for their loss or injury from your insurers. However, your insurers will wish to pass liability to the vehicle that caused the accident – the one behind you, so obtaining the registration details would be helpful.

If you were injured in this incident, you may prefer to keep any personal injury claim separate to the vehicle claim and instruct an independent specialist personal injury expert – such as Direct2Compensation and the Solicitors with whom we work – to act for you in terms of a claim for personal injury compensation. If so, please call us on 01225430285.

Hi Ian,

I was in stationary traffic this morning and was rear ended by a woman, due to me just passing my test, I wasn’t sure on what details to get and the woman gave me her name and number. I went to the hospital and have been signed off with whiplash. The number the woman gave me appears to be fake. Is there anything I can do?

Did you manage to get her registration number? If so, it will be possible to identify the 3rd party via that and we could help you claim compensation against the insurers on a No Win No Fee basis.

If not, you should report the incident to the Police in order to obtain a Police Incident Reference Number. We would then be able to help you claim compensation via the Motor Insurers Bureau ‘untraced driver’ scheme.

Please call us on 01225430285, we can certainly help you claim compensation and explain your rights and options after your accident this morning.

My wife, with a friend in passenger seat, were in stationary car on road and was ran into (minor damage) by a young lad driving fast and erratically who admitted liability and offered to pay from his wallet. My wife took a photo of his registration. My wife said the cost would be more than he had in the wallet and asked him for insurance details and he agreed. When she went to get details she smelt a strong smell of marijuana coming from the car. The other lads said they hadn’t been smoking but when my wife said she was calling the police to get them involved the driver said he was leaving and drove off, having not given details. My wife has reported this to the police. What happens next?! How will this affect our insurance premiums/no claims etc?

This should not impact on your insurance premiums if you claim against the 3rd party. Given that you have his registration, the Police should be able to advise you as to whether or not the vehicle was insured. If the 3rd party was not insured, you will have to claim against your own insurance, but this will not impact on your premiums if you have protected no claims bonus. However, if not it could see your premiums rise a little.

If your wife and her friend were injured in any way (perhaps they have neck pain, stiffness in the shoulders, upper back etc), they can make a claim for personal injury compensation whether the 3rd party was insured or not. Please call us on 01225430285 to find out how we can assist with personal injury compensation claims.

Hi Ian,

A chap crashed into me into the rear of my car while I was stationairy in traffic on a red light. The chap was coming from the top of the hill and was doing 20-25mph and slammed into back of the rear of my car, breaking too late. I myself the driver and my friend who was the passenger both sustained injuries. Injuries such as bruised ribs, shoulder pain from the seat belt, and we both had to attend A&E, where we was told we received soft tissue injuries. I took painkillers for a while and also was off work for a week because of this. Thankfully I did report the incident to the police on the same day, and they have given me a incident number. It turns out the chap who hit into us, was not insured on the vehicle. The injury document said I was entitled to compensation of a certain amount, however since the chap wasn’t insured at the time, i’m not sure if i will receive that compensation money. Also since he was driving without insurance, i’m wondering if he could get a ban. If you could get back to me with your excellent expertise, I would love to hear from you.

If the offending 3rd party driver was uninsured, you have not got an insurer to pursue your claim against. However, there is a scheme available for those injured by uninsured drivers and this is operated by the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). We can assist with this as our specialist panel Solicitors are experts in handling such claims. If you wished to instruct them, they would run such a claim on a No Win No Fee basis meaning that you would pay nothing if your claim were to fail – and given that you have reported the incident to the Police on the same day and attended A&E regarding your injuries, there is no reason to see that you would not succeed – but if you were to succeed, you would face contributing up to 25% of any award made to you towards the cost of the claim. If you would like us to help with this, please either call us on 01225430285 or use the ‘start a claim’ page of our website and we’ll call you to discuss this matter.

It is worth noting that you do not need to instruct a Solicitor to pursue a claim via the MIB as you can apply directly to them. If you pursue a claim directly, you will pay nothing if you lose and not have to contribute up to 25% of any award you receive.

Whilst having a specialist Solicitor acting for you is no guarantee that you will receive a higher claim value, you can be certain that your rights will be represented fully and that you are given the best chance of succeeding with a claim. We would always suggest that instructing a specialist Solicitor to act for you is a prudent move, but it is important that you know your options.

I drove into the back of another vehicle at speed but it was their fault they drove off. My car is written off. I have been to the hospital and have suffered badly bruised ribs and muscles all over my torso. Can I claim anything? Thanks.

If you have driven in to the rear of another vehicle, it will be very hard to prove that you were not at fault. The highway code requires the vehicle behind to be able to stop safely and to allow sufficient braking distance. If you are of the view that the other car was at fault, there will need to be some evidence to support this. Was this reported to the police at the time? Did any of the witnesses give statements? If the other car suddenly pulled out on you, you could potentially claim for injuries via the Motor Insurers Bureau untraced driver scheme.

I was recently driven into by a delivery driver, we swapped insurance details and i’ve tried to make a claim but have been told the driver is uninsured due to gross negligence of their vehicle. I was in my vehicle at the time so I didn’t sustain any injury’s but would like to claim for the damages to my vehicle without doing so on my own insurance. The delivery driver worked for DPD and they are no help to the situation what are the next steps I can take ? Many thanks

Sadly we can only assist if there is a personal injury to pursue a claim for and cannot advise as to how you handle claims for damaged property such as your car. The best bet would be to speak with your insurers legal department and see if they can hold the company for whom the delivery driver was working liable.

Hi my husband and sister were involved in car crash the driver drove off and is denying causing the crash they both had severe injuries reported incident to police and both attended and still attending hospital. Are they eligible for a claim?

In this situation, both your Husband and Sister would appear to have valid claims for personal injury compensation and we would be happy to assist with the pursuit of these matters. Given that the other driver has fled the scene and the Police have now been involved, it would appear that the fault for the accident and therefore liability in any claim could be attached to the 3rd party driver.

Hi I’m really sorry I missed your call the police have now informed us that the person involved is now saying he was there but denying hitting my husband’s car, would they still be able to claim for injury?

If the offender denies being the cause of the incident or even being a party to the incident and the police cannot prove that they were, that person is likely to escape responsibility. However, if so, all will not be lost as you could look in to making a claim via the Motor Insurers Bureau scheme for the victims of injury caused by uninsured or untraced drivers.

My wife got hit by another car while she was at a roundabout Turing into a new road. The car driver sped off immediately. Unfortunately there was no CCTV camera there. She reported the incident to the police and my insurer immediately. While disappearing, the driver little did my wife knows that they took the car registration number. Few weeks later, the driver’s insurers contacted our insurer with the intention of making a claim. We had intended to repair the car ourselves but with the claim being pursued against us by the other party should we make a claim with our insurer or go ahead with our own repair? The sad part is that our insurer is refusing to reveal the information of the car and driver trying to claim against us. Please advise

You should immediately contact your insurers and ask to speak with their fraud department as the other party appear to be acting in a fraudulent manner with regards to their alleged claim against your wife.

The man who hit my car ran off and when police arrived at the scene I was told car stolen and fake number plates which probably means he had no insurance??
My insurance company are being really awkward and making things really unpleasant and saying I’ve to pay this and that and I have to pay rest of,years premiums!!
I’ve got fully comp car insurance and. I’ve got crime number off police I really need some help and advice ASAP

We can help you claim personal injury compensation even if you were injured by an uninsured and untraced driver. However, we can’t assist if you were not injured. With regards to your vehicle and the damage caused to it, if you have fully comprehensive insurance you can claim from that to cover your loss (albeit you are claiming against your own policy), but to be able to do that, you would need to pay for your insurance cover in full so if you pay by instalments, the Insurers will want you to settle the cost of your policy before they’ll pay out for the repair or loss of your car.

I was driving on a learner licence and was hit by a guy who’d let a 16 year old drive his van, the van had fake number plates, but I traced his address. I didn’t go to police but gave insurance details I got book price on car, I’ve been left with lots of spinal damage, incontinence and many other problems, had to give up my business and deferred half way through a nursing degree. I’m now classed as disabled. I didn’t report to police, I was frightened.

Your failure to report this matter to the Police could well ruin any prospect of succeeding with a claim for compensation.

The UK claims system allows people injured by uninsured or untraced drivers to make a claim for compensation via the Motor Insurers Bureau. However, to qualify for such a claim it is likely that the Motor Insurers Bureau would require you to have reported the matter to the Police.

When did the accident happen?

My mother in law has been hit by a driver that made off, she was unable to get the number plate and her car has sustained significant damage and she is in utter shock. She is covered fully comp and has contacted the police but they said they are unable to do anything although there are multiple cameras along the road where the incident happened. She has been told that she has to pay to get this footage. Is there any way you could help?

We can certainly help with regards to a claim for personal injury compensation, but because your Mother-in-Law was fully comprehensively insured she will have to make a claim against her own insurance for the damage to her vehicle.

There is a scheme that our specialist Solicitors can use to make a claim for compensation for any injuries in the case of being injured by a Hit & Run driver and we’d gladly assist in that way.

I was hit by an uninsured driver got whiplash and back pain. Is there anything I can do?

Yes! We can help you to make a claim for compensation with our specialist Solicitors who could use the MIB uninsured driver scheme. This would be a No Win No Fee claim and if successful would enable you to recover compensation for your injuries and any lost income.

If you would like to take this further, please use our ‘start a claim’ page or call in on 01225430285.

My partner was at work on a public road when a car drove past and clipped his boot from behind. It happened in a split second ! He has no witness and didn’t see what car it was he didn’t even think the driver was aware of it. He reported it to the police 3 weeks after as he thought his work had done it as he ended up being kept in hospital for 5 days for a 3 hour operation for a triple ankle fracture. The police report is done and it’s filed as an untraceable car?

We can help people who have been injured in a car accident where the driver responsible hasn’t stopped and has not been traced, as there is still a route to obtaining compensation in such cases.

Our Solicitors can pursue a claim via the MIB’s ‘untraced driver’ scheme. Given that a Police report has been filed and medical treatment has been sought, there is a reasonable possibility that our Solicitors could succeed with a No Win No Fee claim for your partner.

Hi I am wondering if you can help me. My parents car was hit from behind causing significant damage to the car and injury to those in the car. The driver that hit my parents car fled the scene quickly and they were unable to get any details. The incident has been reported to the police and insurance company. The police have advised that they cannot do anything because there are no details of the driver. The insurance company have advised that they need photo evidence which needs to be requested from the local authority. Can you advise how further action can be taken? As the car is very damaged and has caused a lot of distress and injury. Look forward to hearing from you.

Kiran

Hi, I’m really sorry to hear that your parents have been injured in a hit and run accident. I realise that when an uninsured or untraced driver causes an accident with injuries and damage to vehicles, that it can seem even more stressful than a straight forward car accident with a 3rd party admitting responsibility. However, don’t stress any more – we can help you as there is a scheme in place against whom we can register a claim for your parents injury claims.

If your parents are fully comprehensively insured, they will have to claim from their own insurance for the damage to their vehicle. However, if they are third party fire & theft insured, they can also claim for vehicle repairs/loss with us too.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

Ian Morris

I had to swerve to avoid a collision from a vehicle approaching very fast on the wrong side of the road and hit a wall in which i sustained a cracked rib severe seatbelt bruising and whiplash, do i have a case to claim?

Gordon

Your accident must have been particularly upsetting given that the 3rd party that caused your collision appears to have been uninsured or has fled the scene (I say that as you’ve commented on an article about such incidents). I am sorry to hear about it and hope that you are recovering well.

We can help you make a claim for injury compensation through the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) untraced or uninsured driver scheme. These claims run in much the same was as a standard road traffic accident claim. We’ve got expert Solicitors available to manage a claim such as this for you.

I drive for medicaid. I was transporting a patient home yesterday and was run off the road by another driver that was coming head on. Is there any compensation for this?

Claiming compensation in an incident such as the one you describe is a possibility. There are two possible routes available to you and which one would best match the scenario of your situation depends on whether or not you managed to obtain the vehicle registration number of the offending vehicle.

If you did obtain the 3rd party vehicle registration number, you can make a standard road traffic accident compensation claim.

If the 3rd party vehicle responsible for causing your accident fled the scene before you were able to obtain any details and is therefore an untraced vehicle, you can make a claim with us through the motor insurers bureau untraced driver scheme for compensation. To do this, you MUST report the accident to the police, giving them as much information as possible.

Of course, to claim compensation for an injury, it is always important that any injuries you have are reported to a medical profession. Ideally, you should already have seen your GP or attended an Accident and Emergency department of your local hospital for medical attention.

Each claim route is available to you on a no win no fee basis with you being able to make a claim without taking a risk of being responsible for the costs of a claim should your claim fail.

I shall also email you regarding this so that you can respond directly to that should you so wish.

Just need some advice, I was recently hit by a car when I was walking across a pedestrian crossing, she just drove off and this was classed as hit and run. The police have got all the cctv but cannot make out the registration of the car that hit me, I was just wondering could I still claim against something? I have a 8cm bruise on my right leg and it was a zebra crossing, can anyone help?

Hi, thanks for the comment on this article. I am sorry to hear of your situation and hope that it hasn’t caused you too much distress.

Regarding claiming compensation, as long as a few criteria are met, we should be able to help you with a claim for compensation. Such a claim would be made via the Motor Insurers Bureau and from your perspective, handled in the same way as a straight forward Road Traffic Accident claim. As you have reported the incident to the Police that element of requirement has been sorted. The other two issues would relate to when you had the accident – in order to ensure that it happened within the last 3 years – and whether or not you have had medical treatment.