19 Dec What Should You Do if You Get in a Car Accident and the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
Getting into a car accident is incredibly stressful and upsetting. In all the confusion after the accident, it may be hard to remember to get the other driver’s insurance information. In some cases, the other driver might not even have comprehensive auto and collision insurance. When this happens, you do have recourse. National Auto Collision Centers will work with your insurance company to coordinate payment of your auto repairs. Your insurance company may then decide to pursue its own claim against the at-fault driver in the accident. Here is your guide to what to do if you get in a car accident and the other driver doesn’t have insurance.
Get the Driver’s Name and Contact Information
If you know that the other driver doesn’t have insurance, it’s even more important to get their name and information. Your insurance company will use this to confirm that they don’t have coverage and pursue them in a subrogation claim if necessary. If you decide to hire a personal injury attorney, they will also need contact information for the other driver. If the driver doesn’t want to give you their information, take a photo of their license plate and then call 911 to report the accident.
Take Photos and Videos of the Scene
Document the scene of the accident thoroughly. This will help your insurance company and personal injury attorney prove fault and document your claim. Upload the photos and videos to a cloud-based storage site or back them up on a CD or external drive.
Call 911 to Report the Accident
Even if there aren’t any injuries, you should call 911 to report the accident. This will establish a timeline that your insurance company or attorney can refer to later when documenting your claim. While the police may not respond to a non-emergency or non-injury motor vehicle collision, they will still have a record of your call. If you explain that the other driver is not insured and is being uncooperative or has left the scene of the accident, the dispatcher may send an officer.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Once you are safely out of the roadway and have spoken with the other driver and/or a police officer, you should notify your insurance company. Tell the adjuster that the other driver is not insured or would not provide identification or proof of insurance. If you have underinsured or uninsured motorist (UI/UIM) coverage on your policy, your insurance company will pay out according to policy terms for medical expenses and auto repairs. It will then try to recoup those payments from the at-fault driver.
Cooperate with all Requests for Information
Your insurance company may ask you to schedule a vehicle inspection, provide copies of documents, and undergo a deposition as part of its subrogation case. Cooperate with all the insurance company’s requests so that it can recoup its losses from the at-fault party.
After a collision, you may find yourself Googling, “auto accident repair near me”. When that happens, visit us at National Auto Collision Centers for major and minor car accident repairs. Contact us online to schedule an appointment at one of our auto service centers.