What to do if you car is damaged in a hit and run?

(**Information accurate as of June 2024**)

If you are in the unfortunate position of your car being involved in a collision that was not your fault, yet the other party left without exchanging details, what should you do?

It is a stressful situation and you may feel mixed emotions. After all, it can be costly. Even minor damage can reduce your car's value and bodyshop repairs can run into hundreds of pounds for even minor scrapes and dents.

Presuming that there have been no injuries, your priority is likely to be on the financial hit of putting the damage right - but hold fire...

What to do on discovering the damage

Your immediate priority must be your safety and that of other road users. Consider how you will get to your next destination and ask yourself, is your car safe to drive?

Very often, you do not need to be a qualified technician to assess the damage. Knocks to a bumper, for instance, tend rarely to be dangerous, unless the panel is likely to become detached, or is exposing sharp edges.

Anything hanging from the car, such as a broken wing mirror, will not just risk causing further damage during driving but it may also fall off and injure somebody. Remember that you are responsible legally for ensuring that the car you drive is in roadworthy condition. Therefore, driving the car away with a broken lamp, for example, could result in you being prosecuted.

More serious damage could puncture, or tear, a tyre. It may also bend a suspension component. Should you be unsure, call a break-down provider and have the car transported either back home, or to a garage/bodyshop, who can make an accurate assessment and provide a quotation.

Before leaving the scene, check if anyone witnessed the incident taking place and enquire if they are prepared to provide details. Useful evidence includes:

1. Time and location of the incident

2. The third-party vehicle's registration number

3. Make/model and any distinguishing features

4. Description of the driver and whether, or not, a seat belt was being worn

5. If there was any damage to the third-party vehicle

6. Whether, or not, they noticed any note left behind by the third-party admitting to the damage, because it might have blown away

7. Any photographs, or videos - but keep these to yourself and do not post them online, because it could prejudice any investigation.

Witnesses tend to be sympathetic and are willing to provide their contact details but do not presume that they are obligated. To be genuine, witnesses must be independent - they must not have any connections to you, or be involved in the incident.

Before leaving, check for the presence and location of any CCTV cameras and, if possible, establish who is responsible for it. You may find this information at the entrance of car parks, for instance. Some remote car park operatives are prepared to look for footage that can be used as evidence later. Yet, do not presume that you are entitled to this information.

What to do within 24 hours of the incident

You should inform the police within 24 hours, if there were any personal injuries, or if you suspect that the other person has committed a driving offence. This includes leaving the scene without leaving contact details - i.e. 'hit and run'.

You can do so by dialling '101'. As this is not an emergency, dialling '999' is inappropriate. Failing that, you can report the incident at a nearby police station. Alternatively, you can fill out the Single Online Home reporting service, such as here: https://www.police.uk/pu/contact-us/a-road-traffic-incident/

Again, all of this must be done within 24 hours. According to the Metropolitan police, it is unlikely that you will be contacted again, unless more information is required, or you are requested to attend court. You will be issued with a police reference for insurance purposes.

Should I inform my insurance company of the collision?

Yes, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible, within 24 hours preferably. You might not wish to do this, in case it will raise your premium. This is very unlikely to be the case, unless you make an insurance claim. Therefore, you may wish to inform your broker about the non-fault collision but say you do not wish to make a claim, as yet.

How can I contact the third party?

Having fulfilled your legal obligations, you can focus on repairing the damage and establishing whether, or not, you have the time and energy to recover your losses. Seek your insurance company's advice but consider that you could lose your no-claims bonus and endure higher future premiums, if you decide to make a claim. Even though the damage is not your fault, claiming on your policy might be classed as if you were to blame. The alternatives are to pay for the damage yourself, or not bother.

Your alternative is to do the legwork and contact the driver to inform them about the incident and invite them to repair your car. If you have a vehicle registration number, you can request the car's registered keeper details from the DVSA but you must have a 'reasonable cause' to do so. More information about this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-people-information-from-our-vehicle-record

Page seven of the downloadable document shows that being a private individual asking for details of a vehicle keeper following an incident is a reasonable cause. It also highlights information that the DVLA needs from you. Notably, the police reference number, an independent quotation to repair the damage and a cheque paying the processing fee should all be included.

Once you have this information, fill out form V888 carefully.

Should your request be successful, we advise that you contact a legal representative to ensure that any potential civil claim is a success and that you avoid any potential accusations from the third party.

Finally, you should always be reasonable and not try to put yourself in a better situation than before the collision occurred. You should not be out of pocket, either. Therefore, keep all receipts. Furthermore, if the third party admits liability and wishes to claim their insurance, there are instances when this could raise your future premiums for three years, or more. Therefore, enquire with your insurer about these future increases and investigate whether you can claim this money back.

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