Uninsured driver promise explained
The Uninsured Driver Promise is a feature offered by many UK comprehensive car insurers. If you are involved in a non-fault accident with an uninsured driver, the promise means your no-claims bonus is not affected and, in most cases, your excess is waived. Here is what it covers and what happens if your insurer does not offer it.
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What is the Uninsured Driver Promise?
The Uninsured Driver Promise - sometimes called Uninsured Driver Cover or Uninsured Motorist Cover - is a voluntary commitment made by many comprehensive car insurers in the UK. If an uninsured driver causes an accident involving your vehicle, and the accident is clearly not your fault, the promise means:
- Your no-claims bonus is not reduced.
- Your compulsory and voluntary excess is typically waived or refunded after the claim settles.
- You can claim on your own policy for repairs without being penalised as if it were a standard at-fault claim.
Without this protection, claiming on your own policy after being hit by an uninsured driver can feel doubly unfair - your excess applies and your no-claims bonus may drop, even though the accident was entirely the other driver's fault and they were breaking the law.
Why does this happen without the promise?
Standard insurance policy terms tie no-claims bonus protection to whether the insurer can recover its costs from the at-fault party. If the at-fault driver was uninsured, there is no insurer to pursue and the costs become unrecovered. Under a standard policy, that unrecovered claim still triggers the NCB reduction mechanics.
The Uninsured Driver Promise is an insurer's decision to treat uninsured driver incidents differently from standard at-fault claims. It is not a legal requirement - some insurers include it automatically on comprehensive policies, others do not offer it at all. The exact terms vary: some require you to provide the other vehicle's registration number; others require a police report to confirm the other driver was uninsured.
Does all comprehensive insurance include this promise?
No. Comprehensive cover means you are insured for your own vehicle's damage and third-party liability, but the Uninsured Driver Promise is an optional feature added on top. Many major insurers do include it, but a policy labelled "comprehensive" does not automatically carry it.
Check your policy schedule or policy summary document under sections named "uninsured driver" or "uninsured motorist" to see whether the promise is included and what conditions apply. If you are comparing policies at renewal, the presence or absence of the promise is worth adding to your comparison criteria alongside premium, excess, and courtesy car provision.
What is the Motor Insurers' Bureau?
The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) is a body established by the insurance industry and backed by UK law to compensate victims of uninsured and untraced drivers. Every UK insurer is required by law to contribute to the MIB's fund. If you are hit by an uninsured driver, the MIB can handle your compensation claim directly even if you do not want to claim through your own policy.
The MIB route tends to be slower than claiming through your own insurer and the process involves more steps. Crucially, it does not protect your no-claims bonus in the way the Uninsured Driver Promise does. In practice, the most straightforward route for a driver who has the promise on their policy is to claim through their own insurer, who then pursues recovery from the MIB on their behalf as a back-end process you are not involved in.
What should you do if you are hit by an uninsured driver?
Gather as much evidence as possible at the scene. Get the other driver's name, vehicle registration, and contact details - even if they tell you they have no insurance. Take photographs of the vehicle positions, all damage visible, any road markings, and the surrounding area. Get witness names and contact details if anyone saw the incident.
Report the incident to the police, particularly if the driver leaves the scene, refuses to provide details, or is uncooperative. A police reference number strengthens your MIB claim if needed.
Contact your own insurer as soon as possible, tell them the other driver is uninsured, and ask how the Uninsured Driver Promise applies to your specific policy. What to do after a car accident covers the full evidence-gathering and claims process in detail.
How many uninsured drivers are there in the UK?
The Motor Insurers' Bureau estimates around 300,000 uninsured vehicles are driven on UK roads every day. In 2025, a record 158,594 uninsured vehicles were seized from UK roads, the highest figure in 17 years, according to the MIB. The bureau handles around 26,000 claims per year from victims of uninsured or untraced drivers - a meaningful number that makes this a genuine risk rather than a theoretical one.
The Uninsured Driver Promise exists specifically to prevent a law-abiding driver from being financially penalised because of another driver's illegal behaviour. It will not prevent an accident, but it prevents the financial consequences of one from being compounded by the loss of hard-earned no-claims discount. Checking for the promise when you next compare or renew is a straightforward step that costs nothing and matters when you need it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Uninsured Driver Promise?
A commitment by many comprehensive car insurers that if you are hit by an uninsured driver and the accident is not your fault, your no-claims bonus will not be affected and your excess will typically be waived.
Is the Uninsured Driver Promise included in all comprehensive policies?
No. Many large insurers include it, but it is not a legal requirement. Check your policy documents or ask your insurer directly.
What is the Motor Insurers' Bureau?
The MIB is a body that compensates victims of uninsured and untraced drivers. If you are hit by an uninsured driver, the MIB can handle your claim directly, though your own insurer using the Uninsured Driver Promise is often the faster route.
What happens to my no-claims bonus if I claim for an uninsured driver accident without the promise?
It may be reduced. Without the promise, a claim that cannot be recovered from an at-fault driver may still trigger a no-claims bonus reduction under standard policy terms.
Should I call the police if hit by an uninsured driver?
If the driver leaves the scene or is uncooperative, yes. Report it to the police and obtain a reference number. This is important for the MIB claims process if needed.
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