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Car Insurance. Involved In An Accident With An Uninsured Driver?

Uninsured drivers are ten times more likely to drink and drive and three times more likely to be convicted of driving without due care and attention. They also cause one accident every six months. In fact one in twenty motorists regularly drive without insurance. It’s therefore not perhaps surprising that, one in ten of all motorists have been involved in accidents with uninsured drivers. The question is what to do if you’re involved in an accident with one?

At the time of the accident you’re unlikely to realise that the other driver is uninsured so you’ll have to react in the normal way. Take a note of the other car’s make, model and registration number. Also note the other driver’s name and address but whether he’ll give you his correct details is perhaps unlikely! Nevertheless, always record what the other driver says. Unless you have this information you’ll have no leg to stand on when it comes to getting some of your money back.

Also take notes about the damage to the other car and the accident scene.Remember to note road markings, road signs, light and weather conditions and whether the other car had its lights on in fact as much detail as possible. Then if you’re lucky enough to have an independent witness get their full contact details. And if you happen to have a camera in the car, take lots of pictures – and try and get one with the other driver clearly in the picture. The police might like that one!

If your policy is comprehensive, your insurer pay for your car to be repaired but you could lose your no claims discount unless you’ve paid to protect it. But then there’s the issue of your excess payment that’s the first part of the repair cost you have to pay for. You’ll have to pay that unless you’re lucky enough to have a policy that waives the excess payment if you’re hit by an uninsured driver.

For those of you with third party car insurance, you’re in for a hard time. Your insurer won’t pay for your repairs and, as the other driver is uninsured, you’re not going to get any money off him unless you can trace him and succeed in a court action. Even then there’s no guarantee that he’ll pay up! Your only guaranteed solution is to make a compensation claim to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau – but you’ll still have to pay the first 300 of the claim.

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau insists that have the other drivers’ car registration number and you must first report the accident to the police. Always ask the police for a copy of their accident report as the Bureau’s likely to ask to see it. The Bureau’s telephone number is 01908 671681 or you can e-mail them on enquiries@mib.org.uk.

At the moment The UK’ Law is being amended to crackdown on uninsured drivers. Not before time. Anyone keeping, not just driving, an uninsured vehicle now faces a fixed 100 fine and can also have their car seized and crushed. Currently the average fine for driving without insurance is just 170 and that’s hardly a punishment when car insurance costs many times more. Losing the car plus a fine of 100 is much more realistic. Let’s hope that the courts fully implement the crushing sanction!

A police spokesman said recently, Uninsured drivers are often guilty of many other driving related offences, such as having no driving licence or MOT certificate. We’re doing everything in our power to get these dangerous and illegal drivers off our roads.

We say, go to it blues and two’s!

If you have an accident and its found that youd failed to keep your car roadworthy, for example excessively worn tyres, and that was a contributory factor in the accident, your insurer will probably refuse to pay up. And the police may also show an interest too! Quite reasonable many of you will say. But what if its you thats un-roadworthy?

How many driving accidents are accompanied by the comment I didnt see the other vehicle? And what happens if the problem was your eyesight? Has it deteriorated to a dangerous extent?

Well all of us clearly know if we have an eyesight problem but there are opticians to help on every high street. Remember, if you need contact lenses or glasses for driving then you must wear them and if your eyesight deteriorates you should get a new prescription. Its the legal responsibility of all drivers to ensure that theyre safe to drive.

Only last week I drew up alongside an elderly driver who was clearly having trouble reading the junction signs. He was leaning forward trying to read the signs indicating towards Leeds and rolling forward at 10 mph all this at traffic lights that by this time had turned red and he clearly hadnt seen those! He was lucky that the cars coming across from the right saw him early. Im not even sure he saw them either!

The law is quite straightforward it states that any driving licence holder who cannot meet the minimum level of eyesight must not drive. They are also required to surrender their licence.

The eyesight test for drivers states that you must be able to read a number plate containing letters and figures 50 mm wide and 79mm high (thats a legal number plate) from a distance of 20 meters. But you can use your driving glasses.

Having said that theres no legal obligation for you to have regular eyesight tests but you are required to tell the DVLA if you develop any medical problem that affects your fitness to drive. If you dont tell them, its a criminal offence.

In some American states drivers have to take an eye test every five years but not in the UK. Here, driver aged 70 and over must complete a medical form every three years confirming their fitness to drive and the definition of fitness includes eyesight. If theses drivers fail to send in their medical form, they lose their driving licence. (I wonder what that elderly gentleman at the traffic lights said on his?)

On the insurance front, if you are involved in an accident where your defective eyesight was a contributory factor, your insurance company may well argue that you were negligent and refuse to pay out. This could be simply because you needed glasses to drive but werent wearing them at the time.

So drive carefully, and keep your eyes peeled elderly gentleman in Leeds please take note!

Nothing is easy even in todays one-click world. Buying car insurance can be a big hassle, and take most of a day calling around, talking to different companies to get quotes. A lot of people dont have the time to waste to call several different companies out of the phone book, haggling for the best deal and the lowest car insurance rates. Yet everyone still wants to find the best deal, whether or not they have a lot of time on their hands to shop around with. If youre a bargain shopper, then you know the Internet is your best bet to find the greatest deals on anything. If you buy your car insurance online, youre liable to come away with a great deal.

Every car insurance company says they can offer you the best deal and the lowest rates, and it seems almost impossible to get a straight answer when you get a quote over the phone. Many shoppers feel more comfortable buying car insurance online, in a quick and easy process that doesnt mean sitting through a long series of automated questions and answers. By gathering quotes on the Internet, you wont have to talk to anyone on the phone, answer any questions posed by automated voices, or sit and wait for a human to have the time to talk to you. The Internet allows you to move easily through the process of getting quotes, and many consumers prefer this method.

If you want to get quotes online, the first rule of thumb is not to go to car insurance companys web site. This will limit your quotes and your options. There are tons of sites out there that allow you to fill out a single questionnaire and then compare quotes side-by-side. You can, in this fashion, look over the rates and coverage of several different companies at once. Using the phone as your only tool, getting that many quotes could take hours. With the Internet, you can compare a large list of quotes, immediately weeding out companies whose prices dont fit your budget. Any Internet search will produce web sites that offer comparison-shopping and multiple quotes for your car insurance needs.

Another good way to go when it comes to buying car insurance is to buy through an independent agent. Independent agents do not work for any one company but for you, the consumer. They do all the work of comparing quotes for you, and in the end they can usually provide you with a much better deal than what you can find on your own. Independent agents are offered select deals through car insurance companies, policies and rates that arent available to the average person. You will never have to talk to your car insurance company, and will only have to send them a check every month or six months (depending on your payment plan). If there is any problem, simply contact your insurance agent and theyll take care of everything. The best part is, there are no fees involved with using the independent agent you only pay your car insurance bill.

Most people have to have car insurance because of state laws, and others just know that having car insurance is a good idea. Just because you have to have it doesnt mean you cant get a great deal at the same time, and the less you have to pay, the better. You can find the best car insurance rates without wasting a ton of time or staying on hold for hours. Really, doesnt everyone deserve the best possible deal on affordable car insurance?

Carrying car insurance is a crucial decision for anyone on the roads today. With so many drivers on cell phones, eating fast food and even watching TV while at the wheel, it isnt unusual to find yourself in a fender bender or serious wreck. Having car insurance can make such an ordeal a lot less stressful for you and your family.

Car insurance, in plain English, protects you and your family financially if you ever have an accident in your car. You have a contractual agreement with your car insurance company. If you pay the premium you agree to in a timely manner, the car insurance company will cover your losses in the event of an accident.

Car insurance is typically made up of these three specific types of coverage: property coverage, liability coverage and medical coverage.

1. Any damage which occurs to your car in an accident will be covered by property coverage. Property coverage will also be used if your car is stolen.

2. Anything you are legally responsible for, such as when other are injured or their property is damaged in an accident determined to be your fault, will be covered by liability coverage.

3. Any payments needed for injuries, rehabilitation due to injuries, lost wages and funeral expenses will be covered by medical coverage.

Most states require that you carry car insurance in order to drive a vehicle of any type. At the time you received your drivers license and when you renew your license plate for your car, showing proof of car insurance is a common practice. There are rare instances when car insurance is not required. However, in those rare instances, it is the law that you must be able to pay for any losses to others you might cause in an accident!

If there is ever a time you dont carry car insurance, you will be taking a big risk. If an accident should occur, and you are determined to be at fault, you could find yourself responsible for the full cost of replacing your car, paying any medical bills, and any expenses that add up if you happen to cause harm or damage to someone else, their car or their property!

Car insurance is something you need to put into your budget every year. When you get a car insurance policy, it will normally cover you and your vehicle for 6 months to a year. You will find that your car insurance company will remind you whenever you need to renew your policy or if a premium payment is due.

Car insurance prices vary, just like any other services, from pretty inexpensive to extremely expensive. Remember that you normally get what you pay for, though. If you purchase an inexpensive car insurance policy, it probably wont cover everything if you ever did get into an accident. The companies that offer cheap car insurance usually have high deductibles, too.

A great place to start your search for car insurance options is on the internet. Doing a simple keyword search under car insurance will pull up tons of information for you to browse and study at your leisure. Several car insurance companies even have the option for you to get free online quotes! What could be easier than that?

Just like other services out there, not all car insurance plans will fit your specific wants or needs. If you find a good car insurance company, they will work with you to create a plan that is right for you and your family. With older model cars that you dont drive much, you may want a simple, inexpensive plan. With several cars and a large family including a newly licensed teen, you may want a family plan with as much coverage as you can afford to protect you in the event of any possible accident. Do your research and know what car insurance options are available to you so you can create and maintain a car insurance plan that is right and will work for you and your family.