How Long Do You Have To Report A Car Accident In The UK?

Last Updated 14th April 2026. If you’re wondering “How long do you have to report a car accident in the UK?”, you have a maximum of 24 hours to inform the police about the incident (if you did not exchange details at the scene, if anyone was injured, or if you suspect that the other driver committed a driving offence). 

What You Need To Know About Reporting A Car Accident In The UK

• You typically have 24 to 48 hours to report a car accident to your insurance company, even if you don’t intend to claim personal injury compensation. 
• Failing to report a car accident when required is an offence, and can lead to a fine, points on your licence, up to 6 months imprisonment, and disqualification from driving.
• If you decide to make a personal injury claim for your road traffic accident, you’ll generally have 3 years from the incident to start pursuing compensation.
• The non-profit Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) can award compensation to individuals who have been involved in accidents caused by untraced or uninsured drivers.
• Our solicitors have extensive experience helping clients through the process of claiming via the MIB.

Here at Advice, our expert No Win No Fee solicitors can help clients nationwide take their first steps towards seeking compensation. They can also guide you through the claims process and talk to your insurance company and other parties on your behalf. To ask any questions about whether you can pursue compensation after a car accident, please get in touch today for free:

• Call 0161 509 2856.
• Contact us online so we can call you back.
• Use the live chat feature for a prompt discussion with an advisor.

Select A Section

1. How Long Do You Have To Report A Car Accident?
2. Can I Still Make A Claim If I Didn’t Report A Car Accident?
3. Case Study: Graham’s £38,500 Payout For A Successful Road Traffic Accident Claim
4. What Happens If I Was Partially Responsible For The Accident Or Didn’t Wear A Seatbelt?
5. Who Do You Report Car Accidents To?
6. Do You Have To Report A Minor Car Accident To The Police In The UK?
7. Road Traffic Accident Compensation
8. Calculating Special Damages Awards
9. Why Claim After A Car Accident With Advice’s Solicitors?
10. Can I Claim For A Car Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis?
11. Frequently Asked Questions On Reporting A Car Accident

How Long Do You Have To Report A Car Accident?

If you’ve been in a collision, certain time limits will apply when reporting it. Additionally, if you sustained injuries in a road traffic accident, you may want to make a personal injury claim. If that is the case, you will need to adhere to the relevant time limit.

If you have physical pain or emotional damage from a collision that was not your fault you may wish to seek compensation against the other driver’s insurance company. Generally, the claim will be paid out by their insurance company; however, you must start the process within the time limit. There is a personal injury claims time limit of three years. This means that you must begin your claim within three years of the date of the incident.

Also, for children, a litigation friend can claim on their behalf. If they get to 18 and no claim is made, then they have three years to start their own proceedings. The time limit is also different for those who suffer from reduced mental capacity.

If you wish to seek compensation, we recommend you contact Advice.co.uk as soon as possible for your free telephone assessment, to avoid falling outside of the time limit. Our advisors can offer you free advice about your eligibility for compensation.

Can I Still Make A Claim If I Didn’t Report A Car Accident?

Yes, you can still make a claim if you didn’t report a car accident, as not every incident will need to be reported. The police will attend the scene of a car accident in the following instances:

• Any injuries that have occurred as a result of the collision.
• The flow of traffic along the carriageway has been blocked.
• Recovering the involved vehicles will require a road closure.
• Substantive allegations of driving offences, such as drunk driving or a stolen vehicle.
• Any parties to the collision are unable to provide insurance information and driver details.

So, while the police may not need to get involved in every incident, reporting incidents to insurers is still very important. Further details on how long you have to report a car accident, as well as a free eligibility check, can be made available to you by contacting our advisors today.

Case Study: Graham’s £38,500 Payout For A Successful Road Traffic Accident Claim

In our example case study*, Graham received a £38,500 payout in a successful road traffic accident claim after a non-fault collision with an uninsured speeding driver left him with a serious neck injury. As Graham’s experience shows, promptly reporting a car accident is crucial.

After the accident, Graham notified the police about what happened, but was unsure about who else to report the incident to. He immediately connected with a solicitor, who explained that he needed to report the accident to his insurer and also helped prepare Graham’s case to make a claim through the MIB.

The solicitor made sure that all deadlines and requirements were met. By carefully gathering evidence and submitting the personal injury claim promptly, Graham’s solicitor negotiated a settlement of £38,500 for the neck injury, the resulting loss of earnings, and the cost of physiotherapy.

If you’d like to discuss your experience, please feel free to have a chat with one of our helpful advisors today.

What Happens If I Was Partially Responsible For The Accident Or Didn’t Wear A Seatbelt?

If you were partially responsible for your car accident, you may still be eligible to claim compensation. This would be referred to as a split liability claim. The defending party must also bear responsibility for the claim.

The amount of compensation you are entitled to in a split liability case is determined by how liable you are for the incident. For example, say that the compensation was valued at £50,000 and you were found to be 50% responsible for the accident. As a result, you would receive 50% of the figure (£25,000). 

Additionally, you may be wondering whether you can claim if you were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident. This could be described as contributory negligence, which is when a claimant makes a decision that may have contributed to their injury.

You can contact our advisors at any time if you would like more information about how contributory negligence and split liability could impact your case. They can also answer any queries you may have about car accident claims, such as ‘how long do you have to report a car accident?’.

How Long Do I Have To Report A Car Accident To the MIB And Other Parties?

If you have been injured because of an untraced driver or in a hit and run inform police of the incident. This is a requirement to make a claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. In order to seek compensation through the MIB for a hit and run, you may need to provide proof you were not at fault.

If you have pain and suffering because of an uninsured, untraced or hit and run driver, Advice.co.uk can help you. Our solicitors can negotiate with the Motor Insurance Bureau to settle your case and ensure you are awarded the optimum amount of compensation you could be entitled to.

Who Do You Report Car Accidents To?

If you do not give your contact details at the scene of the collision where damage has been caused, then you must notify the police. What happens if you report an incident after 24 hours? You could be prosecuted if you wait longer than 24 hours to report a collision.

Generally, most insurance providers ask that you tell them if you are involved in a collision. Check your policy with the insurance company. It should tell you when and how to notify them of an incident. How long do you have to declare accidents for car insurance? Most car insurance providers require you to inform them of a collision within 24 hours or 48 hours of it taking place.

Do You Have To Report A Minor Car Accident To The Police In The UK?

There are certain collisions that must be reported to the police, even if the road accident itself was minor. These include if you were unable to exchange details at the scene, if you or another party was injured, or if you suspect a driving offence has been committed.

Rule 286 of the Highway Code states that if you are involved in a collision and damage has occurred to another person, vehicle, animal or property, you must:

• Stop.
• Provide your details and that of the vehicle owner, including your name and the vehicle owner’s name and address, as well as the vehicle registration number to anyone with reasonable grounds for needing them.
• If you do not give your details at the scene of the collision, you must notify the police within 24 hours.

Additionally, Rule 287 states that if another person sustains an injury and you do not produce your insurance certificate at the time of the collision to anyone with reasonable grounds to request it, you must produce your insurance certificate to the police within seven days.

Direct any questions you have about what to do following a road accident to our advisory team. Even if you only suffered minor injuries, you may still be able to claim compensation if you satisfy the eligibility criteria.

Road Traffic Accident Compensation

If you have been injured in a road traffic accident, a compensation claim could be made. The pain and suffering that your injury has caused you could be compensated with general damages.

If you are claiming for a low-value car accident injury, the way you make your claim has changed due to the introduction of the Whiplash Reform Programme. If you were the driver or passenger of a vehicle and over the age of 18 with injuries valued at £5,000 or less, you will now make your claim a different way. Your injuries will be valued in line with the tariff of injuries that is set out in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021.

However, if your pain and suffering are valued at higher than £5,000, you would make a regular personal injury claim. You could refer to the list we have created below to help you gain a clearer idea of how much you could receive in general damages for road collision claims. The figures listed have been taken from the most recent edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).

The JCG can be used to assist with claim valuation as it lists suggested compensation brackets for various injuries. We’ve also included examples of the whiplash tariff from the Regulations and an example of how your compensation could be calculated if you suffer multiple serious injuries and are also claiming for your expenses.

Compensation Examples

You should only use this list as a guide. How much compensation you receive could differ from the amounts stated. Moreover, the top bullet point isn’t from the JCG.

• Numerous very severe injuries, in addition to financial loss (which you can read more about below): up to £1,000,000+
• Very severe brain damage – £344,150 to £493,000
• For less severe brain damage cases where the person makes a good recovery – £18,700 to £52,550
• Traumatic chest, heart or lung injuries that cause permanent damage – £80,240 to £122,850
• The complete loss of one eye – £66,920 to £80,210
• Back injuries deemed ‘moderate (i)’, like crush or compression injuries to the lumbar vertebrae – £33,880 to £47,320
• Moderate (i) neck injuries like fractures or dislocations with immediate symptoms – £30,500 to £46,970
• Simple fractures of the forearm – £8,060 to £23,430
• Severe shoulder injuries, often involving damage to the brachial plexus – £23,430 to £58,610
• Whiplash, where the claimant has physical injury alongside minor psychological injury for 18-24 months – fixed amount of £4,345
• Whiplash, not accounting for any mental harm, with symptoms lasting 18-24 months – fixed amount of £4,215

Contact one of our advisors today to discuss your potential claim. If they believe that you may be eligible for compensation, they could connect you with a solicitor who could help you with your case.

Calculating Special Damages Awards

In addition to claiming compensation for general damages, successful claimants can also claim special damages. This is a compensation payout that reimburses the claimant for any financial losses that they have endured because of their injuries. In the case of a collision, claimants can also claim compensation for damages to their vehicle.

A successful road incident payout could include the following special damages:

• Medical expenses
• Travel expenses (including the costs of a replacement vehicle whilst yours was being repaired)
• Reimbursement for loss of earnings
• Care expenses
• Funds to pay for any repairs needed for your vehicle

In the very difficult circumstances that you become disabled as a result of the incident, you can claim compensation to pay for any mobility equipment, adaptations to your home or car that you may need. If you are interested in knowing what expenses you could claim, you can reach out for free guidance today.

What Evidence Can Support A Car Accident Claim?

To seek compensation, your potential case will need evidence that confirms who was liable for the incident and the injuries you suffered. You’ll also need to prove that negligence by another driver who owed you a duty of care contributed to the collision that hurt you.

What evidence may be available for you to gather will depend on certain circumstances. Potential options for evidence may include the following:

• Your medical records confirming your injuries and the treatment for them.
• Any video footage that shows the collision. Footage from dashcams or CCTV cameras may be available.
• Photos of the collision scene.
• A copy of an incident report from the police.
• If any witnesses saw the road accident, then you could look at acquiring their contact details. They may be able to provide a witness statement.

Why Claim After A Car Accident With Advice’s Solicitors?

By choosing to claim after a car accident with Advice’s solicitors, you are choosing a proven record of successful claims and big payouts for clients. Our solicitors are renowned experts in their field and you know that working with highly trained and experienced legal professionals will give your claim the best chance of success.

Here are just a few of the services our experts can provide and ways they can support you:

• Ensuring that the car accident has been correctly reported.
• Although our solicitors can work remotely, they can also arrange home visits if this is better for you.
• Accurately calculating a compensation figure for the car accident claim that considers all of your injuries plus any related costs.
• Connecting you with the right medical specialists to get you the care and treatment needed for your injuries.
• Meeting with the defendant’s solicitors and reaching a final settlement.

You can learn what our solicitors can do for you throughout the claims process by speaking to our advisors today.

Can I Claim For A Car Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis?

Yes, you can claim for a car accident on a No Win No Fee basis with Advice if you meet the eligibility requirements we discussed above. Our experts offer all claimants who meet the criteria some highly desirable terms with a type of contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement or “CFA.” Brought in by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, this contract protects the claimant from having to pay service fees to the solicitor both at the start of, as well as during their claim.

Since the CFA is a No Win No Fee agreement, you will also not owe a service fee if the claim fails. Should your solicitor win the case however, they will take a success fee from your compensation. The maximum percentage solicitors may charge as a success fee is capped at 25% by law, so by claiming with an Advice solicitor under a CFA, you are putting yourself in a very strong position.

Talk To Our Advisors

If an incident on the roads resulted in pain and suffering and it was caused by another road user driving negligently, you may be owed compensation. Get in touch today using the details below for your free assessment.

• Call our helpline on 0161 509 2856.
• Contact us online so we can call you back.
• Use the live support widget to ask us a question.

Frequently Asked Questions On Reporting A Car Accident

Below are some other common questions people ask, along with “How long do you have to report a car accident?”:

What Happens If I Don’t Report A Car Accident Within 24 Hours?

If you don’t report a car accident within 24 hours to the police where required, you may be fined, have points placed on your licence, face driving disqualification, and up to 6 months in prison.

Is There A Time Limit To Report A Car Accident To Insurance In The UK?

While there isn’t a single time limit to report a car accident to insurance in the UK, most policies require you to notify them of an accident within 24 to 48 hours. Failing to do so could result in the invalidation of your policy. 

Should I Report A Minor Car Accident?

Yes, if you couldn’t exchange details, you suffered an injury or damage, or a driving offence is suspected, then you must report a minor car accident to the police within 24 hours. Minor injuries should also be reported to your insurer. 

How Long After An Incident Can You Make A Claim?

You can make a claim immediately after an incident, and generally have 3 years from the date of the road traffic accident to start the process of pursuing compensation. This time limit is set by the Limitation Act 1980.

Thank you for reading our guide, looking at the question of “How long do you have to report a car accident in the UK?” and our illustrative case study*.