Know what to do if a foreign vehicle hits you
What to do if you've been hit by a foreign registered vehicle in the UK, including how to make a claim against the driver.
Hit by a foreign vehicle in the UK?
If you’re in an accident in the UK, the British Crown Dependencies or Gibraltar with a foreign-registered vehicle, you may be able to make a claim.
Collect as many details as you can
You’ll need to collect as many details as you can about the foreign vehicle involved in the accident. You should do this no matter who is at fault. Make sure you get:
Name and address
Vehicle registration number, make and model
Registration of the cab (if accident is with lorry)
Insurance information
Photos of both vehicles and the surrounding area
Witness contact details
Ask the other driver if they know their Green Card number
When you swap your insurance details at the accident scene, ask if the driver knows their Green Card number. This is an internationally recognised document that will help you and your insurer identify the right details ready to make a claim. If they don’t know it, just make sure you take note of their vehicle registration number instead.
Contact your insurer
If the accident involved a vehicle that you were driving, the next step is to contact your insurer. They’ll be able to give you guidance on what to do next.
Find the foreign insurer’s UK representative
Because the accident happened in your own country, your claim can only be processed and settled locally. This is why all foreign insurers have a legal in-country representative that you can submit a claim against. Our Find a foreign insurer’s UK representative service below can help you identify the correct representative if the information you have from the other driver is unclear or incomplete.
Find a foreign insurer’s UK representative
Select the vehicle’s registration country below. Then select the Green Card number and/or insurer name you should have been given at the scene. Once you’ve identified the correct representative, contact them directly to find out the next steps towards making a claim against the foreign vehicle driver.
What to do if you can’t identify the insurer’s representative
If you can't find the right insurer yourself due to lack of information given at the scene of the accident, you can submit a claim to MIB. We’ll use this information to consult with other countries and try to locate the insurer and/or their UK representative. Please note, for this to be successful, you’ll need to know the vehicle’s registration number.
Frequently asked questions about having an accident with a foreign vehicle in the UK
For legal reasons, claims made on behalf of a resident of the UK, British Crown Dependencies and Gibraltar can only be submitted and resolved in-country. Most foreign insurer has authorised an organisation or local branch to act on their behalf to make sure that all outcomes of the case are compliant under UK law. Sometimes, the representative of the foreign insurer may be MIB.
The same is reversed in other countries – if you have an accident abroad, your UK or home territory insurer may have a representative within the country where the accident took place.
Submit a claim via our MIB Claim Portal. The claims form will clearly ask you whether the accident involved a foreign vehicle. You may need to provide the vehicle’s number plate and the driver’s green card information.
The first thing you should do is collect as many details as you can about the other vehicle and driver involved. This includes their vehicle registration number and green card information, if they have it. Either you or the other driver should report the accident to the police. You should also contact your insurer for guidance on what to do next. Read our full advice on what to do if you've had an accident abroad.