Getting involved in a car accident on the road is frustrating enough. It means you will have to begin with filling a claim to send your car repaired at the workshop. But do you know what’s more irritating? When the other involved driver in the accident refuses to exchange information.
You will need to gather as much as possible of details when filing a car insurance. The necessary information will also include the other driver’s details. What can you do in this situation?
Don’t worry. Another driver’s refusal to share insurance and registration information is no reason to panic. It is possible for you to get everything you need even if the driver refuses to cooperate and exchange insurance details.
In this article, we share some guidance on what you can do when an irresponsible driver refuses to give their information.
What caused the other involved driver to refuse to share information?
There might be some reasons why a driver would be hesitant to provide their insurance information. It could be that they hope to avoid consequences especially when they are the at-fault party. Being an at-fault party means their insurer will have to pay for your vehicle’s damage that is caused by their negligence.
Here are some of the reasons why they would hesitate to do so.
- They are driving without valid insurance
- Their licence has passed the expiration date
- Driving someone else’s car without permission
- Driving under the influence
- They have too many accidents already on record
Be careful, some may even attempt to flee the scene before you ever have a chance to speak with them at all.
What information must be exchanged at the accident scene?
Following an accident, the parties involved should be sharing the necessary details:
- Names
- Vehicle information
- Phone numbers
- MyKad’s details
- Insurance information (company’s name, policy number)
What can you do if the other involved driver refuses?
Call the authorities
In such a situation, stay calm. We advise you to call the authorities to report the accident. It is critical to call the police and let them be present and document the accident.
Avoid making the situation worse by engaging in a heated argument while waiting for the police to arrive. It is normal to feel annoyed but do not put yourself in trouble. You would not want to create another problem.
Once the police arrive, they will collect insurance information from both parties. The other driver cannot refuse to provide certain information when the police request it. Make sure to inform the police officers that the other driver refused to share their insurance information, so they know that they will need to pass it along to you.
Gather necessary details
Despite their refusal to exchange their insurance information, you can still gather details by looking around the scene.
Take note of the vehicle’s make and model and registration number. Other than that, take plenty of clear pictures of your vehicle’s damages. Jot down the accident in detail – on how the accident occurred and check if there were any injuries.
Report the accident to your insurance company
Immediately contact your insurance company to report the accident after filing a police report. Your insurance agreement allows for your company to aid you to recover vehicle damages to ensure you are compensated for a loss.
But what if they flee the scene?
Don’t worry, it is possible for you to still get access to their insurance information only if you manage to get their vehicle registration number. Car insurance information is a matter of public record. Your insurance company will be able to locate their insurance company based on the plate number.
Don’t panic if the other involved driver refuses to exchange information
Accidents can be stressful. Of course, we want to settle the claim proceeds smoothly without problems. However, dealing win a situation where another party refuses to provide their information can interrupt the settlement.
If this ever happens to you in the future, remain calm. Just ensure you refer to the following steps. We hope you won’t face much trouble and can resolve your claim faster and efficiently.
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