After a car accident, one of the most important first steps is to confirm the other driver has valid insurance. This straightforward guide explains exactly how to check a vehicle's insurance status in the UK, so you know what to do next.
The only official, central record of all insured vehicles in the UK is the Motor Insurance Database (MID).
You can perform a vehicle insurance check instantly online using the public-facing website, askMID. The MID is the same system used by the police and the DVLA to enforce insurance laws, so it provides a definitive answer on a vehicle's insurance status.
It is free to check if your own car is insured. You only need your vehicle registration number to perform the check on the askMID website.
If your car is insured but doesn’t appear, contact your insurance provider to confirm they have submitted your policy details correctly.
You can also use the askMID website to check another driver's insurance details following an accident. To proceed, you must confirm you have a legitimate reason for the search, such as being involved in a road traffic incident with the vehicle.
This service requires a small fee for an askMID check and will provide you with the insurer's name and policy number—the essential details needed to start a non-fault claim.
Once you have the result from the Motor Insurance Database, the next steps you take depend on the outcome.
If the at-fault driver has a valid policy, you are legally entitled to claim for vehicle repairs and other costs directly from their insurer.
For a non-fault accident, it is important that you don't claim with your insurer. Initiating a claim on your own policy will require you to pay an excess and is likely to affect your no-claims bonus and increase your future premiums.
Instead of claiming through your own insurer and facing financial penalties, Auto Claims Assist manages the entire non-fault claim on your behalf. We work directly with the at-fault party’s insurer to ensure you receive everything you're entitled to.
The benefits of our service include:
If the check confirms the other driver is uninsured, or if you were the victim of a hit-and-run, the uninsured driver claim is handled by the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB). The MIB is the official UK body established to compensate victims of uninsured or untraced drivers.
Auto Claims Assist does not handle uninsured claims. Our role is to provide clear, correct advice and direct you to the MIB as the proper channel for support in this situation.
Answer: Yes, it is the official and legitimate public-facing website for the UK's Motor Insurance Database (MID), which is the central record of all insured vehicles.
Answer: You should avoid claiming on your own policy because you will likely have to pay a policy excess fee to start the claim. A claim against your own policy can also affect your insurance.
Answer: To make a claim, you need the other vehicle's registration number. The paid askMID search will then provide the two most important details: their insurance details, which includes the name of their insurance provider and the policy number.
Answer: It is important to know that it can take up to seven days for a new or updated insurance policy to appear on the Motor Insurance Database.
Answer: If your vehicle is insured but is not showing on askMID, contact your insurance provider directly. They can confirm your policy is active and ensure your details are submitted correctly to the MID.
For a detailed overview of our services and how we can help, visit our page:
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