Uber driver — what to do after an accident in London (2026 playbook)

12 May 2026Easy Car Claims Team9 min read

**Bottom line:** if you're an Uber driver in London and you've just had an accident, the next 60 minutes will largely determine whether you recover the full claim (vehicle repair + replacement + lost earnings + PI), how quickly you get back to earning, and whether your no-claims bonus stays clean. This is the playbook. Save it. Pin it in your driver WhatsApp.

In the first 2 minutes — safety + position

1. **Move to a safe spot** if the vehicle is drivable and the road is unsafe (e.g. live carriageway). If it's not drivable, switch on hazards and stay in the car if it's safer than getting out. 2. **Check for injury** — you, your passenger if you had a fare, anyone in the other vehicle. Call **999** if anyone needs medical attention or the road is blocked. 3. **End the trip in the app** as soon as you're safe. Tap Help → Report an accident in the Uber Driver app. This timestamps Uber's record of the incident, which we may need later.

In the first 10 minutes — exchange + photograph

UK law (Road Traffic Act 1988, s.170) requires you to stop, give your name and address, and provide insurance details if anyone has been injured or property damaged. The other driver is legally required to do the same.

**Exchange these details (write them down or photograph them):** - Full name, address, mobile number - Vehicle registration, make, model, colour - Insurer name + policy number - Driving licence number if you can get it - A photo of their face / driving licence if they're cooperative

**Don't admit fault.** Use this script: *"I'm a bit shaken, my claims handler will be in touch."*

**Take 8+ photos:** - Other vehicle's plate (clear, close) - Damage to their car - Damage to yours — every panel from multiple angles - Wide road shot showing the position of both vehicles - Skid marks, debris, glass - Road conditions (wet/dry, lighting, weather) - Road signs / traffic lights nearby (especially their state at impact) - Your odometer (proves you were driving, not pushing)

In the first 20 minutes — police + witnesses

**Call 101 for a Crime Reference Number.** Even if no-one's hurt, get a police log. The number is essential for any MIB claim and useful for everything else.

**Find witnesses fast.** People disappear in 5 minutes: - Anyone in nearby shops or buses — go ask - Other drivers in the queue - Pedestrians who saw it happen - Get name + mobile + a one-line voice memo of what they saw on your phone

**Note CCTV.** Look around — TfL camera on the lamp post? Bus camera (note route number + time)? Shopfront camera? ATM? We can request the footage within retention windows (usually 7–28 days) but we need to know where to ask.

In the first hour — call us, get a replacement vehicle

PCO drivers can't afford to be off the road. Call **0208 090 8872** (24/7) or [submit a claim online](/submit-claim). We dispatch:

**Recovery** — within 90 minutes anywhere in London - **TfL-compliant replacement vehicle** — within 24 hours, often same day in London. Important: this is a [TfL-licensed PHV](/blog/tfl-compliant-replacement-car-pco-2026), not a generic courtesy car - **Claim opening** — formal claim against the third party's insurer, all paperwork handled

For non-fault accidents, all of this is at **£0 cost to you**. We bill the at-fault driver's insurer.

In the first 24 hours — medical + admin

**See a doctor.** Adrenaline masks injury. A medical record dated the day of the accident is the foundation of any personal-injury claim. Even if you feel "okay", get checked. GP, walk-in centre, or A&E — depending on what's open. - **Notify your insurer for record only.** Don't let them log it as a fault claim. Say: *"This is for information only — my accident management firm is handling the claim against the third party."* Get the confirmation in writing if possible. - **Don't accept any cash offers from the third party.** If they ring you offering "£300 to forget it", say no. That doesn't cover hire, repair, lost earnings, or PI. Decline and route everything through us. - **Save all your Uber statements** for the last 12 weeks (Driver app → Earnings → export). We'll need these for the loss-of-earnings claim.

In the first week — instruct a solicitor if injured

If you have **any** injury — even mild whiplash, neck stiffness, soft tissue pain — we refer you to a specialist personal injury solicitor on our panel. They take the case on a no-win-no-fee basis. You pay nothing upfront.

Personal injury claims under £5,000 go through the **Official Injury Claim (OIC)** portal (the post-Civil Liability Act 2018 process). More serious injuries route through the full litigation pathway. Either way, the solicitor handles it; we coordinate.

The PI element is often the largest single component of a PCO accident claim. Don't skip it because you "feel fine" — see [our personal injury page](/personal-injury) for what's typically recoverable.

What you can claim back

For a non-fault Uber accident in London, all of the following are recoverable from the at-fault driver's insurer:

| Component | Typical recovery | |---|---| | Vehicle repair | £800–£6,000 depending on damage | | Pre-accident value (if written off) | Market rate for your vehicle | | TfL-compliant replacement vehicle | £80–£200/day for the repair/replacement window | | Loss of earnings | Net daily profit × days off the road | | Personal injury (whiplash, soft tissue) | £2,500–£8,000 typical settlement | | Medical costs (physio, scans, prescriptions) | Receipted expenses | | Recovery + storage | Actual cost | | Damaged property inside vehicle | Phone, glasses, etc. — receipted |

For a London full-time Uber driver, a typical settled non-fault claim totals **£4,500–£11,000** across all components.

The mistakes that cost drivers thousands

1. **Going through your own insurer.** They'll log it as a fault claim, hit your NCD, take your excess, and recover from the third party — but you pay in higher premiums for years. 2. **Accepting cash at the scene.** £200 sounds good. Doesn't cover the £2k hire bill, the £1k lost earnings, or the £4k PI settlement. 3. **Driving home in the damaged car.** If it's not drivable, get recovery. Driving an unsafe vehicle can void insurance and trigger contributory-negligence arguments. 4. **Skipping the medical check.** Without a same-day medical record, the PI element of your claim is much harder to evidence later. 5. **Posting the accident on social media.** Insurers monitor public posts. Anything you say can be used to challenge the claim. Stay off public posting until the claim settles.

What to do right now (if it's just happened)

1. Safety + photos + exchange details 2. Call **0208 090 8872** — or [submit a claim](/submit-claim) 3. Get checked medically 4. Save your Uber earnings statements 5. Don't talk to the third party's insurer directly — let us handle it

Have a question about your claim?

Our team is available anytime. Call us and a real handler will pick up in about 2 minutes.

0208 090 8872