Cyclist hit by a car in the UK — claim guide for 2026

**Bottom line:** if a motor vehicle hit you while you were cycling in the UK and the driver was at fault, you can recover bike repair (or pre-accident value if written off), replacement gear, lost earnings, medical bills and personal injury — typically at £0 cost to you, via the at-fault driver's insurer. The first 60 minutes after the collision decide how much of that you recover. This guide walks you through it.

The first 5 minutes — safety

Cyclists come off worst in any collision with a car. Don't move beyond what's safe:

1. **Get off the carriageway** to the verge or pavement if you can walk. If you can't, stay still and wait for paramedics. 2. **If you're feeling neck or spine pain, do not move**. Wait for paramedics. Loosen or remove the helmet only if breathing is restricted. 3. **Call 999** for serious injury, blocked road, or if the driver tries to leave. **101** otherwise — but you still want a police log for the claim. 4. **Stay visible** — turn on bike lights if it's dim, ask a witness to flag traffic.

The first 30 minutes — evidence (what insurers fight over)

Cyclist claims almost always face a contributory-negligence argument. Hard evidence kills those arguments before they start. Get this while it exists:

**12+ photographs**: - The car's number plate (sharp, close-up) - The damage to the car (paint transfer onto your bike, dents) - Your bike — every angle, especially frame, wheels, drivetrain - The road scene — wide, both directions - Skid marks, debris, broken glass - Your riding kit if damaged (helmet, jacket, gloves, shoes) - Road conditions (wet/dry, lighting) - Road signs, cycle-lane markings, traffic-light state - Time-stamped automatically by your phone

**Witness details**: name, mobile, one-line account. Voice memo is fine. Drivers in the queue often saw the manoeuvre — get to them quickly before they drive off.

**Look for CCTV**: TfL camera at junctions, bus camera (route number + time), shopfront, ATM, dashcam from a passing vehicle. Note the location and time precisely — typical retention is 7–28 days. We can request footage on your behalf.

**Don't admit fault**. Even casual phrases ("sorry, didn't see you") can be used against you. Say: "I can't comment, my claims handler will be in touch."

The first hour — get help to the scene

We dispatch recovery + a like-for-like replacement bike (including e-bikes and cargo bikes for delivery riders) within hours, not days. Call **0208 090 8872** or [submit a claim online](/submit-claim).

For non-fault claims, all of this is recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer — £0 cost to you.

The first 24 hours — paperwork

• **Police**: get a Crime Reference Number (CR/...) from 101. Useful for any claim and required for some. - **GP / A&E**: even if you feel okay, get checked. Adrenaline masks injury. A medical record from the day of the accident is the foundation of any personal-injury claim. - **Insurance**: notify your contents/bike insurer if you have one, but don't let your motor insurer log this as a fault claim (most cyclists don't have motor insurance, so this rarely applies). - **Original purchase evidence**: dig out the bike receipt / order confirmation, plus receipts for major upgrades (wheels, groupset). These evidence the pre-accident value.

What you can recover

For a non-fault cycle collision, the following are recoverable from the at-fault driver's insurer:

• **Bike repair** — at a reputable shop (you can choose) - **Bike write-off** at pre-accident market value (we push for the top of the range — secondhand market evidence + receipts for upgrades) - **Replacement bike** during the repair / replacement window - **Riding gear** — helmet (legally must be replaced after any impact), jacket, gloves, shoes, lights, GPS computer - **Lost earnings** — for delivery cyclists, evidence via app earnings (Deliveroo Rider, Uber Eats Earnings, Stuart, Just Eat Couriers) + bank statements + tax returns. Use our [calculator](/loss-of-earnings-calculator). - **Personal injury** — soft tissue, fractures, dental, scarring, psychological. Routed via panel solicitor on a no-win-no-fee basis. - **Medical expenses** — physio, scans, painkillers, private appointments where NHS waits are long - **Travel costs** — to medical appointments

What you can't recover (or recover with difficulty)

• Damage where you were riding illegally (e.g. on a pavement banned to cyclists, riding through a red light) - Where your contributory negligence is the substantial cause (e.g. riding the wrong way down a one-way street and hit by a car emerging correctly) - Bike theft after the collision (a separate insurance question)

The hit-and-run / uninsured-driver problem for cyclists

This is **the most important thing to know**: the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) covers cyclists hit by **motor vehicles** that are uninsured or untraced — because the MIB exists to compensate victims of uninsured motorists. So:

• **Hit by an uninsured car / van / motorcycle**: claim via MIB Uninsured Drivers' Agreement. We handle the paperwork. Same recovery as a normal claim, slower (3–6 months). - **Hit by an untraced motorist (hit-and-run)**: claim via MIB Untraced Drivers' Agreement. Needs a Crime Reference Number — get one from 101 within 14 days. - **Hit by another cyclist or pedestrian causing damage**: MIB does NOT cover this (it's not a motor vehicle). Recovery is via the individual's home insurance or via small-claims court.

Mistakes that cost UK cyclists thousands

1. **Riding home on the damaged bike**. If the frame is bent, the brakes are mis-aligned, or the wheel is buckled, get recovery. Riding can compound the damage and weaken the claim. 2. **Saying you're fine to police**. Adrenaline lies. Get checked. 3. **Throwing away the damaged helmet**. The helmet IS the evidence of impact severity for the PI claim. Photograph, then bag and keep. 4. **Settling for the first offer**. Insurers routinely open low on cyclist claims hoping you accept. With evidence + a panel solicitor, settlements typically improve 40–80%. 5. **Going through small claims for property damage when the at-fault driver has insurance**. The insurer will pay — make them. 6. **Not photographing your bike's odometer / strava / Garmin file**. Proves you were riding (not pushing), proves your speed at impact.

What to do right now

If you've just been hit by a car, [submit a claim](/submit-claim) or call **0208 090 8872** — recovery dispatched within an hour, replacement bike within 24, panel solicitor instructed on PI. £0 cost on non-fault claims.

For more on the legal issues, see our [cyclist helmet, lights and contributory negligence guide](/blog/uk-cyclist-non-fault-claim-helmet-lights-contributory-negligence).