No Witnesses, No Contact Details, No Driver — Yet You Could Still Face the Repair Costs.
Dubai: Imagine returning to your parked vehicle after a shopping trip or a day at work, only to find a noticeable dent, deep scratch or damaged bumper. The driver responsible has disappeared, leaving no contact details, no note and no witnesses to explain what happened.
Although reporting such incidents to Dubai Police is generally a simple process, managing the financial consequences can be more challenging. Even when the damage is entirely someone else’s fault, vehicle owners may still have to pay police reporting charges, insurance excess fees or repair expenses.
If an unidentified motorist damages your parked car in Dubai, the amount you may need to pay will depend on your motor insurance policy, the applicable excess and the cost of obtaining an official police accident report.
What Should You Do If Your Parked Car Is Damaged?
If you discover damage to your parked vehicle, begin by documenting the incident before moving the car.
Take clear photographs of the affected areas and the surrounding location. Look for potential witnesses and check whether nearby shops, residential buildings or parking facilities have CCTV cameras that might have recorded the incident.
The next step is to notify Dubai Police and obtain an official accident report.
Incidents involving unidentified drivers can be reported through the Dubai Police mobile application or at participating ENOC petrol stations.
Motorists seeking guidance can also contact Dubai Police through the non-emergency helpline on 901.
How to Report a Hit-and-Run Involving an Unknown Driver in Dubai
Dubai Police provides an online service called Accident Report for Unknown Party, allowing motorists to report damage caused by an unidentified vehicle.
Follow these steps to submit your report:
- Access the Dubai Police application: Download or open the Dubai Police app on your Android or Apple device and sign in using UAE Pass.
- Choose the appropriate reporting service: From the homepage, select ‘Submit a Report’, followed by ‘Traffic Accidents Report’. Tap ‘Start Service’ and choose ‘Accident Report for Unknown Party’.
- Provide vehicle and personal information: Enter the requested details, including your vehicle registration number, driving licence number and contact number.
- Attach photographs of the damage: Upload clear images showing the damaged sections of your car, along with photographs covering all four sides of the vehicle.
- Submit the application and pay the fee: Review the information carefully, complete the submission and pay the Dh420 reporting charge.
Once Dubai Police processes the application, you will receive an official accident report that can be submitted to your motor insurance provider when making a claim.
Important: The service applies only to incidents that take place within Dubai. The accident report issued through this process remains valid for three months.
How Much Could a Parked Car Hit-and-Run Cost You?
The official reporting fee for an accident involving an unidentified party in Dubai is Dh420. However, motorists may face additional expenses depending on their insurance coverage and the severity of the damage.
Potential costs include:
- Insurance excess: The portion of an approved repair claim that the vehicle owner must pay before the insurance company covers the remaining eligible amount.
- Vehicle repair charges: Drivers whose insurance policies do not cover damage to their own vehicles may need to bear the full cost of repairs.
- Other related expenses: These may include towing fees, temporary transport arrangements and repairs that fall outside the policy’s coverage.
Depending on the vehicle type, the affected components and the complexity of the work, repairing scratches or dents may cost anywhere from Dh250 to Dh3,500 or more.
Does Motor Insurance Cover Damage Caused by an Unidentified Driver?
Whether your insurer will pay for the repairs depends mainly on the type of motor insurance policy you hold.
Comprehensive Motor Insurance
Comprehensive insurance generally provides protection against accidental damage to your own vehicle, including incidents involving an unidentified driver.
This means that if another motorist damages your parked car and leaves without providing their details, your insurer may cover the eligible repair costs.
However, compensation remains subject to the terms and conditions of your policy, including any applicable excess, exclusions and claim requirements.
Motorists should review their policy documents or contact their insurance provider to confirm the extent of their coverage before arranging repairs.
However, having comprehensive motor insurance does not automatically mean that all repair expenses will be covered without any payment from the vehicle owner.
Even with comprehensive coverage, motorists may still be required to pay an insurance excess, which is the amount they must contribute towards an approved claim. Additional fees, policy conditions or exclusions may also apply, depending on the insurer and the type of coverage purchased.
Third-Party Motor Insurance
Third-party liability insurance primarily covers damage to other people’s property or injuries caused to others in an accident for which the insured driver is legally responsible.
Unlike comprehensive insurance, third-party coverage generally does not provide financial protection for accidental damage to the policyholder’s own vehicle.
As a result, if an unidentified driver hits your parked car and leaves the scene without providing their details, your third-party insurance policy will typically not cover the repair expenses.
In such circumstances, the vehicle owner may have to pay the full repair bill, along with the applicable police reporting fee.
Motorists are therefore advised to understand the limitations of their insurance policies and check their coverage before submitting a claim or proceeding with vehicle repairs.
