Car Accidents in Kuwait: What to Do Right After

If you're involved in a car accident in Kuwait, the first hour matters more than anything that comes later. Insurance payouts, criminal fault, and whether you can even leave the country all turn on what you do at the scene and in the 24 hours after.

Quick answer

After a car accident in Kuwait, don't move the vehicles unless they're blocking traffic or someone is hurt. Call 112 for police and ambulance, keep everyone at the scene, and wait for the traffic patrol to issue the official accident report (تقرير الحادث). You'll need that report for any insurance claim or court case — no report, no payout. If there's an injury, death, or suspected drunk driving, the file goes to the Public Prosecution and a travel ban is almost automatic until the case clears.

At the scene: what Kuwaiti law actually requires

Under the Kuwaiti Traffic Law (Law No. 67 of 1976, as amended by Law No. 18 of 2025), you must stop immediately, protect the scene, and report the accident. Leaving the scene of an injury accident is a criminal offense — not a ticket.

Here's the sequence that works:

Call 112. Keep the cars where they stopped if it's safe. If the accident is minor and both drivers agree on fault, you can move to the shoulder, but take photos of the original positions first — license plates, damage, skid marks, the other driver's Civil ID and insurance paper.

Do not sign anything handwritten by the other driver promising to "settle later." It won't hold up, and you'll have lost your police report window.

The traffic officer will issue one of two things: a minor accident sketch (for fender-benders with no injury) or a full accident report that goes to the Traffic Prosecution. Ask for the report number before you leave. You'll need it for everything that follows.

Watch out: If you drive off before police arrive — even to "come back later" — you can be charged with hit-and-run under Article 22 of the Traffic Law, with penalties up to KD 1,000 and license suspension.

Injuries, blood tests, and the Public Prosecution

Any accident involving injury or death is referred to the General Department of Traffic and then to the Public Prosecution. This is where things get serious fast.

If injuries are involved, the drivers are usually taken to the police station for statements, and a blood or breath test is ordered if there's any suspicion of alcohol. Alcohol is zero-tolerance in Kuwait — any detectable amount means a criminal file, not just a fine.

A travel ban is standard practice while the file is open. It stays until either the case is dismissed, a verdict is issued, or diya (blood money) and compensation are settled with the victim's family. For a fatal accident, diya is currently fixed by Sharia-based court practice at around KD 10,000, though civil compensation on top can push the total much higher.

If you're the injured party, you have the right to a private claim (الادعاء بالحق المدني) attached to the criminal file. File it early — once the criminal verdict is issued without your civil claim attached, you're pushed into a separate civil suit that takes much longer.

Insurance claims and getting your car fixed

Third-party insurance is mandatory in Kuwait. Comprehensive is optional but common on financed cars. Which one you (and the other driver) have decides who pays for what.

If the other driver is at fault according to the police report, their third-party insurer covers your repair up to the policy limit. You file directly with their insurance company, bringing the accident report, your Civil ID, vehicle registration (دفتر السيارة), and driving license. Payout timelines vary — 2 to 6 weeks is realistic, longer if there's a dispute over fault percentage.

If you're at fault and only carry third-party, your own car damage is on you. If you have comprehensive, your insurer pays and may chase the other side later.

A few things that quietly kill claims:

• Expired vehicle registration on the day of the accident
• Expired driving license, including a Kuwaiti license that lapsed because you forgot to renew after a residency transfer
• Modifications not declared to the insurer (tinted windows beyond the legal limit, aftermarket exhausts, lifted suspension)
• Driver not listed on the policy, if the policy restricts named drivers

Check your policy wording before you assume you're covered. Honestly, most people never read it until the claim gets denied.

Disputing fault and going to court

Fault on the police sketch isn't final. You can object to the Traffic Department's assessment within the window stated on the report, usually a short one — act within a week to be safe.

If the dispute isn't resolved administratively, it moves to the Traffic Court, and from there appeals go to the Court of Appeal. For injury or fatality cases, the Criminal Court handles the criminal side while civil compensation runs in parallel or follows.

Expect the full process — from accident to final judgment with compensation paid — to take anywhere from 4 months for a clean case to 2 years or more if there are multiple vehicles, foreign insurance, or disputed medical reports.

For broader context on traffic matters, see our traffic law answers.