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Quick answer: For any car accident in Kuwait causing injury, major damage, or disputed fault, call 112 and do not move the vehicles until traffic police arrive and issue a report. For minor fender-benders with both drivers agreeing on fault and no injuries, you can use the MVPI (Minor Vehicle Accident) app or drive to the nearest traffic department together. You'll need the police report, your civil ID, driving licence, vehicle registration (daftar), and insurance papers to file any claim. Insurance pays based on the police report's fault assignment.
The first 15 minutes matter more than you think
Stop the car. Turn on hazards. Check if anyone is injured — yours or the other vehicle's passengers.
If there's any injury at all, call 112 for police and ambulance immediately. Do not try to be helpful by driving someone to the hospital yourself. In Kuwait, moving an injured person before paramedics assess them can create legal complications for you later, and under Traffic Law No. 67 of 1976 (and its amendments), the scene of an injury accident must be preserved for police inspection.[1]
For a non-injury accident, the question is whether damage is minor and fault is undisputed. If yes, both drivers can use the Ministry of Interior's MVPI service (Minor Vehicle Property Injury) through the Sahel app or by driving together to the nearest traffic police station. If no — meaning you disagree on fault, damage looks serious, or one party refuses to cooperate — leave the vehicles exactly where they are and wait for police.
Honestly, most people get this wrong by moving cars "to clear traffic." Once you move them, reconstructing fault becomes guesswork, and the officer may just split liability 50/50.
Getting the police report (and why it's everything)
The police report is the single most important document after car accidents in Kuwait. Your insurance claim lives or dies by it.
When traffic police arrive, they'll do three things: inspect the scene, take statements from both drivers and any witnesses, and issue a report assigning fault — fully to one driver, split between both, or in rare cases to a third factor like road conditions. The report is handwritten at the scene and later issued officially at the traffic department.
You'll typically need to visit the traffic department (Idarat al-Muroor) in the governorate where the accident happened within a few days to collect the formal report. Bring:
- Your civil ID (original)
- Driving licence
- Vehicle registration booklet (daftar)
- Insurance policy document
The fee for the report is modest — around 5 KD depending on the governorate and whether you need additional copies. If you dispute the fault assignment, you can file an objection through the traffic department, and in serious cases the matter proceeds to the Traffic Court.
Watch out: If you leave the scene before police arrive at an accident involving injury or significant damage, you can be charged with hit-and-run under Article 49 of the Traffic Law. Penalties include fines, licence suspension, and in injury cases, imprisonment. Even if you think the other driver is being unreasonable — stay put.
Insurance claims: comprehensive vs third-party
Kuwait requires every registered vehicle to carry at minimum third-party liability insurance (ta'min dhid al-ghair). This covers damage you cause to other people's cars and property, plus bodily injury to others. It does not cover your own car.
Comprehensive insurance (ta'min shamil) covers your own vehicle regardless of fault, plus third-party damage. If you're driving anything newer than about 5 years old or financed through a bank, you probably have comprehensive — the bank usually requires it.
To file a claim after car accidents in Kuwait:
- Notify your insurer within 24-48 hours (check your policy — some require same-day notification).
- Submit the police report, your civil ID, licence, daftar, and the completed claim form.
- Take the car to an approved garage. Your insurer will usually direct you to one; using an unapproved garage can void the claim.
- For comprehensive policies, expect a deductible of 50-150 KD depending on your policy terms.
If you were found at fault with only third-party coverage, your own car's repairs come out of your pocket. If the other driver was at fault, their insurer pays — but you file through your insurer, who then recovers from theirs. This back-end process can take 30-90 days.
For a broader look at vehicle-related rules, see our guide to traffic law in Kuwait.
Injuries, diya, and when things escalate
If someone is injured, the accident stops being a civil insurance matter and becomes a potential criminal case under the Traffic Law and the Penal Code.
The driver found at fault for causing injury faces possible fines, licence suspension, and imprisonment depending on severity. In cases of death, the question of diya (blood money) arises under Islamic law principles codified in Kuwaiti civil practice. The standard diya in Kuwait is currently around 10,000 KD for a fatal accident, though this can vary and is typically paid through the at-fault driver's insurance if coverage extends to it.[2]
Serious injury cases usually proceed to the Public Prosecution (Niyaba) and then to the Criminal Court. The injured party (or their family) can also file a separate civil claim for damages beyond what insurance covers — medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering.
A few hard truths:
- If you were driving without a valid licence, your insurance will almost certainly deny the claim entirely.
- If alcohol or drugs are involved, insurance is void and you face serious criminal charges.
- If you were using your phone when the accident happened and it comes out in witness statements, expect fault to shift toward you.
Blame-shifting after the fact rarely works. The police report is written on the day, and courts give it heavy weight.
Expats, residency, and travel bans
If you're on a residency permit and involved in a serious accident — particularly one with injury or death — your passport can be held and a travel ban (man' safar) imposed until the case resolves and any civil claims or diya payments are settled.
This is not theoretical. People have been stuck in Kuwait for 12-18 months waiting for an injury case to conclude. If the other party refuses to settle civilly, the case runs its full criminal and civil course.
A few practical points for expats:
- Make sure your Kuwaiti driving licence is valid, not just an international permit. International permits are only accepted for short visits, not for residents.
- If your employer owns the car, loop them in immediately — the sponsor often needs to be involved in resolving the case.
- Keep digital copies of your civil ID, licence, insurance, and daftar on your phone. Scene photos help too.
For related questions on sponsorship and residency complications, see visa and residency answers for Kuwait.
Costs you should budget for
Typical costs after a car accident in Kuwait:
- Police report fee: ~5 KD
- Comprehensive insurance deductible: 50-150 KD
- Traffic violation fine (if at fault): 20-150 KD depending on offence
- Lawyer retainer for injury case: 300-1,500 KD typical range
- Diya (fatal case): ~10,000 KD (usually covered by insurance if comprehensive)
If the case goes to court, add court fees — generally a small percentage of the claim value for civil matters.
When to call a lawyer
Not every fender-bender needs legal help. A clean insurance claim with an undisputed police report usually resolves itself.
Call a lawyer when: there's injury or death involved; fault is contested and you believe the police got it wrong; your insurer is denying a claim you believe is valid; a travel ban has been issued against you; or the other party is demanding compensation beyond what insurance covers.
The sooner you involve one, the better. Statements you give to police or insurers in the first 48 hours shape everything that follows.
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Sources:
[1] Kuwait Traffic Law No. 67 of 1976 and amendments, Ministry of Interior — General Traffic Department.
[2] Kuwait Ministry of Justice guidance on diya in traffic fatality cases; Fatwa and Legislation Department publications.
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