Does car insurance cover a hit-and-run?
Collision car insurance will cover hit-and-runs. In some cases, uninsured motorist insurance will also cover a hit-and-run accident.
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Daniel Walker
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Sep 25, 2023
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Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Sep 25, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Collision insurance will pay for your car’s damages after a hit-and-run accident
- Uninsured motorist insurance will also sometimes cover hit-and-runs, depending on your state’s regulations
- If you cause an accident, you are legally required to stay at the scene
Will your insurance cover a hit-and-run? If you have been the hit-and-run victim because the driver was driving without insurance and are worried about how your car repairs will be paid for, it’s important to determine if your claim will be approved.
If you have the right auto insurance coverage, you will be protected even if the person who runs into you doesn’t have insurance.
Continue reading to learn more about which auto insurance coverages will protect you in a hit-and-run, how hit-and-runs will affect your auto insurance rates, and other important information about hit-and-run car insurance.
Auto Insurance That Covers Hit-and-Runs
Does car insurance cover hit-and-runs? The car insurance coverage that will always cover damages from hit-and-runs is collision insurance.
What is collision insurance? Collision insurance pays for any damages to your car from a collision with either another vehicle or an object, like a mailbox. However, collision insurance will not pay for any injuries that you sustain.
Another coverage that may cover hit-and-runs is uninsured motorist coverage. If you have both bodily injury and property damage uninsured motorist insurance, your medical and repair bills will be taken care of.
The catch is that, depending on your state, hit-and-runs may not be covered under uninsured motorist insurance. So make sure to check your state laws and your insurance company’s fine print to see if it is covered in your state.
Your state may have a victim compensation program if you don’t have great medical insurance to cover your medical bills after a hit-and-run. If so, you can appeal to them for help covering some costs.
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Auto Insurance Rates and Hit-and-Runs
If you have been the victim of a hit-and-run, you are probably wondering if your insurance rates will increase when you make a claim on your auto insurance. Typically, your insurance rates won’t increase because hit-and-runs are generally not the victim’s fault.
The exception will be if you have been involved in multiple hit-and-runs. Then, you might see a slight increase in rates because your insurance company will likely view your area as high-risk and adjust your rates accordingly.
As well, keep in mind that if you have a high car insurance deductible, you will receive less payout from your insurance company because you need to pay the hit-and-run deductible before your insurance coverage begins.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run
If you have been involved in a hit-and-run accident, there are some steps you should take to collect as much information as possible to give to your insurance company. The information you should try to get includes the following:
- Any surveillance camera footage, if available
- Contact information of any witnesses
- Description of other vehicle and driver, if possible
- Description of how the accident occurred
- Names/badge numbers of police
- Pictures of the damage to your car
The more information you have, as well as supporting documentation from the police, will help make sure your claim gets approved quickly.
How Often Hit-and-Runs Happen
On average, over two thousand fatalities from hit-and-runs occur yearly, and thousands more non-fatal hit-and-runs happen yearly.
If you don’t have insurance coverage that will protect you during a hit-and-run, you may be wondering if you should pay more to be protected. Generally, hit-and-runs will be more common in areas with a higher number of uninsured drivers.
The best way to determine if you are more likely to be hit by an uninsured driver is to check your state’s statistics. If your state has a high number of uninsured drivers and a high number of hit-and-runs compared to other states, you should consider investing in hit-and-run insurance.
What is a miss-and-run accident?
A miss-and-run accident is when the other driver causes you to crash into something without actually physically crashing into your car, and then the other driver simply drives off.
For example, say a car swerves into the road in front of you, causing you to swerve out of the way to avoid running into them. Unfortunately, you hit the guardrail to avoid hitting them. Because it is technically the other driver’s fault, a miss-and-run is treated the same as a hit-and-run.
If you intend to file a claim for a miss-and-run under your uninsured motorist coverage, be sure to check your policy language to determine contact requirements. Some states require contact with the fleeing vehicle to be covered as a hit-and-run.
What happens if you hit a parked or moving car and run?
Hit-and-runs are illegal, as it avoids financial responsibility for the damages caused. No matter what state you live in, you must stay at the scene of the accident to exchange insurance information and call 911 for any injured parties. This applies to whether you hit a parked car in a parking lot or a moving car.
If you leave the scene of the accident and the authorities discover you were the responsible driver, you will be charged with a crime in addition to having to pay for the other driver’s medical and property damage bills.
You may also have to carry high-risk auto insurance after a hit-and-run and will see an increase in insurance rates.
Full Coverage Auto Insurance Monthly Rates: One Accident vs. Clean Record
| Insurance Company | One Accident | Clean Record |
|---|---|---|
| AAA | $220 | $180 |
| Allstate | $225 | $166 |
| American Family | $176 | $116 |
| Farmers | $198 | $140 |
| Geico | $132 | $95 |
| Hartford | $230 | $175 |
| Liberty Mutual | $234 | $177 |
| Nationwide | $161 | $140 |
| Progressive | $186 | $120 |
| State Farm | $150 | $105 |
| Travelers | $200 | $160 |
| U.S. Average | $172 | $123 |
The bottom line is that while a driver’s first instinct may be to flee the scene of an accident because they want to avoid expensive bills or don’t have insurance, the consequences of being caught are much more expensive. Hit-and-run drivers risk jail time, suspended licenses, and more.
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The Final Word on If Auto Insurance Covers a Hit-And-Run
If you live in a state with a high number of uninsured drivers who are more likely to hit you and drive off because they don’t have insurance and are driving illegally, we highly recommend carrying hit-and-run insurance.
Unless you have collision insurance or uninsured motorist insurance, you won’t be protected from hit-and-runs.
If you are worried about the additional cost of collision insurance, you can shop around for different insurance quotes to find a cheaper rate. You can use our free quote comparison tool to find the best rates for collision insurance in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does insurance for hit-and-runs work?
Collision insurance for hit-and-runs works like the other insurance coverages on your car insurance policy. If someone hits your car and drives off, you would file a claim with your insurance company to pay for the repairs. Any medical bills would be filed with your health insurance provider unless you have a form of medical insurance with your auto policy, such as MedPay or personal injury protection (PIP).
What should I do if someone hits my car and drives off?
If someone hits your car and drives off, you should note as many details about the driver and vehicle as possible and call the authorities for help. The police will be able to give you a report to give to your insurance company that proves you were involved in a hit-and-run
What happens if I don’t tell my insurance company about the accident?
If the accident wasn’t your fault, you could choose to pay out of pocket instead of filing a claim. However, you must tell your insurance company if you were involved in the accident. Otherwise, your insurance company may choose to drop you for lying about an accident that you either completely or partially caused.
Does liability insurance cover hit-and-runs?
If you are wondering does liability cover hit-and-runs, the answer is no. Liability auto insurance only pays for other drivers’ accident costs if you cause an accident, not your own repair costs.
Does full coverage insurance cover hit-and-runs?
Does insurance cover a hit-and-run if you have full coverage? Yes, if your full coverage car insurance policy has collision insurance, you will be covered for hit-and-runs.
Does collision cover hit-and-runs?
Yes, collision insurance will cover hit-and-runs.
Are there any exceptions or limitations to coverage for hit-and-run accidents?
Certain conditions and limitations may apply to hit-and-run coverage. For example, there may be a deductible to pay before the coverage applies, or the coverage may have a maximum limit. It’s important to review your policy documents or contact your insurance provider to understand the specific details of your coverage.
Will my car insurance rates increase if I make a claim for a hit-and-run accident?
Filing a claim for a hit-and-run accident generally should not cause an increase in your car insurance rates. However, it’s always best to check with your insurance provider to understand their specific policies and guidelines regarding claims and rate adjustments.
Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage mandatory?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage is not universally mandatory. The requirement for this coverage varies by state. Some states may require it, while others may offer it as an optional coverage that you can choose to add to your policy.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
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Daniel Walker
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.