Will My Car Insurance Cover a Hit-and-Run Accident?
The unfortunate truth is that most people will experience some sort of car collision or accident in their driving years. Fender benders or major crashes, accidents happen both big and small all the time, that’s a big part of why you have car insurance in the first place, right?
Car Insurance is designed to take off some of the financial pressure and worry you may feel when you experience a car accident. However, we see a lot of panic and worry ensue when accidents occur but one driver was unable to get the information of the other driver.
This can happen for a variety of reasons including an unwilling driver, simply forgetting to ask, or the case of a dreaded hit-and-run accident.
If you find yourself in this predicament, don’t worry, you aren’t totally screwed. There are a few ways you can fill in the missing pieces and your car insurance can help!
What to do in The Event of a Hit-And-Run
According to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, hit-and-run accidents occur every 60 seconds in U.S. roads and account for 10% of all traffic accidents.
A hit-and-run accident is defined as an accident where one driver involved in the accident leaves the scene without offering aid or sufficient information to the other driver or fails to report the crash to authorities
In the event of a hit-and-run accident or any accident for that matter, there are clear steps you can take:
- Get to a safe place, out of traffic
- Check for and speak to witnesses
- Call law enforcement
- Take photos
How Will Insurance Cover a Hit-And-Run Accident?
You will then like any other car accident also report the accident and damages to your car insurance company. From there, the claims team will investigate the accident and loss. They will utilize the information you give them as well as launch their own investigation in an attempt to identify the other vehicle in a hit-and-run.
When you are not able to identify the other driver involved in an accident, the damage done to your car may be covered by either your collision coverage or uninsured motorist property damage coverage.
Car Insurance Near Springfield, Ohio
If coverage after a hit and run or how it may affect your insurance rates are of concern to you, contact our team at Link-Hellmuth Insurance to be sure you have adequate coverage and discuss your overall car insurance policy near Springfield, Ohio.
We have years of experience helping our clients navigate the ins and outs of insurance, especially in tricky situations like hit-and-run accidents and we can help you too!