Does My Automobile Insurance Cover Me If There Is A Hit And Run Accident?

Automobile insurance is a legal necessity in every state in America, and this insurance protects you in case of an accident, injury, or other claim or damage. Many people are unsure exactly what happens if a hit and run accident occurs, and what their car insurance policy will cover. Will the auto insurance rates go up, even though you are not the one at fault? Who will cover the deductible since the driver at fault drove away without giving their information? These questions and others plague most drivers, and it can be hard to know all the answers. It is important that you understand the process involved when you file a car insurance claim, to minimize the aggravation and the confusion you go through.

Auto insurance is intended to cover expenses in the case of an accident or injury, but if the other driver hits you and then drives away, it is impossible to tell whether they have auto insurance or not. In most cases, your auto insurance carrier will cover your medical bills from the hit and run accident. If you have collision and comprehensive car insurance coverage, then any damages to your vehicle, as well as damage to other property, is normally covered as well. The deductible amount that you have chosen is not covered by your auto insurance carrier in most cases, however, and there is no third party recourse for this amount unless you can identify the driver that ran. This means that even if you have full coverage auto insurance and the accident was not your fault, you may be forced to pay hundreds of dollars to fix your car. This does not seem fair to many people, but unfortunately this is the way the insurance law works in most states.

If you are involved in a hit and run car accident, the first thing you should do is contact your car insurance provider with all of the details, as well as an incident or report number from the police department that handled the accident. After an accident, most of us are not thinking clearly, especially if there are injuries. It is important that you contact the car insurance company as soon as possible to start a claim though, because medical bills and car repairs will be needed, and both of these can be expensive.

Your auto insurance carrier will ask you some questions about the accident, any damage that you saw, any injuries and diagnosis by a medical professional, and other factors. A claims adjuster from your vehicle insurance company will contact you concerning your claim, and they will go over what is covered, and what the amounts are. Some car insurance companies advertise very fast service, within twenty four hours, with a maximum of convenience and a minimum of hassle, while others take a few days to contact you after the auto insurance carrier has been notified of the accident.