- If you are struck by a hit and run driver, you must file a claim against your own uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage pays for injuries, and in some states, property damage if you are hit by someone without insurance or by someone who leaves the scene of the accident. You will not have to pay a deductible for filing an uninsured motorist claim. You will have to cooperate with your insurance carrier so your claim is processed efficiently. Although you are filing a claim against your own policy, your insurance company cannot change your coverages or any part of your policy just because you are struck by a hit and run driver.
- In most cases, insurance companies will choose not to renew your policy or increase your premium if the accident was primarily your fault. If you are struck by a hit and run driver, you have no choice but to file an insurance claim with your own company if you are injured or if your vehicle is damaged. This creates a double-edged sword if you fear a premium increase when your policy renews. Depending on your insurance company, your insurance premiums may increase after you have an accident, even if the accident was not your fault. Unless you have multiple not at fault accidents within a short period of time, your insurance premium will typically remain the same if you are struck by a hit and run driver.
- Subrogation is apart of insurance law that gives the not at fault party the right to recover damages from the at fault party. This can be a challenge if you do not know who hit you. If your insurance company pays a claim for an accident that was not your fault, they will go after the at fault party to recover what they paid on your behalf. If at any point it is discovered who actually hit you in a hit and run accident, the insurance company has the right to go after that party and hold them responsible for the damage they caused.
- According to the Insurance Research Council, the number of uninsured drivers nationally was approximately 18 percent in 2010. Drivers who leave the scene of an accident typically flee the scene because they are uninsured or are operating a motor vehicle illegally. Although each state requires motorists to carry liability insurance, factors such as unemployment and other economic issues have caused the number of drivers carrying valid insurance coverage to decline. Not all states require drivers to carry uninsured and underinsured motorists insurance but the coverage is strongly recommended. The likelihood of being struck by someone who leaves the scene of an accident is significant.
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