Hit And Run Accidents And How They Are Treated By Car Insurance Companies

Unfortunately, hit and run accidents are very common these days. A hit and run accident is defined as an accident where a driver hits another vehicle, pedestrian, or personal property, and intentionally fails to stop. They flee without leaving their name, license number, and other important information to the other driver, potential witnesses, or the police. Sometimes, if the at-fault driver hits a parked car, fence, or house, they cannot find the owner. In this case, instead of leaving, they should at least leave a note detailing their contact information and contact the police. Often, hit and run drivers will flee out of fear of getting in trouble or fear of having to pay expenses. Some of these drivers may not have a driver’s license, insurance or registration. In fact, a large number of drivers in the country don’t carry insurance.

When a hit and run occurs, the first thing you need to do is call the police. They will assign you a file number and give you a copy of the police report. Your insurance company will require this report when you make your claim. You need to file your claim as soon as possible, before you forget any important details. The longer you wait the more chance you have of relating inaccurate details. If your account of events is at all incorrect, this may reflect badly on you in court and you may not receive payment for your damages. This is especially important because of the large amount of fraud that is committed with hit and runs. Insurance companies investigate these claims very closely.

Your insurance company will also require a list of witnesses, including their names, addresses, phone numbers, and statements. They may even request that you draw a diagram of what happened. Another thing that they will want is a few repair quotes from different garages. Some insurance companies deal with certain garages and will insist that you use their services.

Most insurance policies include hit and run coverage. The accident will show on your record, but it will not show as an at-fault accident, so it will not affect your policy rates. Damages to your vehicle, personal property, or any injuries will be paid through this coverage on the car insurance policy. Because the responsible driver is often not caught, the victim must claim the financial damages through their own insurance policy.

Always check with your insurance company to make sure that you have hit and run coverage added in with your car insurance policy. This way, you will not be faced with surprises should you find yourself involved in an accident that was caused by a hit and run driver.

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