When a third-party driver is at fault, has no insurance or sufficient coverage they may choose to flee the scene hoping they will get away with it and its consequences. When drivers have already got several claims, they may worry that their insurance premiums will hit the roof. Or they may just not be good people. Whatever the reason, it is hard to deal with a hit and run case since you have very little information about who caused the damages.
You can try and do your best to find the offender. First thing you should do is to get a police report. Take note of all the information available to you. You can take pictures and take notes of the damages. If you have seen the car hit yours you can write down its plate number, color, make and model. Often only the plate number will be enough to locate them.
Claims Against Third Parties
Motorists choose to buy Liability only policies because it is cheaper. Also, they may not think much about possible damages they may face. Comprehensive policies are more expensive but they cover policyholders under many circumstances. Especially when you have a new vehicle it is highly advisable to get it covered properly. In the long run this could be a better option. When you face substantial damage, you can turn to your auto insurer for compensation.
If you are involved in an accident and you are not at fault you can claim from the insurer of the responsible party. When they accept the responsibility and claim, you wait for them to pay for your damages. However, this may not be as straightforward as it sounds. Some drivers may contest your viewpoint of the accident and make you fight for the claim. In other cases, the third party or its insurer may take things slow simply because you aren’t their customer.
Auto Insurance Protections Against Hit and Run Incidents
You may have more options when you have a better policy in place. If you have good coverage, you may choose to make a claim on your own policy instead of waiting for the other side. People like their cars repaired as soon as possible so that they can get back to their lives. Your insurer can pay for the damages and follow up your claim with the third party. In such cases you will need to pay your policy deductible. If and when your carrier recovers the money from third parties, they will reimburse the deductible.
If it is a hit and run or uninsured driver case your Uninsured Driver Coverage would pay for the damages and injuries you or your family may suffer. Should they locate the third-party driver they would try to recover their losses. Therefore, it is important to make sure you have this coverage with your comprehensive policy. Many states require this coverage to be included, but it is best to check with your provider.
When you are buying car insurance you should try to balance the costs with the cover provided. It is easy to go for the cheaper option but you may end up paying a lot more if you face a loss. It also offers peace of mind in the knowledge that they will pick up the bill if something happens to your automobile. This is why many established motorists pay a lot of money to get covered properly, even though they think nothing will happen.
Probably the best option is to decide on the level of coverage you are comfortable with and shop around hard to find the best deals. This way, you may be able to find a more reasonably priced carrier and get a better policy, rather than agreeing to inferior coverage because of cost concerns. If you aren’t picky, you can find another company to offer you a better deal.