Auto Insurance: Protection Against Hit-And-Run Accidents

If you're involved in a hit-and-run accident, your insurance policy may help cover the cost of repairs and injuries. The coverages that may apply include collision coverage, uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD), uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI), personal injury protection (PIP), and medical payments (Med Pay). Collision coverage is optional but may be required if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle. UM/UIM coverage can help if the driver is unidentified or has insufficient or no insurance. Med Pay covers medical expenses related to injuries to you or your passengers, up to your policy limits. PIP helps provide coverage for medical expenses and may also cover lost wages and funeral expenses.

Collision coverage

If you've been the victim of a hit-and-run, collision coverage will help cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. This is particularly useful if the driver who caused the accident cannot be found, as their liability coverage won't be available to cover your damages. Collision coverage will also help if you hit a stationary object, which can be particularly useful if you live in an area with a lot of street parking or narrow roads.

It's important to note that collision coverage only applies to damage to your vehicle and won't cover any injuries you or your passengers may have sustained. If you're looking for coverage that will help with medical expenses, you'll want to consider adding uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI) or personal injury protection (PIP) to your policy. These coverages can help pay for injuries sustained in a hit-and-run accident, regardless of who is at fault.

In some states, you may also be able to add uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD) to your policy. This can be useful in hit-and-run accidents, as the fleeing driver will typically be considered "uninsured" by your insurance company. However, UMPD coverage may require contact with the vehicle responsible and may not apply if you only collided with a stationary object.

Overall, collision coverage can provide valuable protection if you're involved in a hit-and-run accident, helping to cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. By adding this coverage to your policy, you can gain peace of mind knowing that you're protected financially in the event of an accident, even if the other driver flees the scene.

Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD)

UMPD can help protect you financially in the event of a hit-and-run accident, which occurs when a driver leaves the scene without providing their information. In most states, a driver who flees the scene of an accident is considered "uninsured" by insurance companies. This means that if you don't have collision coverage, UMPD can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle.

The coverage provided by UMPD typically includes repair costs to fix your car and any extra costs if the other driver doesn't have enough property damage liability insurance. In some states, UMPD may also cover damage to your home or other property caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver.

It's worth noting that there are usually limits to how much UMPD will pay out, and some states require a deductible, which is the amount you need to pay out of pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. Additionally, in certain states, UMPD coverage requires contact with the vehicle responsible for the hit-and-run, and the at-fault driver may need to be identified for the coverage to apply.

UMPD is often combined with uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI), which covers medical expenses for you and your passengers if you're injured in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. Together, UMPD and UMBI can provide comprehensive protection in the event of a crash with an uninsured or underinsured driver.

Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI)

• A driver who doesn’t have any liability car insurance.
• A hit-and-run driver.
• A driver whose insurance company denies coverage or goes out of business.

UMBI covers injuries suffered in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, including hit-and-run scenarios where drivers are considered "uninsured," depending on the state. UMBI can help cover bodily injury damages to you and your passengers. It may also cover you as a pedestrian.

UMBI is mandatory in many states and highly recommended for all drivers. If your state requires UMBI, you must buy at least the state’s minimum. The minimum will typically be UMBI coverage in amounts that match your liability coverage amounts. For example, if you have liability limits of $100,000 for injury to one person and $300,000 for injuries in one accident (100/300), you would buy 100/300 in UMBI coverage.

The average claim payment for UMBI is $35,546, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. UMBI does not include a deductible, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to the policyholder when filing a claim.

Medical payments (Med Pay)

Medical Payments Coverage, also known as MedPay, is an optional coverage type that can be added to your auto insurance policy. It covers medical expenses for you and your passengers, no matter who is at fault in an accident. This includes medical treatments, surgeries, procedures, medical deductibles, co-pays, extended nursing services, hospitalization, ambulance fees, chiropractic, dental, prosthetics, and funeral expenses. MedPay can also cover you as a pedestrian if you are injured when a vehicle hits you.

MedPay is especially important for drivers without health insurance or with high health insurance deductibles and copays. While health insurance might pay for medical expenses, MedPay can provide faster coverage and help pay any out-of-pocket costs that your health insurance may not cover. Additionally, MedPay has no deductible or copay, so you won't have any out-of-pocket expenses.

The coverage limits on MedPay policies refer to the maximum amount paid for each injured individual, not the total available coverage limit. For example, if you have a $5,000 medical payments limit and you, your spouse, and your two children are injured in an accident, each of you could collect up to $5,000 in medical payments coverage, for a total of $20,000.

The availability of MedPay and its cost vary by state and insurer. It is typically a low-cost option, with monthly premiums ranging from $2 to $37, depending on the desired coverage amount. When determining how much MedPay coverage to purchase, consider the amount your health insurance will pay for accident-related expenses and choose a limit that meets your needs.

Personal injury protection (PIP)

PIP is designed to cover economic losses resulting from injuries sustained in an accident, including medical and health expenses, lost earnings, and other necessary expenses. It is important to note that PIP has minimum coverage amounts and per-person maximum coverage limits, which vary by state. For example, in New York, the basic No-Fault coverage provides up to $50,000 per person, while in Florida, the minimum PIP coverage is $10,000.

In addition to making medical care more affordable, PIP can provide valuable financial support during the recovery process. For instance, it can help cover lost income if the policyholder is unable to work due to their injuries. It may also cover childcare expenses if the policyholder needs to pay for childcare while recovering from their injuries. Furthermore, PIP can provide financial assistance for funeral expenses in the unfortunate event that a covered individual passes away as a result of the accident.

PIP is a mandatory component of auto insurance in 15 states and Puerto Rico, including Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Utah. In these states, drivers are required to have a minimum level of PIP coverage to ensure that individuals injured in car accidents have access to the financial resources they need for their recovery.

Frequently asked questions