What Happens if Someone Hits Your Car and Leaves
If the other driver can't be found, your own policy pays for the damage, usually through your collision or uninsured motorist coverage.
What matters most right now
- Report it to police A police report is what your insurer will ask for first. File one even if the damage looks minor, because without it your claim is much harder to support.
- Which coverage applies Uninsured motorist property damage or collision coverage is what pays here, depending on your state and policy. Check your declarations page to see which one you carry.
- Your deductible still applies You'll likely pay your deductible even though you weren't at fault. Some uninsured motorist coverage has a lower or no deductible, so ask your insurer which applies.
- Rates may not rise Many insurers treat hit-and-run claims as not-at-fault since you didn't cause the crash. Ask your insurer directly how this specific claim will be handled.
- Witnesses and cameras help A photo of a plate, a witness, or nearby security footage can turn an unknown driver into a known one. Gather what you can before evidence disappears.
A parking lot hit-and-run
You come back to your car after shopping and find a long scrape down the passenger door. No note, no witness standing around, nobody claiming it. You take photos of the damage and the surrounding lot, check if any nearby stores have cameras facing the spot, and call the police to file a report before you leave.
You call your insurer the same day and give them the report number along with your photos. Since no driver was identified, the claim goes through your uninsured motorist property damage coverage instead of collision. Your insurer confirms this state treats hit-and-run claims as not-at-fault, so your rate isn't affected the way an at-fault accident would be. The shop repairs the door, you pay the deductible listed under that coverage, and the claim closes within a few weeks.
Should you file a police report right away
If you do
Filing immediately creates an official record while details are fresh. Your insurer can move faster, witnesses are easier to track down, and any security footage is less likely to be erased. This report becomes the backbone of your claim and strengthens your case if the other driver is ever identified later.
If you don't
Without a report, your insurer has only your word and whatever photos you took. Some insurers may still process the claim, but it takes longer and they may ask more questions. If the driver is later found, proving what happened becomes much harder without timestamped documentation.
Once you know which coverage applies, compare quotes to see how insurers handle hit-and-run claims and rates.
Will your insurance rate go up after a hit-and-run claim?
In many cases no, because you didn't cause the accident. Insurers in most states are required or inclined to treat uninsured motorist claims as not-at-fault, meaning the claim shouldn't factor into your rate the way an at-fault collision would.
This isn't universal, though. Rules on surcharges after not-at-fault claims vary by state and by insurer, and some companies weigh claim frequency regardless of fault. Ask your insurer directly how this specific claim will be coded and whether it affects your renewal rate. Get the answer in writing or request to see your policy's language on it, since a verbal assurance from a phone agent isn't the same as a guarantee once renewal time comes around.
Not being at fault doesn't mean it handles itself. What you document early decides how smoothly this goes.
