Hit and run: what to do and who pays when the driver takes off
Last checked November 8, 2026
After a hit and run, call police right away and get medical care. Many policies set a time limit to report it.1 If the driver is never found, your own uninsured motorist coverage can pay for injuries.23 Collision or uninsured property coverage can pay for your car.4 Liability coverage alone will not.5
What do I do after a hit and run accident?
The Texas Department of Insurance says someone in the U.S. is involved in a hit-and-run every 43 seconds.6 It feels unfair because the person who hurt you did not stay. But you still have steps to take, and the first hours matter most.
- Call 911 if you are hurt. If the driver fled, call the police even if the damage looks small.7
- Do not chase the other car. It can put you at risk and hurt your claim.
- Write down everything you remember right now: color, make, part of the plate, direction, and what the driver looked like.
- Take photos of your car, any broken parts left behind and paint transfer on your car.
- Look around for people who saw it and for cameras on buildings, buses or doorbells. Ask them to save the video.
- Get a medical exam the same day, then call your own insurance company.
How and when do I report a hit and run?
Report it to the police as soon as you can. Do not wait until the next week. California's insurance regulator warns that most policies require you to notify the police within a set time if the accident is a hit and run.1 Washington's regulator says you should report accidents with a hit-and-run or unidentified vehicle to law enforcement within 72 hours.8 Your policy may set its own limit, so read it or call your agent.
Ask for the police report number and a copy of the report. Your insurer will want it. Then give your insurer the facts. If you later learn who the driver was, tell the police and your insurance company.
Who pays for a hit and run if they never find the driver?
If the police find the driver, that person and their insurer may have to pay. If not, you usually look to your own policy. Ask your agent how a claim could affect your rate.
| Coverage on your policy | What it can pay in a hit and run |
|---|---|
| Uninsured motorist bodily injury | Medical bills and other injury losses when a hit-and-run driver hit you23 |
| Uninsured motorist property damage | Your car repairs, where the state and your policy allow it4 |
| Collision | Your car repairs, after your deductible4 |
| Medical payments or PIP | Your medical bills, up to a limit, but it might not be enough for long-term care9 |
| Liability | Nothing for you. It only pays the other person when you are at fault.5 |
Deductibles and options vary. Texas, for example, lists a $250 deductible for uninsured motorist coverage.10 If you were walking or in someone else's car, ask about their policy and any policy in your household. In New York, if you do not know which vehicle struck you, you may file with the insurer of a household relative who had an auto policy.11
What proof do you need for a hit and run claim?
With no driver to question, your claim rests on showing that another vehicle did this and how badly you were hurt. Your insurer will ask for documents of your loss, such as injuries, medical costs and lost wages.12
- Police report number and a copy of the report.
- Photos of your car, the scene, broken parts and paint marks.
- Video from nearby cameras. Most systems record over old footage quickly.
- Witness names and phone numbers.
- Medical records, bills and proof of missed work.
Be careful with any policy rule about physical contact. Some insurers and states treat a hit differently from a phantom vehicle that forced you off the road without touching you. Washington's rule covers an unidentified vehicle that forces you to have an accident,2 but other states may be stricter. Ask for that language in writing.
What can a hit and run claim cover?
Through your own coverage, a claim can include medical bills, lost pay, car repair, and in some cases pain and suffering. Your limits set the ceiling. Your own insurer is also, in effect, the other side in this claim. It may dispute how badly you were hurt, just like another driver's insurer would. If the driver is found, you may also have a claim against that person, and a court in a criminal case may order them to pay you back.
How do hit and run laws and penalties differ?
Every state makes it a crime to leave a crash that hurts someone, and many also punish leaving after property damage. Whether it is a felony depends on your state and how badly someone was hurt. Insurance rules change by state too. Some require insurers to offer uninsured motorist coverage, and some let you decline it. Check your state's deadlines on this site or use your city guide below.
If you are the person who left the scene, this guide is not written for you. Talk to a criminal defense lawyer before you speak to police.
When should I call a hit and run lawyer?
Call if you have serious injuries, if your insurer delays or denies your uninsured motorist claim, or if you have no coverage and need to know what else may help. Even when the driver is never found, a lawyer can look for video, check for other policies in your household and deal with your insurer for you. A lawyer can review it for free.
Common mistakes after a hit and run
- Waiting a few days to call the police, which can break a policy deadline.
- Assuming there is no claim because the driver is gone.
- Fixing your car before someone records the paint and broken parts.
- Not asking stores or neighbors for camera footage right away.
- Giving your insurer a recorded statement before you know your injuries, without asking if it is required.
Questions
Will my insurance pay after a hit and run?
It can if you have the right coverage. Collision or uninsured motorist property coverage can pay for car repairs, and liability coverage does not pay for your losses.45
How long do I have to report a hit and run?
Report it right away. Most policies have a time limit.1 Washington's regulator says to report within 72 hours.8
Is a hit and run a felony?
It depends on the state and on how badly someone was hurt. Leaving a crash with injuries is often charged more harshly.
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Cities
- Phoenix
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- Tempe
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Guides
- Pain that shows up days after a crash: when to get checked
- Hit by a driver with no insurance: what you can do
- How long does a car accident settlement take?
- How contingency fees work and what you take home
- How much is my injury claim worth? The factors that decide it
- How to get a police report for a car accident, and what to do if it is wrong or missing
Sources
- California Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “most policies require notification to the police within a specified time period if the accident is a hit and run”
- Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, checked 2026-11-08. “This reimburses you if you, a family member or your designated driver is hit by an uninsured driver, a hit-and-run driver or an unidentified vehicle that forces you to have an accident.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “You and your passenger’s medical bills.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “To get your car repaired, you’ll need a car insurance policy with collision coverage or uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) property damage coverage.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “Liability insurance only pays to repair the other person’s car if you’re at fault in an accident.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “Every 43 seconds someone in the U.S. is involved in a hit-and-run accident.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “If someone was injured or the other driver drove away, call the police.”
- Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, checked 2026-11-08. “You should report any accidents involving a hit-and-run or unidentified vehicle to local law enforcement within 72 hours.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “Collision and medical payments coverages might not pay enough if you have an expensive vehicle or if you need long-term medical care.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “The deductible for uninsured/underinsured coverage is $250.”
- New York Department of Financial Services, checked 2026-11-08. “If you do not know the vehicle that struck you or if the vehicle was uninsured, you may file a claim with the insurer of a household family relative who had an auto policy at the time of the accident.”
- California Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-08. “If you have medical payments or an uninsured motorist claim, you must provide documentation of your loss (injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, etc.).”