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Insurance companies don’t offer coverage specifically for hit-and-runs in California. But look to pay for your car’s damage under other types of car insurance coverage.
A hit-and-run in the state means that a driver left an accident scene after knowingly damaging someone else’s property or injuring a person. Drivers who hit someone’s property without the owner around should identify themselves instead — such as by leaving a note to avoid getting tagged with a hit-and-run.
Since the state has such a problem with this type of accident, California enforces strict penalties for it. Those include:
Making sure your policy covers hit-and-runs in California may be a good idea. The Golden State has a less than a golden record when it comes to this type of accident. Having car insurance coverage for hit-and-runs could offset damage if this unfortunate situation happens to you.
California has one of the highest totals for hit-and-run deaths in the nation, numbering 337 in 2016, according to a AAA report for 2016. By comparison, Texas had 233 deaths and Florida had 206.
After reporting the accident to police, you can try to get your insurance company to cover the hit-and-run. Consider these methods:
No, California doesn’t allow uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist coverage to apply in hit-and-run situations.
In many cases, you may have to make a hit-and-run claim against your own insurance. Since California doesn’t allow underinsured motorist coverage to pay for this incident, you may need to file under collision. To make a claim:
To jog your memory about the hit-and-run, you can focus on details such as:
California has a high number of hit-and-run accidents compared to other states, which may make coverage for this accident worth the cost. However, you might need to verify with your insurer which type of coverage protects you from this incident.
Consider several providers for their hit-and-run protection and cost to make sure you’re getting the best value.
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