What to Do in a Hit and Run

What happens after a hit-and-run comes down to one question: do you have uninsured motorist property damage coverage?

If yes, your insurer pays regardless of who fled. If not, collision or out-of-pocket applies.

Updated: June 2, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Call police and file a report before leaving the scene. A police report is required to file a UM claim in most states, and leaving before an officer arrives can weaken your case.

Without uninsured motorist coverage, hit-and-run repairs either come out of your pocket or go through collision coverage subject to your deductible.

Some states require you to report a hit and run within 24 to 72 hours for UM coverage to apply. Missing that deadline can void the claim entirely.

Will Your Coverage Pay for a Hit and Run?

The answer to a hit-and-run claim depends on one thing: whether you have uninsured motorist (UM) property damage coverage. If you do, the other driver's identity doesn't matter — your insurer pays for repairs, with a UM deductible only if your state allows one.

If you don't carry UM coverage, your only coverage option is collision, subject to your collision deductible as stated in your full coverage policy. If you don't have full coverage insurance — in other words, your car insurance is liability-only — you'll pay out of pocket for repairs.

Know which situation you're in before calling your insurer, because the steps you take at the scene, and what you say, differ.

Which Situation Applies to You?

Your coverage path and your next steps depend on where you were when the hit-and-run happened. A driver who was present at the scene has different priorities than someone who returned to find their parked car damaged — and a driver with only liability coverage has no insurance path at all.

I was in the vehicle when the other driver fled.
Stay at the scene. Do not move your vehicle. Call the police before leaving — a police report is required for UM claims in most states, and leaving before an officer arrives weakens your case.
My parked car was hit while I was away.
You don't need to stay at the scene. File a report at the nearest station or online if your jurisdiction allows. Your priority is documenting physical evidence and canvassing for camera footage before it's deleted — most business security systems overwrite within 24 to 72 hours.
I only have liability coverage.
Filing a UM or collision claim isn't available to you. Your options are limited to paying out of pocket or cooperating with police in any effort to identify the driver. Some states have crime victim compensation programs that cover hit-and-run injuries (but not property damage). Contact your state's attorney general office.

Steps to Take After a Hit and Run

Follow these steps in order to file an uninsured motorist or collision claim with your auto insurance company.

1
Call the Police and File a Report Immediately
A police report is required to file a UM claim in most states. For attended incidents, call from the scene before moving your vehicle. For unattended damage, file at the nearest station or online.

Some states require the report within 24 to 72 hours for UM coverage to apply. If you're unsure of your state's deadline, file the same day. No state penalizes early reporting.
2
Document the Scene Before Anything Changes
Write down the time, the direction the other vehicle fled, and every detail you can recall about it before calling police — memory degrades quickly under stress. Then photograph paint transfer, skid marks, and damage in sequence. Note any security cameras on nearby buildings or businesses. If you can identify the business, call them the same day and request they preserve the footage. Camera footage at most businesses is overwritten within 24 to 72 hours. Once overwritten, that footage can't be recovered.

Most states require corroboration before approving a hit-and-run UM claim — in other words, your account alone is not enough. Physical evidence (paint transfer, skid marks, security camera footage) or a witness statement is what transforms a suspicious claim into an approved one. Don't clean up the scene or move your vehicle before photographing it.

If you have dashcam footage, provide it when you file. It's the strongest corroboration available and typically resolves disputes that would otherwise require investigation.
3
Report to Your Insurer the Same Day
Call your insurer's claims line with your police report number, photos, and any witness contact information. Even in states with a 24-hour notice requirement, calling the same day protects you if your state's rule is shorter. Tell the claims representative that you have a police report and physical documentation — this is what distinguishes a credible claim from one that requires further investigation.
4
File Your UM or Collision Claim
If you carry UM property damage (UMPD) coverage, your insurer pays for repairs subject to your UM deductible, if one applies. Several states prohibit UM deductibles or cap them — your insurer can confirm which rule applies in your state.

Without UMPD, collision coverage applies, subject to your collision deductible.

If your vehicle is financed or leased, your lender requires you to carry collision coverage. If you let collision lapse and now face a hit-and-run repair, contact your lender before filing — a gap in required coverage may trigger forced-placed insurance from your lender.
5
Know the Rate Impact Before Filing a Small Claim
UM claims for hit-and-run incidents are classified as not-at-fault by most insurers, which means rates are less likely to increase than after an at-fault accident. However, some insurers apply a surcharge for any claim regardless of fault, and the surcharge can persist for three years.

If your repair estimate is close to your deductible, calculate what you'd collect net of the deductible, then compare it to three years of potential rate increase. In some cases, paying out of pocket on a small repair costs less over time than filing.

See how much car insurance goes up after an accident for state-level estimates.

What Happens Without Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Uninsured motorist coverage is what pays for hit-and-run repairs when the other driver can't be identified. Without it, here are your options:

If you have collision coverage:
Your collision deductible applies in full. If the deductible is $500 and repairs cost $800, you collect $300. If repairs cost $400, filing produces no payout and you'll have a claim on your record (in which case filing may not be worth it).
If you only have liability coverage:
You pay all repair costs. There is no insurance path available to you for property damage. For injuries sustained in the incident, check whether you carry medical payments coverage or personal injury protection — those cover your medical bills regardless of fault and do not require UM coverage.
A note on the physical contact rule:
In some states, UM property damage coverage for hit-and-run requires that the other vehicle physically contacted yours. If you swerved to avoid a driver who fled and struck something else, you may not qualify for UMPD coverage in those states — the claim would go through collision instead.

FAQ: What Happens After Hit-and-Runs

What should you do immediately after a hit and run?

Call police and file a report before leaving the scene if you were present. If your parked car was hit while unattended, file at a station or online. Document physical evidence — paint transfer, skid marks, camera locations — before the scene changes. Call your insurer the same day with your police report number and documentation. Most states require prompt notice for UM claims, and same-day reporting is always safe.

Does insurance cover hit-and-run damage?

UM property damage coverage pays for hit-and-run repairs if you carry it, subject to your UM deductible where one applies. Without UMPD, collision coverage applies, subject to your collision deductible. With only liability coverage, you pay out of pocket. The coverage you carry determines your path — verify which you have before assuming UM applies.

Do you need a police report to file a hit-and-run claim?

Yes, in most states. Without a police report, a UM claim will be denied. Some states require the report within 24 to 72 hours of the incident. File the same day to be safe — no state penalizes early reporting.

Will a hit-and-run claim raise your insurance rates?

Most insurers classify hit-and-run UM claims as not-at-fault, which carries a smaller rate impact than an at-fault claim. Some insurers apply a surcharge for any claim regardless of fault. Before filing a claim close to your deductible amount, ask your insurer whether a not-at-fault claim triggers a rate adjustment under your policy. The answer affects whether filing is worth it.

What if you witnessed the hit and run but the other driver left?

File a police report immediately with every detail about the other vehicle: make, model, color, and any portion of the license plate you observed. The more detail in the report, the stronger your UM claim. UM coverage applies when the driver cannot be located.

Is a hit and run covered under comprehensive or collision insurance?

Hit-and-run damage is covered under UM property damage coverage if you carry it. Without UMPD, collision coverage applies. Comprehensive coverage does not cover hit-and-run damage from another vehicle — comprehensive covers non-collision events such as weather, theft, and falling objects.

Hit-and-run coverage rules and state police report deadlines reflect current state insurance department guidance and standard insurer claim requirements as of May 2026. UM coverage requirements by state sourced from state insurance department publications. Read our full auto insurance methodology.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.

Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.

Mark holds a B.A. from Boston College and an M.A. in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He started his career in financial risk management at State Street and is also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.

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