Does Car Insurance Cover a Hit-and-Run?

Juliet D'cruz

Updated on:

 

There are a lot of things that you need to keep in mind when buying car insurance. After all, not every policy will cover all the causes of damage to your car. Whether your car is damaged in an accident or stolen, it can prove to be a huge loss for you. This is because the insurance company will only be paying if the policy covers the actual causes of damage. 

Since cars are a huge investment and repairing dents and other damages is costly, you have to ensure that you buy a policy that will provide comprehensive protection against any problem or damage to your car.

People often wonder if car insurance covers hit and run cases or not. The answer to this entirely depends on the type of policy that you have bought. Besides covering the expense for the damage, you also need to check if the policy covers medical bills in case you are severely injured in the accident. 

To answer all your questions, we will check what kinds of car insurance cover hit and run cases and what you should do to ensure that your car is 100% secured.

You can also check out a leading insurance provider Surex’s website to learn more about car insurance in Ontario.

What Kind Of Insurance Provides Coverage In A Hit-And-Run Case

It’s of least importance whether you are the victim or the one at fault in a hit-and-run. Your vehicle stands damaged in both cases. This leaves you with the heavy cost of repairing the car. You might have to also pay for your medical bills if you were injured. The cost for the damage and the extent of the payout will also depend on who the victim is.

Options Available When You Are The Victim

When you are the victim of a hit and run case, the first obvious thing is that the driver who was at fault is liable to pay the bills for your car as well as your treatment. But if the driver runs away without sharing contact details, or if he doesn’t have liability insurance, then it’s you who will have to pay the bills. You can choose to take the matter to Court later if you want.

In this case, if you have collision insurance or uninsured motorist coverage then your insurer will cover the bill on your behalf. Although both of these policies have a similar purpose, there are some basic differences.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Under this policy, when the driver at fault hits your car and is not able to pay your bill, the company will take care of that. Uninsured motorist coverage is of two types, namely Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury and Uninsured Motorist Property Damage. As the name suggests, one is for bodily injuries and the second is for your car.  

On inspection and depending on your policy, you will get paid for all the amount that you had to spend on the accident. In some advanced uninsured motorist coverage policies, certain companies also provide coverage for items that were inside the car which includes cell phones, laptops, and sunglasses.

Collision insurance

In this case, your insurance company will cover the charges for the damage to your car regardless of who was at fault. However, it will make matters easier for you if you can note down the other car’s information or file a police report. 

This small step will help your insurance company get hold of the driver who is actually responsible for the damage. Also, make sure that you take pictures of the dent in the car so that it can be shared with the insurance company when they ask for relevant documents.

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Options You Have When You Are At Fault

When you are at fault and you have hit someone else’s car then you have two types of insurance policy options to choose from

1.Liability Insurance

Under this policy, your insurance company will cover the charges and bills incurred by the victim. They will pay for the medical bills as well as for the repair of their car. You need to keep in mind that this kind of insurance policy does not cover any charges that you incur owing to the accident. 

Whether you have to pay for your medical bills or the cost of repairing your own car, you have to pay for it all from your own pocket. This insurance just takes care of the victim as well as finances your legal expenditure in case the victim party decides to file a lawsuit against you. However, if you are already paying the victim’s bills, they are not likely to file a lawsuit.

  1. Personal Injury Protection: 

While your car and the victim’s expenses are important, you cannot neglect your own safety. Even if you are the safest driver in the world, accidents can happen. Hence it is wise to have a plan that pays your medical bills regardless of who was at fault. Under this policy, all your medical bills will be paid by your insurance company. 

Also, if the accident interrupts your livelihood, this policy will also cover the part of the income you missed out owing to that accident. If the accident proves to be fatal and you don’t make it, this policy will cover the bills for your funeral as well.

Endnote

Having auto insurance for your car is mandatory in most countries. However, it is important to select the right policy to ensure that no matter what problem arises, you and your car are taken care of. You need to be cautious while driving because an accident can not just be fatal for you but can also hike your premium price.

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