logo

Somebody ran into me and left the scene – will my insurance cover it?

tony • January 26, 2017

Let’s say you’re sitting at a red light and someone runs into the back of your car and one of two things happens either the person who ran into you doesn’t have insurance or they left the scene of the accident. You call the police and file a report, but then what? Do you file the claim on your own insurance? Can you file the claim on your own insurance? Will your insurance company cover it? Will you have to pay a deductible? Will this affect your insurance rates?

Many times, people in this situation are hesitant to contact their insurance company for a variety of reasons – but to be fair, the insurance company will help you navigate your unfortunate situation. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1.You will need to have collision coverage on your policy for this situation to be covered by your insurance company.

Collision coverage is the coverage that pays for repairs to your own vehicle in the event of an accident – this includes not at fault accidents. If you’re not paying for this coverage as part of your policy, then you insurance company will not pay for the repairs to your vehicle.

2. Your deductible will apply.

For some reason, this always seems to surprise customers. When you purchased your policy and agreed to the deductible, you were saying to your insurance company that you would pay for repairs up to that amount and that you wanted your insurance company to cover anything above that amount. For example, you purchase a policy with a $500 collision deductible. If somebody

For example, you purchase a policy with a $500 collision deductible. If somebody runs into you causing $1000 in damage and leaves the scene of the accident, you will be responsible for $500 of the repairs and your insurance company will be responsible for the remaining $500.

3. Your insurance company will attempt to get your deductible back.

This process is called subrogation. If your insurance company knows who the at-fault party is they will attempt to get their money back and your deductible back as well. This situation generally comes up when somebody runs into you and they didn’t have insurance but they hung around long enough for you to exchange details. Be patient though….while most times the subrogation process is fairly swift, I’ve have seen it take almost a year. Keep in mind that the insurance company is attempting to get someone who didn’t pay their insurance to reimburse them for damages – not an easy task.

4. Your insurance rates shouldn’t go up.

If you haven’t filed a claim recently (generally three years is considered recent) then you shouldn’t be concerned about your rates going up. However, if you are a frequent claim filer then you may experience a rate increase at your next renewal or worse, you may get dropped. You may want to ask your insurance agent for some advice on this topic before filing the claim.

We’re building amazing technology that will simplify insurance shopping.  Want to learn more – Click Here and let us know!

Want more tips like this? Join the Chrinco.com community and follow us as we not only provide insurance tips to consumers but also are developing a new way to shop for insurance. Join the journey that we believe will change an industry. Chrinco.com Insurance Simplified.

A hand is pressing a button on a security system.

How do alarms affect insurance?

February 21, 2022
If you’re thinking about getting an alarm on your home here’s what you need to know about the discounts.
A woman is using a calculator in front of a laptop computer.

Are you underinsured on your home?

By tony • February 17, 2022
It’s no secret that things are getting more and more expensive. From food prices to energy prices, it seems like all corners of the economy are being affected. We’re seeing supply chain issues, raw material shortages and labor supply issues all putting inflationary pressures on most consumables. And one area we’re seeing significant increases is in the cost to build a home.
A house that has been upside down in the sand

Home Insurance Claim Denial?

By tony • February 10, 2022
Today we’re discussing one of the most common reasons for a home insurance claim denial but before we get there, let’s briefly discuss what a home insurance policy is and what it is not.
A person is holding a hat out of the window of a car.

Auto insurance rate increases in 2022? 

By tony • January 30, 2022
Recently we had a customer call in to let us know that he had sold one of his cars and that he would like the vehicle removed from his policy. While talking to the customer he mentioned that he sold the vehicle for $4,000 more than what he paid for it. While that is great news for him it underscores a potential issue in the auto insurance marketplace that we expect will trickle down to you, the consumer, later this year.
A green paid stamp on a white background

Mortgage company didn’t pay insurance?

By tony • January 8, 2022
If you have a mortgage with an escrow account, you have likely or will likely experience a time when your home insurance fails to get paid by your mortgage servicer before its expiration. This can be a terribly frustrating time for you. But if you live in Florida, just know that the state of Florida has your back.
An aerial view of a flooded city

What happened to flood insurance?

By tony • November 19, 2021
Recently, FEMA rolled out Risk Rating 2.0 and the rollout has been quite shocking for many Florida residents. Risk Rating 2.0 is a methodology used to accurately charge for flood insurance based upon a property’s own unique flood risks. Prior to Risk Rating 2.0 flood insurance rates were largely determined by what flood zone a property was located in.
A man is laying on the ground working on a car in a garage.

How is COVID affecting car insurance?

By tony • November 6, 2021
It’s no secret that COVID has changed the way many companies are doing business in the United States and the same is true for auto insurance carriers as well. With all the supply chain issues and manufacturing shortages, we’re not only seeing the price of new and used automobiles increase in value, which is increasing the cost to insure, but more importantly we’re seeing vehicles take longer and longer to get repaired after a covered claim. In fact, we’ve seen completely repaired vehicles sit for months waiting for a chip. We’ve seen parts that used to take days to come in, take months. We’ve seen some parts come in and have to sit for weeks while other parts make their way to the repair facility.
A house with solar panels on the roof and a pool

Want to go solar? 

By tony • July 22, 2021
Recently, we have received a number of calls from customers inquiring as to whether the installation of solar panels will affect their home insurance.
A living room with a staircase leading up to the second floor.

What is an HO6 policy?

By tony • November 12, 2020
When buying a condo, part of your association dues goes towards a master condo insurance policy purchased by the condo association. This policy insures the condo building for covered losses. An HO6 policy picks up where the master policy ends and pays for the internal structures to your particular condo unit.
Lightning strikes in the night sky over a city

Does home insurance cover lightning strikes?

By tony • October 28, 2020
Florida is considered the lightning capital of the US with 17 of the top 30 cities nationwide for lightning. Strikes. As such, the question we commonly get asked is “does home insurance cover lightning strikes?”
More Posts
Share by: