Coverage on Hit & Run Accidents

My car was hit while parked overnight outside my apartment building. The driver of the other vehicle did not leave any information, and there were no witnesses. I only carry comprehensive and liability coverage on my car insurance. My neighbor told me that there is some coverage for uninsured/underinsured drivers specifically for hit-and-runs. Is this true? What can I do?

Answer

A hit-and-run would not typically activate your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which it sounds like you don’t carry anyway. In order for this coverage to come into effect, you would have to find the driver and prove that he/she did not have insurance. Because you don’t carry collision coverage, there is very little you can do in this situation besides report the incident immediately to the police. If you had collision coverage, a hit-and-run accident would be covered. Your best bet is to let the police know what happened, when it occurred, and how your car was damaged. You will probably end up paying for the damages out of pocket unless the police can locate the other driver.