Hit and Run Accident Insurance Question

[hardywang]

Wife was driving on 404 and was hit and scrached by a car on driver side back door from behind. But that car just took off, wife just wrote down the license plate number and nothing else.

We have reported to collision centre already.

Anybody knows how does insurance usually handles this type of hit-and-run accident? How to determine whose fault?

Thanks!
Hardy

[BadAssSRT8]

From my experience, you were hit & run & have the plate number of the car that hit you. The Police should investigate (go to the actual local Police station & provide them with the report & ask them to investigate this) & get a Police report.

Call your Ins Co & let them know what happened & that a Police report will be promptly forwarded to them.

When the Police do get the car that hit your wife, they will in all likelihood charge that driver with hit & run / leaving the scene of a collision.

You should then be "Not At Fault" with your Ins Co & take it to a body shop of your choice & begin that process & you shouldn't have to pay a deductable because it was a not at fault collision & a hit & run / leaving the scene of a collision charge for the other driver.

Your Ins Co will pay out your damages & when you are all fixed up & the file closed, your Ins Co will then go after "the other drivers" Ins Co & file a claim to have all your damages, plus their admin charges paid out & "the other drivers" Ins Co will jack "their" rates up accordingly.

Hope this helps Bro & good luck with everything & glad no one was hurt.

[hardywang]

Thanks for the reply, bro.

How about police finds the other driver, but that driver says somehting tatally different about the accident. Because there was no witness at scene.

I am not sure if insurance company will make determination based on what? Simply hit-and-run factor?

Thans!

[bob1964]

Thanks for the reply, bro.

How about police finds the other driver, but that driver says somehting tatally different about the accident. Because there was no witness at scene.

I am not sure if insurance company will make determination based on what? Simply hit-and-run factor?

Thans!

Doesnt really matter as being as he fled anything he says is taken as a lie ...

[hardywang]

Thanks, good to know.

[Go Mango]

Be VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY careful, it's not all that simple.
I was involved TWO hit and runs within a year. Both times I was parked and came out to see my van had been hit. I called the police both times.
The police MUST be notified for the insurance to accept it as hit and run, BUT.....guess what, after 21 years with the same insurance company they canceled my insurance the following year, too many claims they said.
Two claims totaling $2200 after paying about $20 THOUSAND over 21 years then they dump me!! AND I now have to tell any other insurance company I deal with that I have had a policy canceled on me. You can guess what they say about that.

[robpp]

i also had 2 hit and runs in the past. Since the wifey wasnt hurt, the BEST thing would be to park the car somewhere and report a hit and run WHILE LEGALLY PARKED. THIS IS A TOTALLY NON CHARGEABLE accident and cannot be used to raise your rates by the current or any future insurance company. to be able to PROVE this "Keep a copy of the Police reports forever. When/if your insurance company dumps you like goMango, you will need the police reports to PROVE that your cliam, which gets stored at a place like CLUE only as a claim and an amount, that it was a NON CHARGEABLE ACCIDENT. They will not be able to hold that against you in any way regarding increased rates.

GL

[hardywang]

I think you guys talked about parking lot hit and run. What about in diriving?

[Go Mango]

robpp, I took the case to an insurance ombudsman and he was "flabbergasted" (as he put it) but also said there was nothing I could do about them canceling my policy as it's always their right to do so. Sad but true.

i also had 2 hit and runs in the past. Since the wifey wasnt hurt, the BEST thing would be to park the car somewhere and report a hit and run WHILE LEGALLY PARKED. THIS IS A TOTALLY NON CHARGEABLE accident and cannot be used to raise your rates by the current or any future insurance company. to be able to PROVE this "Keep a copy of the Police reports forever. When/if your insurance company dumps you like goMango, you will need the police reports to PROVE that your cliam, which gets stored at a place like CLUE only as a claim and an amount, that it was a NON CHARGEABLE ACCIDENT. They will not be able to hold that against you in any way regarding increased rates.

GL

[robpp]

robpp, I took the case to an insurance ombudsman and he was "flabbergasted" (as he put it) but also said there was nothing I could do about them canceling my policy as it's always their right to do so. Sad but true.

yup. same here. i lived in NYC at the time and the law says they can dump some percent each year.

the point i was trying to make was that when you go for new insurance, they will ask about your record. you need to have in hand the police reports showing that the CLAIM was non-chargeable. insurance company use a place that track claims. one is CLUE. so i go for new insurance. i fill out app say NO ACCIDENTS. 2 weeks later bill comes with like a 100% surcharge or something from original quote. they say CLUE shows 2 claims. I say "yes but non-chargeable. hit while parked. where do i fax police report. thats the end of it. new company cannot hold those claims agianst you as they are non-chargeable.




If it was me, same situation as the OP. I drive to nearest Wal-Mart park the car. go inside get some oil. come out call the police non emergency number hey i got hit in walmart looks bad. need a police report.


what happens if like the OP wife made police report already. smae status applies. non-chargeable. but police wont do anything. you just report plate to our insurance, they will find the other guy. or pay your claim themmselves if say he has no insurance or something..





last thing: I now realize this is in Ontario. all my data and experience is from the states. so sorry if its not the same up there.