Someone hit my car and left without reporting it

[bcla]

If you have a crash "in California".....which I assume means both private and public property....and there is an injury or the damage exceeds $750 the DMV requires you to fill out a form, I had to do that when DD rear ended someone on the freeway. CHP called a tow truck, but did not take a report.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/forms/sr/sr1

Been there. Done that.

I was under the impression that it wasn't necessary if there was already a law enforcement report taken.

 

[Denise W]

Okay, I'm confused. Yes, THEIR damage if they are at fault would be paid by THEIR collision is they have it.
The case cited was some who was the victim of an uninsured motorist. And while not universal, as indicated in my link, it could be covered under uninsured motorist coverage, not collision. That was what my coverage would be on my cars without collision (and even my cars with collision). It was something I discussed at length with my insurance agent when I dropped collision. If I crash and it is my fault I get nothing. If someone hits me and has no insurance it would be covered under uninsured motorist coverage. And if the car is vandalized, it would be covered by my comprehensive coverage.

Yes, if you have UMPD coverage you are covered for your property damage if you are 50% or less at fault. You would NOT be covered under UMBI coverage as that covers bodily injury only.
Denise

 

[Denise W]

That's sounds like liability for the other party should be in play here. On top of that, uninsured coverage is mandatory in Illinois, which the OP stated was the state in question.

I don't quite get what happened in my case though. The claims agent said I was covered under uninsured motorist even though it was a hit and run. I had the license plate and witnesses. Tracked down the owner, who denied knowing anything.

UMBI is mandatory in Illinois, but I am not sure that UMPD is, which covers property damage to your car struck by an uninsured motorist.
Denise

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Uninsured motorist coverage only covers Bodily injury claims. You need to have UMPD coverage on your policy (uninsured motorist property damage) in order to collect for damage to your car through your policy if the responsible party does not have insurance. Hopefully you have UMPD sonce you don't have collision coverage.

Collision coverage will pay for damage to your car regardless of who is at fault, and regardless of whether the other party is insured or not.

UMPD is also a state specific coverage..kansas for example does not have UMPD only UMBI..

Each state has different rules through the DOI (Department of Insurance) and not only that each insurance company is filed differently with the state's DOI and furthermore each auto product the insurance company has will be filed differently so the rules could be different.

ETA: This is from the KS DOI website:

• Bodily Injury Liability* pays for the other person’s medical expenses, rehabilitation, funeral costs, and other covered costs, if you or your family are at fault in an auto accident. It also pays for settlement of lawsuits and your legal expenses.
• Property Damage Liability* pays when you or your family members damage other property in an accident. It pays for repair, replacement, or cash value of the other owner’s property. It also pays for your legal expenses.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP or No-fault)* pays for medical expenses, rehabilitation, funeral expenses, lost wages, and in-home assistance for you and your passengers injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault. Passengers who own their own cars collect under their policy.
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Protection* pays you or your passengers for medical, rehabilitation, and funeral costs. It also pays settlements of lawsuits resulting from an accident caused by an uninsured, underinsured or hit-and-run motorist. You and your family are covered as pedestrians or when riding your bike.
• Collision pays for the repair of your car in a collision or rollover.
• Comprehensive pays for damage to your auto resulting from windstorm, fire, hail, etc.

* These four coverages are required in Kansas.

 

[Denise W]

UMPD is also a state specific coverage..kansas for example does not have UMPD only UMBI..

Each state has different rules through the DOI (Department of Insurance) and not only that each insurance company is filed differently with the state's DOI and furthermore each auto product the insurance company has will be filed differently so the rules could be different.

Yes, that is correct.
Denise

 

[mefordis]

With all due respect, they committed 1 crime, possibly 2. They hit my car, they left the scene, that is a crime. Forgive me if I'm having trouble finding the nobility in them coming to see me several hours after the fact and after the police have already been called.

Actually there was an eye witness (2). There was a couple that came and knocked on our door to let us know that the car was hit, that's how we knew about it. They saw the car hit it. They just weren't aware of which house the car belonged to. But they certainly could ID the car if they saw it again.



I intend to let them but I think it's in my best interest to still report it to my insurance company. What if in 1 month, the people don't pay or vanish? If I wait till then to report to my insurance company they're going to really give me a hard time.



That dashcam is a good idea. I haven't really had a need for it before this incident makes me reconsider.

I wouldn't trust them to pay. They already left the scene without leaving a note or anything. I don't care that they came back, it was wrong not to find you or at least leave a note.

 

[ols386]

I would care that they didn't have insurance. Around here it is against the law to drive without it.

Another problem is, they said that they would pay in a month. After they had already left the scene of an accident.

I'm sure that the OP lost trust in them after that. I would also be very cautious about believing that they would actually pay in a month.

I live in Michigan and that's how it is here. Against the law to drive without car insurance.

 

[mom2rtk]

I live in Michigan and that's how it is here. Against the law to drive without car insurance.

The law doesn't mean squat to some people. I got rear ended in a McDonald's drive through. Slow speed, so not major damage, but it messed up the paint on my bumper. The driver tried to leave, so I called police and they came out but would not take a report. They watched as we exchanged insurance information, but when I called the supposed carrier, I was told the coverage had been cancelled. He was uninsured. The police said since it was private property, there was nothing they could do. We were just out of luck.

 

[Pumbaa_]

You have the option of a civil suit

 

[hereyago]

OP, did you ask them to give you their insurance info? I'll be honest, if someone hit my car and left( I've had this happen twice). Then they come forward, no way would I trust them to pay OOP in a month. And if they didn't come out and tell me their insurance info, I would presume they didn't have any or they were trying to avoid rates go up, but that isn't your problem.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

OP, did you ask them to give you their insurance info? I'll be honest, if someone hit my car and left( I've had this happen twice). Then they come forward, no way would I trust them to pay OOP in a month. And if they didn't come out and tell me their insurance info, I would presume they didn't have any or they were trying to avoid rates go up, but that isn't your problem.

Unfortunately, I was at my parents house for the holiday, and they are extremely non confrontational people. Their motto is they don't want to get on the bad side of their neighbors even if it means they get walked over. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum so I let them handle it. And they didn't ask for the information. That being said, we know where they live (directly across the street) and we've reported it to the police and the insurance company.

But yes, I agree, I'm almost certain they don't have insurance.

 

[tvguy]

You have the option of a civil suit

I'd just turn it over to my insurance to get the car fixed, and let the insurance company handle any civil suit.

 

[ols386]

The law doesn't mean squat to some people. I got rear ended in a McDonald's drive through. Slow speed, so not major damage, but it messed up the paint on my bumper. The driver tried to leave, so I called police and they came out but would not take a report. They watched as we exchanged insurance information, but when I called the supposed carrier, I was told the coverage had been cancelled. He was uninsured. The police said since it was private property, there was nothing they could do. We were just out of luck.

Sorry that happened. That stinks.

 

[mom2rtk]

Sorry that happened. That stinks.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I'm just hoping karma gets him and he gets stopped for something else that isn't private property.

 

[ronandannette]

The law doesn't mean squat to some people. I got rear ended in a McDonald's drive through. Slow speed, so not major damage, but it messed up the paint on my bumper. The driver tried to leave, so I called police and they came out but would not take a report. They watched as we exchanged insurance information, but when I called the supposed carrier, I was told the coverage had been cancelled. He was uninsured. The police said since it was private property, there was nothing they could do. We were just out of luck.

This part I do not understand. Is it mandatory to have car insurance in your state or not? How does doing something illegal on private property make it OK?

 

[mom2rtk]

This part I do not understand. Is it mandatory to have car insurance in your state or not? How does doing something illegal on private property make it OK?

It is. But when the officer was there the guy presented me with papers showing insurance. When I got home and called the carrier I was told that it had been cancelled. When I called the police back, they said there was nothing they could do.

 

[ols386]

It is. But when the officer was there the guy presented me with papers showing insurance. When I got home and called the carrier I was told that it had been cancelled. When I called the police back, they said there was nothing they could do.

This stinks even more.

 

[IDoDis]

Insurance companies can be so sleazy. That is why I prefer not to get them involved. Having a low deductible on your policy is crazy. Filing a claim to get a check for a few hundred dollars in crazy. They will jack up your rates and recover they money they used to pay your claim in a few months. Never get a policy with less that $1,000 deductible.

I disagree that having a low deductible is crazy. I wouldn't want to pay $2000 OOP for an accident that was my fault. With a $1000 deductible, I'd have to pay the $1000 deductible for my car and $1000 for the car that I hit. No thank you! I do agree that if the damages were under $1500 I would pay OOP for the repairs, but if the damages were large, I wouldn't want to pay a $1000 deductible even once let alone twice. It costs us $65 more every 6 months to have a $250 deductible vs $1000 on 4 vehicles. That is totally worth it to me.

DD's car was stolen in September. It was recovered 3 weeks later and was a total loss due to the damage done to it. It was an older car with a book value of $3450 (full clean retail). Our insurance paid approximately $3350 less the $250 deductible so we got a little over $3100 for the car because we had comprehensive coverage which was only $2.50 a month or around $15 every 6 months. A $1000 deductible would have netted a lot less payout.

 

[mom2rtk]

I disagree that having a low deductible is crazy. I wouldn't want to pay $2000 OOP for an accident that was my fault. With a $1000 deductible, I'd have to pay the $1000 deductible for my car and $1000 for the car that I hit. No thank you! I do agree that if the damages were under $1500 I would pay OOP for the repairs, but if the damages were large, I wouldn't want to pay a $1000 deductible even once let alone twice. It costs us $65 more every 6 months to have a $250 deductible vs $1000 on 4 vehicles. That is totally worth it to me.

DD's car was stolen in September. It was recovered 3 weeks later and was a total loss due to the damage done to it. It was an older car with a book value of $3450 (full clean retail). Our insurance paid approximately $3350 less the $250 deductible so we got a little over $3100 for the car because we had comprehensive coverage which was only $2.50 a month or around $15 every 6 months. A $1000 deductible would have netted a lot less payout.

Maybe this varies by carrier for others. But we had the same experience as you. We considered switching to a higher deductible, but were really surprised at how little it would save us, so stuck with the lower one.

We were also going to drop back to liability only on 2 of our cars, and found out comprehensive didn't give us much savings either. So we kept that and just dropped the collision on those older cars. We now carry full coverage on only 1 of our 4 cars, but none of them is very new.

 

[MSLRAC]

I disagree that having a low deductible is crazy. I wouldn't want to pay $2000 OOP for an accident that was my fault. With a $1000 deductible, I'd have to pay the $1000 deductible for my car and $1000 for the car that I hit. No thank you! I do agree that if the damages were under $1500 I would pay OOP for the repairs, but if the damages were large, I wouldn't want to pay a $1000 deductible even once let alone twice. It costs us $65 more every 6 months to have a $250 deductible vs $1000 on 4 vehicles. That is totally worth it to me.

DD's car was stolen in September. It was recovered 3 weeks later and was a total loss due to the damage done to it. It was an older car with a book value of $3450 (full clean retail). Our insurance paid approximately $3350 less the $250 deductible so we got a little over $3100 for the car because we had comprehensive coverage which was only $2.50 a month or around $15 every 6 months. A $1000 deductible would have netted a lot less payout.

Maybe our insurance is different but it's one deductible paid out per accident even if it's our fault.

But we had to pay a deductible for an accident that wasn't our fault back in the summer (long story but it went to subrrogation and we did get it refunded finally) and I looked at lowering our deductible and increasing rental coverage and there was only a few dollars difference between a higher and lower deductible. We went with $500 as opposed to our original $1000 and increased our rental cover and our payment went up just over $5 a month.