What coverage type covers a hit and run insurance claim?

Hit and run insurance claims can be filed if you were the victim of an accident in which the responsible party fled the scene; however, you have to be sure that you have the right type of coverage to make a claim.

Uninsured motorist coverage can help provide coverage of the damages you may experience as a result of an accident with an uninsured or hit and run driver. In Arvada, Colorado, car accident victims can contact attorney D.J. Banovitz for legal assistance.

Colorado Insurance Requirements

Hit and run accidents affect a large number of Colorado residents. In 2009 alone, the Denver Police Department reported approximately 5,178 hit and run accidents, which made up almost 24 percent of all vehicle collisions. These types of accidents can be quite costly, especially if you have to pay medical expenses and car repairs out-of-pocket.

Insurers in Colorado are required to offer uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance in the same amount of your bodily injury liability coverage, and it can only be waived if you submit a rejection in writing.

The limits for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage are typically $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. You can increase this coverage up to whatever amount of liability insurance that you choose to include on your policy.

Filing Hit and Run Insurance Claims

To help ensure that your insurance claim is successful, the first thing you should do is contact the police department after the accident. An officer will come out to evaluate the scene and may interview witnesses before writing up a police report. It is important that you have a copy of this report when dealing with your insurance provider. Some hit and runs will never be solved.

However, if you have any of the “solvability factors” listed below, it is more likely you will be able to file a claim after the police depart and launch an investigation:

• the full license plate of the suspect’s vehicle;
• a partial license plate number and the vehicle’s color, make and model; or
• an eyewitness who can provide the information above or identify the driver.

If the police catch the suspect, he or she may not only face criminal charges for leaving the scene of a collision, but you may then file a claim against that driver’s insurance to recover damages.

If your case never gets solved, hit and run insurance claims can help you recover the compensation necessary to pay associated expenses. The insurance company may take your statement and send out an adjustor to assess the damage. Once this is complete, you will be offered a settlement that comes from your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Arvada, Colorado Car Accident Attorney

It’s unfortunate when other drivers run from their responsibilities by fleeing the scene of a vehicle collision. If your insurance company’s settlement offer isn’t enough to cover your expenses, an Arvada, Colorado car accident attorney can negotiate on your behalf to come up with a fair amount. Call D.J. Banovitz, Personal Injury Law, at 303-300-5060 to schedule a free initial consultation regarding a hit and run insurance claim.