Hit And Run
When a driver causes an accident and drives off without stopping and providing their information, it is defined as a hit and run. Whether hitting a parked car, a car with a driver in it, a building, or an individual crossing an intersection, a hit and run is a crime. As such, a hit and run will negatively affect the perpetrator’s car insurance rates if they are caught.
If a hit and run driver is caught, then their insurance company will likely charge them with an at-fault incident, which will raise their car insurance premiums. Depending on the state an individual lives in, this incident can stay on their driving record between five and seven years. Some insurance companies will cancel a hit and run driver’s car insurance coverage altogether, which means that the hit and run driver will have to pay even higher car insurance premiums when they find a new provider.
Beyond its effects on a driver’s car insurance, a hit and run can land a driver in legal trouble. An injury or death as a result of a hit and run will necessitate a police investigation, which often leads to the arrest of the hit and run driver. If the victim of a hit and run accident dies, the courts look upon the hit and run driver as guilty of felony manslaughter, a verdict which carries severe legal penalties.
Victims of hit and runs should not have their car insurance rates affected by a hit and run. But just because one’s rates are unaffected does not mean that a car insurance provider will automatically cover the cost of their car damage. Uninsured Motorist and Comprehensive coverage plans will cover the damage costs, minus the deductible, but other forms of car insurance can leave the hit and run victim with the full bill for car repairs.
If one causes a collision while driving, then they are required to stop their vehicle and check to see if the other driver is okay. If the driver is injured, it is important to provide them with any necessary aid and call emergency services if the injuries are severe. Regardless of whether the other driver sustained an injury or not, it is crucial to provide this driver with one’s information, lest a hit and run occur.
After an accident, one should contact their insurance provider and tell them what happened. Filing an accident report with the police is also required in some situations, which insurance companies use to determine who is at fault in an accident and what claims should be paid. In certain severe situations, an insurance company may also provide a driver with legal advice.
