What to do after a hit and run
You try your best to avoid them, but accidents happen. Sometimes you are not paying attention or someone hits you and drives off. Lately we have seen a rash of hit and run claims. When a hit and run occurs it is very scary and a lot of our clients are unsure what they should do.
To make sure you’re prepared (even though we hope you never have to be), take a look at the following six tips:
1. Take a breath. A hit and run is frustrating, but getting angry won’t change anything. Take a moment to gather yourself – and then check yourself. See if you’re in any pain (and remember, the adrenaline may be blocking it). If you believe you’re injured, stay where you are and call for emergency support. But if you’re able to, move your vehicle out of direct traffic, as this will reduce your risk of being hit a second time.
2. Call the police. Emergency services should always be notified of a car accident, especially a hit and run. The responding police officer will give you a report number that can be used on your insurance claim, and oftentimes, they’ll try to track down the person who’s responsible.
3. Ask yourself what you remember. Do you have any recollection of the vehicle that hit you? Every detail counts, so rack your brain and make a note of what you can recall. Important information includes make, model, color and license plate (even if it’s just a portion of it).
4. Take pictures. Having photos of the immediate aftermath can be helpful when filing an insurance claim and requesting a repair estimate. Your insurance company may send an adjuster to see the damage firsthand, or just have you obtain an estimate from a body shop of your choice. Either way, photos can help determine whether any type of in-person inspection may be necessary.
5. Get an estimate. Having an estimate in hand allows the claim to go a little faster. The body shop that you want to use will have seen the car and allow the adjuster to see the proposal for the repairs. An estimate also allows your agent to give you the best direction when it comes to the next step which would be to file a claim.
6. File a claim. This is the final step. Call your agent to file the claim. With hit and run claims they can be a little tricky. Normally insurance carriers will try to get your deductible back through a process call subrogation. The issue with a hit and run is there is no one to subrogate against. So a lot of the time an insured is out their deductible but the car is fixed.
Hit and runs can be scary but following this simple six step process should alleviate a lot of headaches. At Konen Insurance, we are here to help through the entire process. Our agents are here to help make sure the claims process goes as smoothly as possible.
