Glossary

Hit and run

A crash in which a driver leaves without stopping to share information or help, which is a crime and leaves victims relying on their own coverage.

Also called: hit-and-run accident, leaving the scene, phantom vehicle

A hit and run happens when a driver involved in a crash leaves without stopping, exchanging information or helping anyone hurt, as state law requires. Leaving the scene is a crime in every state, and penalties rise sharply when someone is injured or killed. For the victim, the practical problem is that there is no known driver or insurer to claim against.

Your own coverages fill the gap. uninsured motorist coverage typically treats an unidentified hit-and-run driver as uninsured, so it can pay for your injuries, and in some states uninsured motorist property damage pays for your car. Collision coverage pays for your car regardless of fault, minus your deductible. Many states attach conditions. In California, for example, an uninsured motorist injury claim involving an unknown driver requires physical contact with the other vehicle, a police report within 24 hours and a sworn statement to your insurer within 30 days, and California's property damage coverage requires the driver or plate to be identified.

Act quickly: call police, photograph the scene and damage, get witness names and look for nearby cameras, then report the claim to your insurer promptly. If the driver is found later, their insurer becomes responsible, and your insurer may recover what it paid through subrogation. See hit-and-run accidents: how to file a claim.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

Uninsured motorist coverage Coverage that pays injury costs for you and your passengers when a driver with no insurance, or a hit-and-run driver, causes the crash. Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) Coverage that pays to repair your car when a driver with no insurance damages it, often with a small deductible and caps set by state law. Collision coverage Pays to repair or replace your own car after it hits another vehicle or object, or rolls over, regardless of fault, minus your deductible. First notice of loss The first report to your insurer that a crash, theft or other loss has happened, which opens the claim and starts the clock on handling it. Collision deductible waiver An option that pays or waives your collision deductible when an identified uninsured driver is at fault for damaging your car.

Related guides

Dash cams and car insurance How dash cam video settles fault and exposes staged crashes, why it rarely cuts your premium, where you can mount one, and how to save footage. Do you need a police report after a car accident? When state law requires you to call police or file a crash report, why a report helps your insurance claim even when optional, and how to fix errors. Hit-and-run accidents: how to file a claim What to do after a hit-and-run, which of your coverages pay for the car and for injuries, and the reporting deadlines that can make or break the claim. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explained How UM and UIM coverage pay when the driver who hits you has no insurance or too little, which states require it, and how much to buy. What to do after a car accident A step-by-step plan for the scene, the first day and the following weeks after a crash, so you stay safe, meet legal duties and protect your claim.

Related tools

After-accident checklist and information form A step-by-step checklist for the scene of a car accident and a form for the details to exchange, which you can print or keep on your phone.