When the Other Driver Doesn't Stop
The other car is gone before you have finished registering what happened. It is one of the worst feelings on the road, and it is also one of the situations where what you do in the next hour genuinely changes the outcome.
Report it immediately, not tomorrow
Call law enforcement from the scene and get a report number. Then call your own carrier the same day. Both matter: hit-and-run coverage under a policy is usually conditioned on prompt reporting, and a report filed days later invites questions you will struggle to answer well. If the accident meets the criteria in Vehicle Code section 16000, the separate DMV report is still yours to file.
What pays for the car
Usually your collision coverage, with your deductible applying — because the at-fault driver cannot be billed if nobody knows who they are. Some policies address hit-and-run damage differently, and uninsured motorist property damage generally depends on the other driver being identified, so it is rarely the answer in a true hit-and-run. If you carry liability only, there is often no coverage for your own vehicle in this scenario. That is the hard truth, and it is worth knowing before it happens rather than after.
Injuries are a different conversation
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage is written to respond when the at-fault driver cannot be found, but Insurance Code section 11580.2 and your own policy attach conditions — including physical contact between the vehicles where the other car is unidentified, and prompt reporting to law enforcement. Those conditions are why the police report is not optional paperwork. Ask your carrier to walk you through the exact requirements on your policy.
Gather what you can while it is fresh
Write down anything you retained: partial plate, color, body style, damage on their vehicle, direction of travel. Look for cameras — businesses, doorbells, traffic cameras, other drivers with dashcams. Ask witnesses for a phone number before they leave. A partial plate plus a vehicle description sometimes resolves a case that looked hopeless.
If they are later identified
The claim can shift to their liability coverage, and your carrier may pursue recovery. If they recover, your deductible commonly comes back to you.
If you are carrying liability only, ask us what collision and uninsured motorist would cost on your policy before you need them.
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Will my rate go up for a hit-and-run I did not cause?
It depends on the carrier and on whether the loss is treated as not-at-fault. Ask before you file, and shop at your next renewal — carriers weigh these differently under their own filed plans.
Do I have to file a police report?
Practically, yes. Hit-and-run coverage typically depends on prompt reporting to law enforcement, and without a report number your carrier is being asked to take your word for the whole event.
What if I only got a partial plate?
Give it to the police and your adjuster anyway. A partial plate combined with make, color and damage description has resolved cases we have watched, so it is never wasted information.