Someone Hit and Run My Car in Connecticut. Will My Insurance Handle It?

Will my insurer pay for hit and run in Connecticut? Does car insurance cover hit and run in CT? 

To understand the benefits that you are entitled to following a hit and run, you should refer to terms and conditions in your auto insurance policy. 

The auto insurance policy should have some coverage for hit and run. An auto insurance could pay for medical bills, transportation costs, car repair bills and other costs arising out of the hit and run. 

You should note that not all costs emanating from the hit and run may be covered by your auto policy. 

The trouble with a hit and run accident is that the at-fault driver may escape to avoid arrest and insurance payment. If you don’t know the identity (or license number) of the at-fault driver, then it will not be possible for you to collect insurance benefits from the insurance company of the at-fault driver.

What Classifies A Hit and Run in Connecticut?

But first, what is a hit and run in Connecticut? 

A hit and run is said to happen when some other driver crashes into your car and escapes. The purpose of escape is to avoid legal consequences and insurance payments to you. Thus you will be deprived of your right to collect benefits from the insurer of the at-fault driver. Since you don’t know the identity of the culprit, it may not be possible to take him or her to court.

Hit and run incidents can happen so fast that you may not have the time to copy their license plate number. It is also very much possible that you may be very badly injured or knocked unconscious due to which you will not be able to record the license plate number of the offender. 

Hit and run is illegal in Connecticut. Under Connecticut rules, you and the other party involved in the accident are required to stay and cooperate with law enforcement. You are allowed to take your car to a safe side to be keep out of the way of incoming traffic. However, trying to escape is not permissible since it will impede the course of justice. 

In a hit and run accident, the at-fault driver flees without mentioning their identity or contact information to you. Such drivers don’t help others who were injured from the hit and run accident. 

Running away from a hit and run is a serious crime in Connecticut. Offenders will have to pay massive fines and serve jail sentences. 

If you and your car are harmed in a hit and run incident in Connecticut, then you may be able to collect auto insurance benefits that will pay for medical bills, transportation costs, car repair bills and any other costs incurred due to the event.

After a hit and run accident in CT, you should first get to safety. Keep out of harm’s way and avoid incoming traffic. Once you are safe and your car is in a safe spot, you should also provide assistance to injured people. 

You will have to contact police, inform your personal injury attorney and your insurance company about the incident. 

 

Hit and Run When You Are Away

It is not necessary that a hit and run happens only when you are in your car. A careless driver can possibly hit your parked car and then get away to avoid legal action and insurance payment. In this case, it will be very hard for you to identify the driver and notify their insurance company. Thus, you will not be able to collect insurance benefits from the insurer of the at-fault driver if collision happened while you were not in your vehicle.

 

How to Get Insurance Benefits for Hit and Run

In a hit and run, the at-fault driver flees to avoid the consequences, including paying insurance benefits to you.

You might think that since the at-fault driver has fled there is no way for you to collect insurance benefits from the at-fault driver’s insurer. 

However, the police will try to locate and identify the culprit since this is a serious crimes. If found, the culprit will have to endure heavy fines and possibly jail time. 

If the at-fault driver is found by the police, then you may be able to recover benefits from the insurer of the at-fault driver.

But if the at-fault driver is not found, then you will have to claim benefits from your own insurer. 

You will need to have a good attorney if you want appropriate compensation whether your filing claims from your insurer or the insurer of the at-fault driver. 

 

Is Hit and Run Covered by Your Car Insurance?

If you have endured a hit and run, then you should look at your policy to find out what benefits it offers for such incidents. You may be eligible for hit and run coverage. 

It depends on your location as well as your circumstances.

You may be able to draw benefits from the following coverage types.

• Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
• collision coverage
• personal injury protection
• coverage for medical payments 
• coverage for uninsured motorist property damage 
• uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage

Bear in mind that the benefits paid out to you for these coverage types will depend on the limit. You will not be given more money than the specific coverage limit. 

The coverage limit is the maximum amount that you can possibly receive as benefits.

As a result you should be very careful about your coverage limits. Don’t just rely on state requirements. This coverage limit is typically very little and may not suffice for a serious hit and run that involves critical injuries and death.

If your coverage limit is not enough, then you may have to pay out of pocket. You will have to pay costs in excess of coverage limits on your own. Do not take this lightly as the costs like medical bills and car repair bills may be tremendous. It is not unusual for medical bills for injuries from auto collisions to amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.  

Make sure that you talk to your insurance agent and financial advisor to find out how much coverage you really need. These professionals will be able to advise you on optimal coverage limits. This will improve your chances of paying for all costs of the hit and run (medical bills, car repair, etc) with your insurance benefits. You may have to pay little or no money out of pocket.

But if your coverage limit is less than the total costs incurred, then you will have to pay the excess amount by yourself. In a serious car accident this could possibly run into six figures.

 

Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage

Uninsured motorist coverage provides benefits for medical costs, property damage and lost wages when an at-fault driver without insurance collides with you. 

Uninsured motorist coverage may also pay for medical costs as well as lost wages for a hit a run. 

There is usually no deductible for receiving uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage.

Insurance companies have a tendency to minimize insurance benefits payouts since they are for-profit organizations. This holds true whether you are claiming benefits from your insurer or from the insurer of someone else.

Thus you will need a good personal injury lawyer to ensure that you receive the right compensation amount and are not deprived of your rights.

 

Minimum Coverage Limits in Connecticut

Connecticut mandates auto insurance. Thus, you should know what the various coverage limits are to be fully compliant. 

However, you should bear in mind that mandatory auto insurance coverage limits in Connecticut are just minimal amounts. You will most likely need far more coverage if you want financial protection against costs incurred due to the car collision. 

Under Connecticut rules, you need at least $25,000 for one person, at least $25,000 for each accident for property damage liability and at least $50,000 for each accident to pay for bodily injury liability. 

The uninsured motorist coverage can pay for hit and run. In Connecticut, it also pays for underinsured as well as uninsured motorists. 

The uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage equals the bodily injury liability. 

Under Connecticut rules, you will need $50,000 per accident and $25,000 per person.

 

Collision Coverage

What is collision coverage? It pays for car repairs. So you can pay the cost of car repairs from your collision coverage. 

The good news is that collision coverage will pay for your car repairs irrespective of who is responsible. Thus, even if you were responsible, you will receive payments under collision coverage. Of course, you will get benefits from collision coverage up to the coverage limit if the other driver was at fault. In a hit and run, it is almost always the other driver who will be at fault – which is why they are running away. 

Thus, you will receive benefits under collision coverage for a hit and run.

Do take note of one thing though. You will have to pay the deductible before you can receive collision coverage benefits. 

The deductible is the amount specified in the terms and conditions that you will have to pay yourself if you would like to receive benefits under collision coverage.

So be warned that you will have to pay the deductible even for an accident for which you were not responsible. Thus, after a hit and run, you must pay the deductible if you want to receive collision coverage benefits.

But you may still be able to recover the deductible under certain conditions. If the at-fault driver is identified, then the insurer of the at-fault driver will have to pay your deductible. That is, you can recover the deductible from the insurer of the at-fault driver.

 

Call Your Lawyer and Insurance Company

You should notify your insurance company as quickly as you possibly can. You should also get in touch with your personal injury attorney to take legal guidance.

Have you been in a hit and run in Connecticut? You should contact your attorney to gain the benefits that you deserve.