How To Be Prepared For A Hit-and-run Accident
No matter how safely you drive, or how much auto insurance you have, you can still be the victim of a hit-and-run driver. While there’s no way to foresee a hit-and-run accident, there are ways to protect yourself through auto insurance coverage. Most drivers are prepared for a typical car collision, where one or both drivers’ auto insurance covers the costs of damages and injuries. However, in the case of hit-and-run accidents where the driver at fault leaves the scene, the victim of the accident is the one who’s left to pay.
One way to protect yourself from the potential devastation of a hit-and-run accident is by adding uninsured motorist coverage to your auto insurance policy. This kind of auto insurance coverage not only pays for the damage, injuries and lost wages that may result from a collision with a driver that is uninsured (or underinsured) but it also covers collisions with hit-and-run drivers. This type of coverage is not mandatory in every state so it’s often up to you, the insured, to choose to have it on your auto insurance policy. The small amount you invest in uninsured motorist coverage can save you literally thousands of dollars in the event of a hit-and-run accident. It will also cover your injuries if you are a pedestrian victim of a hit-and-run driver.
It is also helpful to add replacement rental car coverage to your auto insurance policy. This insurance coverage helps to lessen the impact on your everyday life after a hit-and-run accident by paying for a rental car while you your car is repaired or replaced. This coverage ensures that you aren’t burdened with the unexpected expense of days or weeks of a car rental. This coverage costs only a few dollars a year – often less than the cost of a rental car for a single day – and is money that will give you the peace of mind of knowing you’ll have reliable transportation when you need it.
If you already have uninsured motorist and replacement rental car auto insurance coverage, it’s important to review these coverages carefully to familiarize yourself with the amounts your policy covers and what deductible amount you will be responsible for. Make sure you have adequate coverage for the full replacement cost of your vehicle, property damage and medical treatment for yourself and any injured passengers. If your coverage amounts are low, now is the time to purchase more insurance so you’ll have adequate coverage if you need it.
Hit-and-run accidents are an unexpected fact of life. The only way to prepare yourself from them is to have proper auto insurance coverage.
