Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Cover Hit-and-Run Accidents?

By one measure, more than 103,000 hit-and-run accidents occur in Florida every year. Law enforcement tracks down many hit-and-run drivers, who can then face felony charges and steep penalties. Those efforts, however, do not address the losses and injuries suffered by hit-and-run accident victims. 

Fortunately, a person’s uninsured motorist insurance will generally provide coverage for injuries and losses sustained in a hit-and-run car accident in Florida. A personal injury attorney from the law firm of Kogan & DiSalvo in Boca Raton can help hit-and-run accident victims get the full benefits they deserve under their uninsured motorist insurance policies. 

Does uninsured motorist coverage apply to all hit-and-run scenarios? 

Hit-and-run accidents can occur in situations other than where one car runs into another and then drives away. A motorist’s erratic driving, for example, might force someone off the road without any contact between the vehicles, or a negligent driver might hit and cause serious injuries to pedestrians.  

If the accident victim is insured under a policy that includes uninsured motorist coverage, that victim can recover reimbursements under that policy. Injured hit-and-run accident victims should contact an experienced Florida hit-and-run accident attorney to verify coverage and benefits under any policies that may apply. 

Are there other benefits associated with uninsured motorist coverage? 

In addition to providing benefits when you are injured by a hit-and-run driver, you may be able to stack benefits under uninsured motorist policies when you own more than one vehicle.  Auto insurance is coupled with a vehicle and will generally provide benefits as long as a covered party is driving that vehicle.  

Drivers and families that own multiple vehicles with uninsured motorist coverage may be able to aggregate policy benefits after a hit-and-run accident. For example, if each of a family’s two vehicles has $50,000 of uninsured motorist coverage, then a family member who suffers hit-and-run injuries may be eligible to file claims under each policy for a total benefit of $100,000. 

A knowledgeable Florida hit-and-run accident lawyer can review all potential insurance coverage to help an injured party recover the largest available damages award under all stacked policies.  

Are Florida drivers obligated to carry uninsured motorist coverage? 

Under Florida law, auto insurance companies must offer their clients an opportunity to purchase uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, but a Florida driver is not required to accept or pay for that insurance.  

Given the prevalence of hit-and-run accidents in Florida and the estimate that more than 20% of Florida drivers are uninsured, declining to purchase uninsured motorist coverage can expose a driver to substantial risks and costs and create substantial challenges for that driver to recover compensation for injuries and losses. 

What actions should someone take following a Florida hit-and-run accident? 

As in all other car accidents, a motorist who suffers hit-and-run injuries and losses should: 

• collect as much evidence and information from the accident scene as possible. 
• report the accident to law enforcement authorities. 
• get prompt medical treatment for any injuries, regardless of how minor they appear to be. 
• promptly report the accident to insurance carriers or, preferably, retain a Florida hit-and-run accident attorney to manage interactions with insurance companies on the motorist’s behalf.  

The attorney will verify that claims are timely filed under all applicable insurance policies and fight to recover the largest settlements from those insurers. 

Call the Florida Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers at Kogan & DiSalvo  

For assistance to recover reimbursements under uninsured motorist coverage, please call the car accident lawyers at Kogan & DiSalvo in Boca Raton after you are injured in a Florida hit-and-run accident. We will identify all insurance policies that may be available to cover your injuries and losses, help you file your claims, and negotiate the largest insurance settlements to reimburse your hit-and-run accident expenses. 

Other Resources: 

1. www.flhsmv.gov. Hit-and-Run Crashes on Florida Roads Average Over 103,000 Per Year; Drivers Urged to Stay at the Scene. https://www.flhsmv.gov/2023/02/01/hit-and-run-crashes-on-florida-roads-average-over-103000-per-year-drivers-urged-to-stay-at-the-scene/ 

2. www.iii.org. Facts + Statistics: Uninsured Motorists. https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists