Hopefully, you will never get struck by another vehicle while driving. Still, if it does happen, you should be able to exchange information with the other driver. Unfortunately, some people cause a collision and then drive away to avoid accountability.
A hit-and-run situation can be even more frustrating than a typical car accident since you may never find out who to hold responsible for your accident. Contacting the police to file a report might help you secure justice and compensation for whatever damages you have suffered.
Protect your insurance rights
A police report includes information about the accident, including discussion with witnesses if the reporting officer finds any on the scene. This information may not only help you make your case to your insurer that a hit-and-run had occurred, but your insurance provider might actually require the report in order to process your claim.
Open an investigation
In addition to insurance requirements, filing a police report can trigger a law enforcement investigation into the hit-and-run incident. Since the report creates an official record with details about the accident, the police have the ability to check traffic cameras and other surveillance sources in the area to try to identify the at-fault driver.
Court action
If police successfully locate the at-fault motorist, you retain the option to pursue legal action to recover damages. However, this could depend on the filing of an official accident report. If you do not have a report and if you lack other evidence such as eyewitness testimony, you might not be able to prove that a hit-and-run occurred or link the identified driver to the incident.
According to Nerdwallet, a 2017 Consumer Federation of America survey discovered that some insurers raise their rates 10% or higher on clients if they file a claim for an accident that was not their fault. Being able to locate an at-fault driver with the help of a police report could help you avoid having to make a claim on your own policy, and instead seek compensation from a liable party.