Good news, car insurance can help with a hit-and-run while parked, depending on your coverage.
If you’ve found your parked car damaged after a hit-and-run, you’re likely wondering who will pay for the repairs. Luckily, certain types of car insurance, like collision coverage or uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage, can usually help cover your repair costs.
Here’s more on when car insurance covers these accidents, and what to do if you find yourself in this situation.
TL;DR
- Car insurance can cover hit-and-run damage to your parked car, but only if you have collision or uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage.
- Basic liability only car insurance won’t help with hit-and-runs, and UMPD coverage isn’t always available for these incidents in some states.
- If your parked car is hit, document the damage, try to find witnesses, file a police report, and contact your insurer.
When does car insurance cover a hit-and-run on a parked car?
Car insurance can typically cover damage to your parked car in a hit-and-run scenario, depending on your insurance coverages such as:
- Collision coverage covers the cost of repairs to your car after most types of accidents, even if the at-fault driver is unknown (as in a hit-and-run). This option helps regardless of where the accident occurs-whether it’s a parking lot or your driveway.
- Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage may also apply if it’s available in your state and if you include it on insurance policy. Keep in mind: Some states exclude hit-and-run incidents for UMPD.
Note: You’ll probably need to pay your deductible-the portion of the repair cost you’re responsible for before your insurance kicks in-for either collision or UMPD.
Imagine this: You park your car in a crowded parking lot and return to find a large dent in your rear bumper. The at-fault driver was nowhere to be found, and no note was left. Your repair estimate comes to $1,500, but you have collision coverage with a $500 deductible. After filing a claim with your insurance company, they pay you $1,000 for the damages (the cost of the damage minus your deductible).
Without this coverage, you’d be fully responsible for paying the entire $1,500 repair bill.
When will my car insurance not cover a hit-and-run accident?
Car insurance doesn’t cover hit-and-run accidents under certain scenarios:
- If you don’t have collision coverage: For hit-and-run incidents, liability insurance won’t help because it only pays for damage you cause to other peoples’ property. If your insurance policy doesn’t include collision coverage, you’ll need to cover repair costs yourself.
- If you don’t have UMPD coverage: Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage is designed to handle damages caused by drivers without insurance or someone who flees the scene of an accident. Without this coverage, you wouldn’t have financial protection for repairs in a hit-and-run unless you add other options, like collision coverage, to your policy. In fact, some states may require you to have this coverage.
- No evidence of a hit-and-run: If you don’t have a police report or evidence like security footage, your insurance might reject your claim. Always make sure to take pictures and document the damage in any way you can as soon as possible.
How does car insurance cover a parked car when there’s a hit-and-run?
If your car is damaged in a hit-and-run accident, insurance can provide support through multiple avenues:
Repair costs
If you have either collision coverage, or uninsured motorist property damage coverage that covers damage from hit-and-runs, your insurer can help cover the cost of the damage-minus your deductible-caused by the hit-and-run to your car, such as dents, scratches, or broken mirrors.
Temporary transportation expenses
Most insurance companies only cover rental car costs, but Lemonade takes it up a notch with temporary transportation coverage (depending on your state), helping pay for ride-shares like Uber or even public transportation-up to the limit in your policy.
What should I do if my parked car is damaged in a hit-and-run?
It’s stressful to find your parked car damaged from a hit-and-run, so follow these steps to get to the other side of a bad experience as quickly as possible:
- Document the scene: Take clear photos of the damage, skid marks, broken parts, or nearby surfaces affected by the car accident.
- Getting surveillance footage if possible: Check with any local businesses or homes if they have security footage they can share, such as a doorbell camera.
- File a police report: Contact local authorities to document the incident formally. You almost always need a police report to file car insurance claims.
- Notify your insurance company: Let them know what happened and be ready to provide photos and contact details if you were able to find any witnesses.
At Lemonade, we designed our digital claims process to be as quick and easy as possible. Just submit your claim through the app with the help of our friendly chatbot, AI Jim, then you’ll be paired up with one of Lemonade Car’s trusty claims adjusters to help you with the rest of the process.
Before we go…
Dealing with hit-and-run damage on your parked car can be frustrating, but the right car insurance can make all the difference. Whether it’s collision coverage, uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage, or temporary transportation coverage, having these options in your policy means you won’t have to face repair costs alone.
Looking to protect yourself from the unexpected? Check out how Lemonade can protect your car from hit-and-runs.
