When another driver hits your vehicle and flees, State Farm hit and run claims are handled entirely under your own policy coverages because there is no at-fault driver’s insurance available to bill directly. How your damages and injuries are paid depends on the specific coverages on your policy, whether you carry a deductible, and the insurance regulations in your state.
Which Coverages Apply to a Hit and Run
Because the fleeing motorist is unidentified, insurance companies treat the incident similarly to an accident involving an uninsured driver. Depending on what you selected when purchasing your policy, several distinct coverages may come into play.
Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle regardless of who caused the crash. If you do not have specific hit-and-run property damage coverage, collision is the primary protection used to fix physical body damage.
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) covers vehicle repairs when an uninsured driver causes damage. However, state laws govern whether UMPD applies to hit-and-run crashes. In some states, UMPD explicitly covers phantom or hit-and-run drivers. In other states, law requires the at-fault driver to be identified before UMPD applies, meaning you must rely on collision coverage instead.
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) covers medical bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering for you and your passengers if an unidentified driver injures you. UMBI generally applies to hit-and-run accidents in most jurisdictions, provided you meet policy notification terms.
Medical Payments (MedPay) or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) can cover initial medical treatments, ambulance fees, and rehabilitation costs immediately, regardless of fault or whether an at-fault driver is caught.
Immediate Steps to Take at the Scene
Prompt documentation establishes the legitimacy of the crash and protects your eligibility under your policy provisions.
- Ensure physical safety, pull to a secure area if possible, and call 911 immediately to report the crash.
- Record any details you remember about the fleeing vehicle, such as make, model, color, partial license plate digits, and direction of travel.
- Take thorough photographs and videos of your vehicle’s damage, any paint transfer from the other car, skid marks, and the overall surroundings.
- Look for witnesses nearby, including other motorists, pedestrians, or staff at local businesses with outdoor security cameras, and collect their contact details.
- Request a copy of the police report or the police incident number from the responding officer.
The Police Report Requirement
Filing a formal police report is a mandatory condition for hit-and-run claims under most State Farm auto policies and state insurance statutes. Insurers require a police report to prevent fraudulent claims where single-car collisions might otherwise be reported as phantom hits.
Many policies contain strict notification windows. In several states, your policy language or state insurance code specifies that a hit-and-run incident must be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours of occurrence to qualify for uninsured motorist benefits. Failing to contact law enforcement promptly can result in State Farm denying coverage under your uninsured motorist provisions, leaving collision as your only potential remedy.
Deductible Obligations
When filing a first-party claim through State Farm, you are responsible for paying your deductible upfront at the time of repair.
If you use collision coverage, your standard collision deductible applies—commonly $500 or $1,000. If your state permits UMPD for hit-and-run damage, that coverage may carry a lower statutory deductible, often between $100 and $250, or in rare cases, zero deductible. Bodily injury claims through UMBI generally do not require a deductible.
If police or investigators later identify the fleeing driver and verify their liability insurance, State Farm will initiate subrogation. Subrogation is the legal process where your insurer pursues reimbursement from the at-fault driver or their carrier. If State Farm successfully recovers the repair costs, they will refund your deductible. If the driver remains unidentified or lacks assets and insurance, you do not receive a deductible reimbursement.
How to File the Claim with State Farm
State Farm allows policyholders to report claims via the State Farm mobile app, online through your customer account, through your local insurance agent, or by calling their central claims line.
- Initiate the claim online or by phone and select the accident option that reflects a hit-and-run.
- Provide the responding police department’s name, the date and time of the incident, and the official police report or case number.
- Upload photos showing vehicle damage, paint transfer, and the scene of the incident directly through the app.
- Provide any witness contact information or dashcam footage you obtained.
- Schedule an inspection to generate an initial repair estimate, which can be done via photo estimate, an adjuster visit, or through a State Farm Select Service repair facility.
Once your claim is open, an assigned adjuster will review your coverage, verify that the police notification guidelines were met, and issue authorization for your repair shop.
Impact on Future Insurance Rates
Whether a hit-and-run claim causes your premium to increase depends primarily on state law. In several states, insurance regulations prohibit carriers from raising your base rates or adding surcharges for not-at-fault accidents. In jurisdictions without these specific rate restrictions, insurers may consider your overall claim history when calculating renewal rates, meaning filing a collision claim could indirectly affect your premium or cause you to lose a claims-free discount. Check your state’s department of insurance rules or ask your agent how not-at-fault claims are classified in your rating territory.
