There are thousands of hit and run accidents in Arizona each year. You may someday get
a tearful call from a friend or family member telling you “I was in a hit and run. I’m in
the hospital. I have no idea how I am going to pay for this.”
It may look like there is no insurance to pay the medical bills. However, there may be
insurance coverage.
“Uninsured Motorist Insurance”
If there is Uninsured Motorist insurance (often called “UM” for short) it may pay the
medical bills. UM insurance in an auto policy protects drivers hit by people who have no
auto insurance. UM insurance covers hit and run accidents. UM coverage is optional in
Arizona, so not every policy has it. A person injured after a hit and run accident should
find out if there is UM insurance.
What If The Insurer Never Offered UM Insurance?
In Arizona, insurance companies must by law make a written offer of UM insurance
when they sell an auto insurance policy. If the insurer does not have a copy of a written
offer, under Arizona law there is automatic UM coverage. A person injured after a hit
and run accident should ask the insurer for a copy of the written offer of UM insurance.
If the insurer cannot provide one, it likely means there is UM coverage, even if the
coverage is not listed in the policy.
“Medical Payments Coverage”
There may be other coverage to get the medical bills paid. Medical payments coverage
pays for medical bills of people in a vehicle when there is an accident. Like UM
coverage, it is optional. The coverage amounts usually range from between $2,000 and
$10,000. A person injured after a hit and run accident should check the policy for
medical payments coverage.
Will The Insurance Company Go Out And Find The Hit And Run Driver?
If there is UM coverage, the insurer, once it gets the UM claim, will try to find the hit and
run driver. The insurance company wants to be paid back by the hit and run driver for
the UM claim (in insurance jargon, this is called a “subrogation action.”)
The insurance investigator may find surveillance footage or 911 call recordings to
identify the hit and run vehicle and license plate number.
What If The Hit And Run Driver Had Insurance?
If the insurance company finds the license plate number of the hit and run vehicle, it may
turn out that the hit and run driver had auto insurance. If that happens, Underinsured
Motorist (UIM) coverage may pay more medical bills. If the other driver’s insurance is
used up paying medical bills and there are more bills left the UIM coverage is available
to pay more bills.
Getting The Medical Bills Reduced
When there is no UM coverage and no health insurance, hospitals and medical providers
often reduce bills. The medical providers know that the person injured by the hit and run
driver probably does not have enough money to pay the full amount of the bills. Many
healthcare providers are willing to reduce the bills when there is no insurance or limited
insurance.
There are ways to get medical bills paid after a hit and run accident. An attorney should
be involved to uncover all insurance policies that may pay medical bills caused by the hit
and run driver.
John Evans Injury Law
