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In the first hour
Get to safety and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Do not chase the other driver. Write down or record a voice note with everything you saw: the plate, even a partial one, the make, model and color, any damage, and which way the car went. Ask witnesses what they saw and get their names and phone numbers before they leave.
A driver involved in a crash causing injury must stop, give their information and help, and leaving the scene of an injury crash is a crime in California (Vehicle Code 20001). Washington has a similar rule (RCW 46.52.020). Police can investigate and may find the driver through cameras, paint transfer or parts left at the scene, so give them every detail you have.
Why the 24-hour report matters
Your uninsured motorist coverage covers hit-and-run crashes when the driver and owner cannot be identified, as long as the vehicle physically contacted you or your car and the crash was timely reported (Insurance Code 11580.2). For a California claim, that means within 24 hours to the city police department, or in unincorporated areas to the county sheriff or local CHP office.
You must also give your insurer a sworn statement within 30 days. If a car ran you off the road without touching you, the physical contact rule can be a problem, so talk to a lawyer quickly. File the DMV SR-1 within 10 days when the crash caused injury or more than $1,000 in damage (Vehicle Code 16000). If police never came, see no police report after a crash.
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Who pays if the driver is never found
Your own policy usually does the heavy lifting. Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage comes with California auto policies unless the policyholder signed a written agreement to delete it. MedPay, if you bought it, pays reasonable medical expenses up to your limit regardless of fault (California Department of Insurance). Your health insurance can help with bills while the claim is open.
If you and your insurer disagree about fault or the amount, arbitration before a single neutral arbitrator decides it. If police later find the driver and they have insurance, you can claim against that policy instead, and your own insurer may seek repayment from them. More on claims against uninsured drivers and how MedPay works in California.
Deadlines
Within two years of the crash, you must do one of three things for an uninsured motorist claim: file a lawsuit against the uninsured driver, reach an agreement with your insurer, or formally start arbitration by written notice sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. For a hit-and-run with no known driver, that usually means settling with your insurer or starting arbitration.
If the driver is found, the general deadline for an injury lawsuit in California is two years (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1). In Washington, it is generally three years (RCW 4.16.080), and Washington policies include underinsured motorist coverage that also protects against hit-and-run drivers unless it was rejected in writing (RCW 48.22.030).
What to do now
Get medical care and keep every record. Photograph your car, the scene and your injuries. Ask nearby businesses for camera footage today, since many systems record over themselves within days. Keep the police report number and your claim number together. Save receipts for medicine, rides and rental cars, and write down each adjuster’s name.
Your own insurer will likely ask for a recorded statement. Talk to a lawyer before you give it, and do not sign a release. Call Beverly Law at (310) 552-6959 or use the form on this page. We can help you meet the 24-hour, 30-day and two-year steps so the claim stays alive.
- Get medical care and follow up if symptoms change.
- Take photos of the vehicles, the scene and your injuries.
- Write down witness names and phone numbers.
- Keep every claim number and adjuster name in one place.
- Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement before talking to a lawyer.
- Save receipts for medical care, medicine, rides and car rentals.
Common questions
What if I was walking when a hit-and-run driver hit me?
Your own auto policy’s uninsured motorist coverage may still apply, depending on its terms, and a household member’s policy may too. Report the crash to police within 24 hours and talk to a lawyer about which policies to check. See our page on pedestrians hit by a car.
Can I make a claim if the hit-and-run car didn’t touch me?
For a California uninsured motorist claim, the hit-and-run vehicle must have made physical contact with you or your vehicle. If a car forced you off the road without contact, the claim gets much harder. A lawyer can look for other options, such as finding the driver through cameras or witnesses.
Will the police find the driver?
Sometimes. Partial plates, camera footage, paint left on your car and witness accounts can lead police to the driver. Give the officer everything you have and follow up with the report number. Do not wait for an arrest to start your insurance claim, because the deadlines keep running.
Does a hit and run raise my insurance rates?
That depends on your insurer and how it records the crash. If you were struck by a driver who fled, the file should show the other driver as the cause, so ask your insurer in writing how it classified the accident. Keep the police report number handy.
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Car and truck accident lawyer — Beverly Law
If you were hurt in a car or truck crash in California and Washington, talk to a personal injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Car accident not my fault: what to do · Car accident not my fault: do I call my insurance? · Do I pay my deductible if the accident wasn’t my fault? · Will my insurance rates go up if I wasn’t at fault? · What to do after a car accident in California · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
- Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2(i)(1)(A)-(C), (b)(1)-(2)
- Cal. Veh. Code §§ 20001(a)-(b), 20003(a)-(b)
- RCW 46.52.020(1), (3), (4)
- Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2(a)(1)-(3), (b)(1)-(2), (f)
- Cal. Veh. Code § 16000(a); DMV form SR 1 (Rev. 6/2025)
- California Department of Insurance, Auto Insurance Terms glossary; policy terms
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
- RCW 4.16.080(2)
- RCW 48.22.030(1)-(4), (8)
Important: This page is general information about California and Washington law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.