What to Do After a Hit-And-Run in Minnesota

Do’s

If someone collides with your vehicle and then doesn’t remain at the scene, here’s what you should do.

• If you’re injured in the hit-and-run, seek medical help right away. Your health insurance might cover any costs associated with your medical care. You also might be able to use medical payments coverage or personal injury protection to pay for medical bills associated with the accident.
• Stay at the scene if you or your passengers are uninjured.
• Contact the police to file a report on the accident. You’ll need a police report for your claim.
• Record evidence. This includes photographing damage and noting the circumstances of the accident as well as any witness names and contact info.
• Consider filing an insurance claim. You can file a first-party claim with your insurance company, especially if you have uninsured motorist coverage. If you do acquire the insurance information of the at-fault driver, you can file a third-party claim.

If you discover someone has hit your parked car and not left contact info, the same steps apply.

Don’ts

If you find yourself the victim of a hit-and-run accident, there are some things you should not do:

• Attempt to stop the other driver from fleeing the scene. Such an action could be dangerous for you, as well as make you miss connecting with vital witnesses or police at the scene.
• Decide not to report the accident to law enforcement. Minnesota law mandates all accidents be reported to the police if they involve injuries, death, or property damage of more than $1,000.
• Leave the accident scene too quickly. If you zoom off too soon, you could miss collecting vital evidence, talking to potential witnesses, or discussing the incident with a police officer.
• Omit filing an insurance claim. If you don’t start a claim with your insurance company, you’ll have to pay to get your vehicle fixed.

You might think there’s no way to collect damages after experiencing a hit-and-run, but you have two options.

• Make a claim. You can file either a first- or third-party claim, depending on whether you find out who hit your vehicle and their insurance information.
• File a lawsuit. If your claim is denied, you can look to the courts for recompense by filing a civil lawsuit. Minnesota has monetary and serious injury thresholds for such lawsuits, with $4,000 being the dollar amount of damages or injuries and 60 days of disability, permanent injury or permanent disfigurement for the serious injury. However, Minnesota is a no-fault state, which means you would be responsible for medical costs related to an accident, no matter who caused it.

Does Car Insurance Cover Hit-and-Runs?

Minnesota requires the following auto insurance, which would cover hit-and-run accidents:

A hit-and-run could impact your insurance rates, even if the accident isn’t your fault. The reason is that anytime a first-party claim is made, your premium could rise. If the cost of the repairs from a hit-and-run are less than your collision coverage deductible, then you might want to pay for it out of pocket.

Because Minnesota is a no-fault state, the party who causes the accident is responsible for the other person’s property damage only. Each party involved covers their own medical costs associated with the accident. If you find out the identity of the other driver in a hit-and-run, you could file a lawsuit to recover damages.

In 2022, hit-and-runs comprised 11 percent of all auto accidents in Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety.¹

Since 2007, more than 150 fatalities have happened as a result of hit-and-run accidents in Minnesota, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Motor Vehicle Crash Data.

Minnesota Statute 169.09 spells out the driver requirements for collisions, with one section specifically mandating drivers provide information if involved in a collision that results in bodily injury or death, or damages another vehicle.² The statute requires drivers provide the following data:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Mailing or email address
• Registration plate number of involved vehicle

The driver must also show their license or permit to any officer at the scene or investigating the accident. The motorist also is required to provide insurance information within 72 hours after the accident to anyone involved in the accident, including police officers investigating the collision.

Penalties

Minnesota law requires drivers to report an accident to the police if the crash involved injury or death, or property damage of more than $1,000. You may delay reporting up to 10 days after the accident occurred. You could have your license suspended or face jail time of up to 10 days if you fail to report such an accident.

You should always stick around the scene of an accident and report it to the proper law enforcement agency. Remember, full insurance coverage will offer you the best protection in a hit-and-run accident because liability insurance won’t pay for your or your passengers injuries and damages to your vehicle. Unfortunately, your auto insurance premium could rise after you file a claim related to a hit-and-run that wasn’t your fault.