The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Insurancesilent-wolf-174

Hit and run driver took off — police report info isn't matching the other insurance. Now what?

So this happened a few weeks ago and I'm still spinning out trying to figure out my next move.

Someone rear-ended me at a red light, then just — drove off. Luckily I had my phone out and managed to snap a photo of the plate as they sped away. I filed a police report the same day, gave the officer the plate number, and they ran it through the DMV. The report ended up with the registered owner's name, address, and what looks like an insurance policy number.

Fast forward to me calling that insurance company. The rep told me the info I had "didn't fully match" what they had on file. They wanted a date of birth or phone number to verify the policyholder — neither of which is on the police report, obviously. I called the officer back and he said the DMV info he used was accurate as far as he could tell.

Here's where it gets messy: looking at my photo again, I'm honestly not 100% sure about one character in the plate. Could be a B or an 8 depending on the angle. If I got it wrong by one character, the whole chain falls apart.

I asked the officer if he could take another look or amend anything and he basically said the report is closed and he can't just start changing plates without solid justification.

So where does that leave me? My collision deductible is steep and this wasn't my fault at all. I don't want to just eat this.

  • Can I file through my own uninsured motorist coverage even if I'm not 100% certain on the plate?
  • Is there any way to push the police department to re-examine this?
  • Should I get a lawyer involved at this point or is that overkill?

Any advice from people who've been through something like this would be huge right now.

10replies

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10 replies

  • 7
    brave-heron-795

    I went through almost the exact same thing last year. One blurry character on a plate and suddenly everything unravels. What ended up working for me was filing through my own UM (uninsured motorist) coverage and letting MY insurance company do the legwork of tracking down the other driver. They have more tools than we do. It's worth a conversation with your agent before you give up.

    • 9
      tired-driver986

      Seconding this. The same approach worked for me last year.

  • 17
    spry-elk-529

    Whatever you do, don't let your own insurance company talk you into just filing a collision claim instead of a UM claim. Those are two totally different things and one of them protects your rates a lot better than the other. Adjusters sometimes nudge you toward whatever is easier for them to process. Ask specifically about uninsured motorist property damage coverage and make them explain the difference.

  • 18
    clever-crow-003

    Worked claims for years. When I see a hit and run with a partial plate situation, the honest answer is it depends heavily on your state and your specific policy language. Some UM policies require physical contact — meaning the fleeing car actually has to have touched yours — to trigger coverage. Others don't. You need to pull out your declarations page tonight and look for "uninsured motorist" and "hit and run" language specifically. If you can't parse it, that's worth a free consult with a PI attorney just to interpret the policy.

  • 7
    steady-wren-253

    A few things worth knowing: first, you can request a formal supplemental or amended police report — it's not as locked-down as the officer implied. You'd typically write a statement to the department explaining the discrepancy and requesting a review. Second, if there's traffic or business surveillance footage near where this happened, that window is closing fast. Most systems overwrite in 30 days or less. I'd follow up on that immediately if you haven't already.

  • 11
    daring-beaver-585

    Not legal advice, but this fact pattern — hit and run, partial plate ambiguity, uncooperative insurer — is genuinely something a personal injury attorney should look at. Most will do a free consultation and can sometimes subpoena DMV records or get investigators involved in ways you just can't do on your own. The plate discrepancy doesn't necessarily kill your case. It just makes it more complicated.

  • 17
    tidy-sparrow-564

    Are you doing okay physically? Rear-end hits can do soft tissue damage that doesn't really announce itself for days or even a week or two. If you haven't seen a doctor yet, please go — even just to get checked out. Beyond the health piece, having medical documentation from shortly after the accident matters a lot if this ever turns into a bigger claim. Don't wait until you're really hurting to get it on record.

  • 17
    daring-wolf-016

    This is so unfair, I'm sorry you're dealing with this. You did everything right — stayed calm, got the plate, filed the report immediately — and now you're the one stuck holding the bag because of one blurry character? That is maddening. Please don't just let it go without at least talking to someone who knows this stuff.

    • 6
      patient-dreamer799

      Did you have to escalate, or did they come around after the first ask?

  • 17
    bold-bison-127

    Three things to do right now: 1) File a UM claim with your own insurer today, don't wait. 2) Go back to the area and physically look for any cameras — gas stations, ATMs, apartment building entrances — and contact those businesses yourself. 3) Call a PI lawyer for a free consult. Stop trying to solve this alone.