Expert: Bennie719 - 10/30/2007

Question
Hello,

Several days ago I was the victim of a hit and run accident. Luckily, I was unhurt and the license plate of the car that  hit me fell off in the street before it drove away. The Chicago cops showed up a few moments later and made out a report for me. They were able to get a name and address from the license plate, and that is listed on the report. I know that the car could have been stolen, etc., but how do I find this out? I asked my insurance company if they work with they cops and the rep said "not really." Am I supposed to go to the cops myself? Are they supposed to contact me if they find out who the driver was? As for my car, it is in pretty bad shape and is presently at a body shop. Will my insurance rates go up even though I was not at fault? (The police report listed my accident as a hit and run.) Thanks for any information.

Answer
Hi Clare,
Although the police and the insurance company don't work together, they are each working toward the same goal of finding the other driver and vehicle.
Just like the police are doing, your insurance will secure a copy of the police report and start making attempts to contact the owner.  Once the police find him, he will be issued a citation for hit & run.  If he tries to say that the car was stolen, there had better be an existing police report of the theft on file with a date and time that was prior to the accident.  If the police report was filed 15 minutes to an hour after the accident, the police will make every  investigative effort to convict him of hit & run and filing a fraudulent police report.
Such attempts to file a report of theft after the accident are quiet common and the police are very experienced in securing the true facts.
I trust my answer has been helpful, please write again if I can be of more assistance.
Your feedback to my answer will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Bennie
San Francisco Bay Area 10-30-07 1:20 PM PST