Hit and Run in Florida — Your Rights, and How Your Own Coverage Pays When the Other Driver Vanishes

If the driver who hit you fled, you are not out of options. Florida's no-fault PIP pays your first medical bills no matter who was at fault, and uninsured-motorist coverage generally treats an unidentified hit-and-run driver like an uninsured one. Here's how it works and what to do.

7 min read · Last reviewed August 10, 2026 · Special situations

A hit-and-run feels like the worst of both worlds: you're hurt, and the person responsible is gone. But under Florida's insurance rules you are usually far from powerless — your own policy is designed for exactly this moment. Our data report on who flees Florida's deadliest crashes found that drivers without a valid license leave the scene of a fatal crash 4.2 times more often than licensed drivers. Those are often the same drivers least likely to carry insurance — which is precisely why your own uninsured-motorist coverage exists.

What counts as a hit-and-run in Florida

A hit-and-run is any crash where a driver leaves without stopping to identify themselves and, when someone is hurt, without rendering aid. It can be a car that clips you and speeds off, a driver who hits your parked car, or a collision where the other driver stops briefly and then flees before exchanging information. Florida law is unambiguous that every driver must stop: leaving the scene of a crash involving injury is a felony under Fla. Stat. 316.027, and even leaving the scene of a property-damage-only crash is a criminal offense. The duty to stop, help, and report belongs to the other driver — but the practical burden of recovering falls to you, and that's where your own coverage comes in.

How your own coverage pays when the other driver is gone

Florida is a no-fault state, which changes the math after a hit-and-run in your favor. Two parts of your policy do the heavy lifting:

• PIP (Personal Injury Protection) is your own no-fault medical coverage, generally $10,000. It pays your first medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of who caused the crash — including when no other driver is ever identified. You do not need to find the other driver to use it.
• UM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage generally applies to a hit-and-run driver you can't identify. Florida treats an unidentified at-fault driver much like an uninsured one, so UM can step in for injuries that exceed your PIP limit — the serious, longer-term harm PIP alone won't cover.

In short: PIP handles the first bills no matter what, and UM is the safety net built for the driver who flees or carries no insurance.

Why hit-and-run and 'no insurance' so often travel together

The instinct to flee is strongest among drivers who have the most to hide — no valid license, no insurance, or both. Our analysis of Florida fatal crashes shows how sharp that gap is between drivers who had a valid license and those who did not:

The takeaway isn't that most crashes are hit-and-runs — they aren't. It's that when a driver does flee, they're disproportionately someone who won't have insurance to pay your claim. That is the exact scenario uninsured-motorist coverage is designed to cover, which is why we generally recommend Florida drivers carry it.

What to do right after a hit-and-run

The minutes right after a hit-and-run are when identifying details are still recoverable. In rough order of priority:

1. Get to safety first. Move out of traffic if you can. Don't chase the other vehicle — your safety and your evidence both matter more.
2. Call 911. Report the crash and any injuries. A police report is the official record your insurer will ask for on a PIP or UM claim.
3. Write down everything about the vehicle. Plate or partial plate, make, model, color, and the direction it fled. Even a partial plate plus a color can identify a car.
4. Look for witnesses and cameras. Ask bystanders what they saw and get their contact info. Note nearby doorbell cameras, business security cameras, or traffic cameras that may have recorded it.
5. Report promptly. Tell police and notify your own insurer as soon as you reasonably can.
6. Get medical care within 14 days. Florida PIP generally requires you to be seen by a provider within 14 days of the crash for benefits to apply — even if you feel okay, some injuries surface later.
7. Check your own policy for PIP and UM. Confirm what coverage you carry so you know what's available to you.

Is leaving the scene a crime in Florida?

Yes. Under Fla. Stat. 316.027, a driver involved in a crash that causes injury must stop at the scene, remain there, and provide identifying information and aid. Failing to do so when someone is injured is a felony; the penalties escalate with the severity of the harm. Property-damage-only hit-and-runs are also criminal offenses, though less severe. None of this requires anything of the victim — the legal duty is entirely on the driver who left — but it's why a prompt police report matters, both for any investigation and for your own claim.

What if the driver is never found?

You can still recover. Because PIP is no-fault, it pays your first medical bills whether or not the other driver is ever identified. And because Florida generally treats an unidentified hit-and-run driver like an uninsured one, your UM coverage can apply to injuries beyond your PIP limit. The practical work is documenting the crash well — the police report, your notes, witness statements, and any camera footage — and opening your PIP and UM claims promptly. If your injuries are serious or an insurer disputes coverage, it may be worth speaking with a Florida attorney.

This guide is educational and not legal advice. Insurance terms and statutes can change, and coverage depends on your specific policy; confirm your PIP and UM coverage with your insurer and consult a licensed Florida attorney about any specific claim.

This is general information about Florida law, not legal advice. Every crash is different — for advice about your situation, talk to a licensed Florida attorney. Reviewed August 10, 2026.