If an uninsured driver hits you in Texas, get medical help as needed, document the crash, and contact your own insurer promptly. Ask for a copy of your policy and check whether you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Other coverage may help with particular losses, depending on the policy you bought.
Document the crash and keep the other driver’s details
Call emergency services if anyone is hurt or the scene is unsafe. If you can do so safely, photograph the vehicles, plates, damage, road conditions, and anything that helps locate the crash. Get contact details for the other driver and independent witnesses. If the driver leaves, record whatever identifying details you saw without trying to follow them.
Keep the crash report number and any insurance information the other driver provides, even if the policy appears expired. The insurer can investigate whether the policy was in effect on the crash date. Write down what you were told and preserve the original photos or clips in a backed-up folder.
Check your Texas UM/UIM coverage
The Texas Department of Insurance’s uninsured motorist guide explains that Texas auto insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Texas requires it to be provided unless the named insured rejects it in writing. Review the declarations and the policy language in effect on the date of the crash. If the insurer says you declined coverage, ask for the written rejection.
Uninsured motorist coverage may apply when a responsible driver has no applicable insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage may apply when a responsible driver has insurance but the available limits are insufficient for covered losses. These coverages have policy terms and limits. The other driver’s coverage status, fault, and your documented losses may all matter.
Separate the vehicle repair and injury questions
Ask the insurer to explain whether your policy includes uninsured motorist bodily injury, uninsured motorist property damage, collision, or personal injury protection. These coverages can address different losses. Compare the applicable limits and deductibles before choosing how to proceed with a repair claim.
The insurer may need photos, an inspection, estimates, a crash report, or other documents. If the vehicle is accruing storage fees, ask what steps it wants you to take and get the instructions in writing. For an injury claim, keep bills, treatment records, and wage documentation together.
Ask clear questions when you report the claim
Confirm the claim number and whether the insurer opened separate files for the vehicle and injury claims. Ask what it needs to verify the other driver’s insurance status and what conditions or deadlines apply to your coverage. If the facts involve a hit-and-run, explain that right away and ask what policy requirements apply to that situation.
If the insurer denies coverage, ask for the decision in writing with the specific policy language it relied on. Save the policy, rejection form if any, correspondence, and a timeline of your calls. If another insurer offers a settlement, have the proposed release reviewed before signing if you are still evaluating your own coverage.
Get help reviewing a disputed claim
If your insurer disputes who caused the crash, whether a policy applies, or what losses are documented, put its reasons next to the evidence you have. That will help you see which records are missing and which issues are genuinely in dispute.
DIG’s Dallas car accident injury team can review your crash records and policy documents with you. The answer to a specific coverage question depends on the policy and the circumstances of the crash.
