A hit-and-run isn’t limited to car crashes. Drivers can slam into your fence, knock over your mailbox, take out a corner of your garage, or even plow into your living room. The driver speeds away, and you are left with broken property, no license plate, and a lot of questions. What you do in the first hours after you discover that damage will decide how much money you recover and how fast you get it. This article walks you through the cold, practical steps you need to take when a hit-and-run driver damages your home or other fixed property.

First, do not touch anything beyond what is necessary for safety. If there is a gas leak, a sagging roof, or exposed electrical wires, get everyone out and call emergency services. Once the scene is stable, leave the debris and damage exactly as you found it. That broken fence board, that tire mark in your lawn, that piece of a headlight lens—everything is evidence. Photograph and video the entire scene from multiple angles. Get close-ups of any vehicle paint transfer, broken plastic, or tire tracks. If the driver hit a structure like a porch column or a brick wall, take shots of the impact point and the ground below. Make a note of the time you discovered the damage.

Next, call the police. Even if the driver is long gone, you need an official police report. The report will document that a hit-and-run occurred, which is critical for your insurance claim. Provide the police with any information you have: approximate time of the incident, direction the vehicle likely came from, color or type of vehicle if you saw it, and any license plate fragments or numbers you might have caught from a neighbor’s security camera. If you do not have the plate, that is fine. The police will note the case as a hit-and-run. Get the case number and the officer’s name. Without a police report, your insurance company may treat the damage as vandalism or an unverified incident, and your claim can be denied or reduced.

Check with neighbors. Knock on doors and ask if anyone saw or heard anything. Look for home security cameras, doorbell cameras, or dashcams from parked cars nearby. Even a grainy video that shows a car leaving the scene at high speed can help. Ask neighbors if they recall any suspicious vehicles in the area within the past 24 hours. If you find footage, save a copy before the camera’s storage overwrites. Do not rely on someone else to preserve it—do it yourself or ask the owner to lock that file.

Now, call your insurance company. Do not delay. Most property insurance policies have strict time limits for reporting claims. Some require you to report within 24 hours or within a “reasonable time,” which can be interpreted as immediately. If you wait a week, the adjuster may argue that the damage could have been caused by something else or worsened by weather. Be direct and honest: tell them a hit-and-run driver struck your property, you have a police report, and you have photos and video. Ask whether the claim will fall under your homeowners insurance or your auto insurance if you have uninsured motorist property damage coverage.

This is where many people get confused. Damage to a house, fence, or mailbox is usually covered by your homeowners policy under the “other structures” or “dwelling” coverage. However, if the hit-and-run driver’s vehicle caused the damage, you might also be able to file under your auto policy’s uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage, if you carry that. UMPD often has a lower deductible than homeowners insurance. But not all states require auto insurers to offer UMPD, and some only cover damage to your car, not your house. Check your policy or ask your agent directly. If you have UMPD, you may be able to get a faster payout with less out-of-pocket cost.

You will need to pay your deductible before the insurance company pays for repairs. For homeowners claims, the deductible is often a percentage of your dwelling coverage or a flat amount like $1,000 or $2,500. For auto UMPD, deductibles can be as low as $200 to $500. If the damage is minor, consider whether it is worth filing a claim at all. A small claim might raise your premiums for years. Get a repair estimate first. If the cost to fix is only a few hundred dollars and your deductible is $1,000, paying out of pocket might be smarter.

If you do file, cooperate fully with the adjuster. Provide all evidence, the police report, and any witness statements. Do not try to inflate the damage or hide pre-existing issues. Adjusters are trained to spot fraud, and lying can get your claim denied and your policy canceled. Let the adjuster inspect the damage before you start any repairs, unless the damage creates a safety hazard or allows water to enter your home. In that case, you can do emergency temporary repairs like covering a hole with plywood or tarp, but keep receipts and take before-and-after photos. Permanent repairs should wait for the adjuster’s okay.

If the vehicle left behind a part—like a side mirror, a bumper piece, or a license plate—do not throw it away. That part can be used to identify the driver. Often, manufacturers stamp part numbers or VIN codes on these components. The police or your insurance investigator can trace them. Even a piece of the headlight housing can lead to a make and model. If you find anything, place it in a bag and label it with the date and location. Do not clean it. Fingerprints and paint residue are valuable.

Finally, keep a detailed log of everything you do. Write down every phone call, every email, every visit from the adjuster, and every expense you incur. This includes the cost of emergency repairs, boarding up windows, towing or moving debris, and even the cost of staying in a hotel if the damage makes your home uninhabitable. Some policies cover “loss of use” expenses. If you have to pay for storage or temporary housing, keep receipts and submit them with your claim. Insurance companies are more likely to reimburse you if you have paper proof.

A hit-and-run on your property is frustrating and often feels like a crime with no consequence for the driver. But if you act fast, gather evidence, and understand how your policies work, you can recover the money you need to fix your home. Do not assume that because you did not see the collision, you are out of luck. The law and your insurance contract are on your side if you follow the rules.