Yes. In Mississippi, a hit-and-run driver who cannot be identified can still fall under your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can help if the other driver has only the state minimum and your losses are higher.

Mississippi drivers are only required to carry $25,000 for one person's injuries, $50,000 per crash, and $25,000 for property damage. That is often not enough for a serious wreck. If the other driver has no insurance, disappears, or carries only minimum limits, your own UM/UIM coverage may be the next place to recover.

Do these things fast:

• Call 911 and make a report with the local agency or the Mississippi Highway Patrol if it happened on a state highway.
• Tell your insurer it may be a UM hit-and-run claim as soon as possible.
• Get photos, debris, skid marks, vehicle damage, and names of any witnesses.
• Ask for the crash report number and keep all medical records and repair estimates.

Do not assume you need a license plate number to open a UM claim. The insurer will usually want proof that another vehicle caused the wreck, so witness statements, dashcam footage, roadway evidence, and the police report matter a lot.

If the at-fault driver is found later and has insurance, your claim may shift to UIM if your damages exceed that driver's policy limits. Mississippi generally gives you 3 years to file most injury lawsuits, but insurance policies often require much faster notice for UM/UIM claims.

If your insurer asks for a recorded statement, medical authorization, or settlement paperwork, read it carefully. In a Mississippi UIM claim, accepting the other driver's limits without handling the UM/UIM carrier correctly can create problems.