Can you claim after a hit-and-run?
The driver who hit you drove off and you do not know if anything can be done.
Whether you can claim after a hit-and-run depends almost entirely on whether the vehicle that hit you can be identified, even after the driver has fled. If it can, the usual uninsured driver route may still be open. If it genuinely cannot, Malaysia does not currently have a fund set up to pay in that situation. This page says so plainly rather than suggesting otherwise.
The honest starting point
A claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau generally requires the offending vehicle to be identified, usually by its registration number.[1] Some countries, including the UK and Singapore, have a separate scheme for genuinely untraced drivers. Malaysia does not have an equivalent scheme at present, so a truly untraced hit-and-run usually has no direct remedy through that route.
Why this matters to say clearly
It would be easy to imply that every hit-and-run victim has somewhere to turn. That is not accurate, and stating it wrongly only delays a family from looking at the options that do exist. Being honest about the limit is more useful than false reassurance.
What can still change the outcome
Identification does not have to happen at the scene. A few things can still lead to the vehicle being traced afterwards.
Dashcam footage from your own vehicle or a nearby car is one. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) from a shop or building is another. So are witnesses who noted even part of the plate number.
If the driver is later identified, whether through police investigation or new evidence, the situation moves back into the ordinary claim process described in the claim process step by step.
Report it anyway
A police report is still generally required within 24 hours, even when you cannot identify the other vehicle.[2] It creates the record that any later identification, or a claim on your own policy, will need to point back to.
What to check on your own policy
If you hold comprehensive cover, your own insurer may cover your vehicle’s damage regardless of who caused the accident. That part of the claim does not depend on identifying the other driver.
See claiming for your own vehicle damage for how that works.
What to do now
Report to the police as soon as you can. Gather any footage or witness details while they are fresh, and get medical treatment recorded if you were injured.
These steps keep every door open, even the ones that are not open yet.
Common questions
Can I claim if the driver who hit me drove off?
It depends on whether the vehicle can later be identified. If police investigation, a witness, or dashcam footage identifies the vehicle, the usual routes may open up. If it genuinely cannot be traced, Malaysia does not currently have a fund that pays in that situation.[1]
Why can't I claim if the driver can never be found?
The main route for an uninsured or unidentified driver, through the Motor Insurers' Bureau, generally requires the vehicle to be identified before it will consider a claim.[1] Some other countries have a separate scheme for untraced drivers; Malaysia does not, and it would not be honest to suggest otherwise.
Should I still make a police report if I did not get the plate number?
Yes. A report is still generally required within 24 hours, and it creates the official record that any later identification, or an insurance claim on your own policy, will depend on.[2]
What can still help me even without the plate number?
Dashcam footage, nearby CCTV, and witnesses who saw the vehicle can sometimes lead to an identification after the fact. Your own comprehensive policy, if you have one, may also cover your vehicle's damage regardless of who caused it.
Sources
- Loanstreet, on claiming when hit by an uninsured or untraced vehicle in Malaysia (accessed 2026-09-22)
- AskLegal.my, on Road Transport Act 1987 s.52 (accessed 2026-09-22)