How Will An Accident Affect My Car Insurance?

How Will An Accident Affect My Car Insurance?

Car insurance is a necessity, but sometimes, drivers hesitate to use it. They fear automatic car insurance rate increases after filing any sort of claim, minor or severe. These fears are not entirely unfounded. Premiums can indeed increase after your car’s been at a body shop. However, rate increases aren’t always automatic. You’ll need to carefully read your specific policy for the details.

Car Insurance Premiums

Some car insurance carriers won’t raise your premiums after a minor fender bender, especially if the collision repairs aren’t costly. The insurance representative will also consider whether you were at fault for the crash. If not, then there’s a good chance your rates won’t increase, particularly if you have a long history of safe driving. If your premiums do increase, they likely won’t stay that high forever. It’s possible for your rates to gradually decline again after a few years have passed, provided you remain accident-free.

Accident Forgiveness Policies

A few car insurance companies have accident forgiveness policies, although these may not be available for every plan. A typical accident forgiveness policy states that your premiums won’t increase after your first accident. This may be contingent upon having a safe driving record for a set number of years, and it may also depend on whether the accident was your fault or not.

Car Insurance Cancellation

Occasionally, a car insurance carrier may opt not to renew your policy after an accident. This may happen if the accident was the result of your being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If this occurs, you’ll lose your driver’s license for a while anyway. By the time you’re eligible to get your license back, you may be able to obtain car insurance from another carrier.

Here at National Auto Collision Centers, we work with a wide range of auto insurance carriers to help our customers obtain maximum coverage for their collision repairs. It’s our goal to get you back on the road again as quickly as possible. You can call our location in Tucson at (520) 623-4959 or use our online estimator tool to get started right now.