You may be wondering what effect the filing of a claim
with your auto insurance company will have on your future.
You may be wondering if the filing of a claim with your
auto insurance company will cause your auto insurance premium
rates to increase. Through this article, you will be presented
with some basic information about the impact the filing
of a claim with your auto insurance company will have on
your insurance premium rates in the future.
Keep in mind that each auto insurance company has different
policies, procedures and practices associated with premium
adjustments and increases in the aftermath of an auto accident.
These provisions are set out in a policy of auto insurance
and should be reviewed prior to the time you actually make
the purchase of a particular auto insurance policy from
an auto insurance company. If you have any additional questions
following the review of this article, you will want to contact
your auto insurance company directly or your auto insurance
agent.
The Answer is … Yes …
As with so many things in life, the answer to the question
of whether filing a claim with your auto insurance company
will raise your auto insurance rates is yes and no. There
are some instances in which filing a claim with your auto
insurance company will end up in increasing your insurance
premium rates into the future.
If you have been involved in a fairly serious auto accident
that is your fault, odds are very strong that your auto
insurance company will increase your premium rate.
First of all, many auto insurance companies today have
provisions in their policies that automatically call of
a premium increase or accident surcharge that will result
in you having to pay more for your car insurance for a period
of time.
Secondly, the increase in your car insurance really will
depend on how much money your auto insurance company has
had to pay out in your behalf. The more your auto insurance
company has had to expend on your behalf, the more impact
an auto accident and its aftermath may have on your insurance
premium rate.
And No …
If you have been involved in an auto accident -- even a
serious auto accident -- that occurred through no fault
of your own, your auto insurance company should not increase
your auto insurance rates. The costs associated with your
auto insurance should remain the same overall.
Additionally, if you have been involved in only a minor
fender bender -- that was your fault -- and if you have
had an otherwise clean record (no other accidents, no traffic
tickets), chances are decent that there will be no increase
in rates associated with your auto insurance.
