A previous car crash can impact your automobile insurance premium, so it is important to know whether your rates will go up after a no-fault accident.
Auto accidents stir up a myriad of thoughts and emotions. Pain, anger, and sadness can afflict you all at once, and the thought of what to do next can be overwhelming. This is especially true when considering how the accident might affect your insurance coverage. To help you be prepared in the event of a vehicle collision, let’s take a closer look at how insurance premiums are affected.
Report the Accident Every Time
First, it is essential to file a claim with your auto insurance provider in a timely manner. Even if you are worried about a potential increase in payments, filing a claim protects you if future litigation occurs. Some companies cannot help you if enough time has passed since the date of the crash, so whether you are at fault or not, be sure to file as quickly as possible.
Chargeable Accidents
A chargeable accident could lead to increased auto insurance rates. This occurs when a driver is more than 50 percent accountable for a collision that causes property damage, bodily injury, or death.
Some states use a dollar amount to define this type of crash. For example, the state of Massachusetts considers a chargeable accident one that involves a claim payment of more than $1,000. If you are faced with this, it is likely to lead to an auto rate increase.
Non-Chargeable Accidents
Not all accidents make your insurance premium rise. A non-chargeable accident occurs when a driver is less than 50 percent accountable for the damages.
Here are some common examples of non-chargeable accidents:
- If your car was legally parked when it was hit
- If an animal caused the accident
- If a court judgment shows that you were not at fault
- If you were involved in a hit and run accident
- If the other driver committed a moving violation that caused the accident
- If you were legally driving and your car was rear-ended
How to Prove Non-Chargeable
To keep your insurance rates from rising, you must provide documentation proving that the accident was not your fault. Here are some examples of information that you should gather if you are in a non-chargeable accident:
- A statement from the other driver’s insurance agent explaining that they are at fault for the accident
- Any legal document detailing how you were reimbursed for the damages caused by the accident
- A police report from the scene of the incident
- A statement given by the other driver declaring that they were at fault
Make sure that you ask your insurance company if they need any specific documents for proof. Always hold onto documentation because sometimes with accidents that are not your fault, the chargeable driver may claim that they were not at fault. It is important to keep records that can prove that your innocence.
Speak with the Attorneys of Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks
Car accidents can be a traumatic hassle to overcome, especially if they result in a higher insurance premium. If you were involved in an accident that was not your fault, Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks wants to help you receive compensation for your damages.
Our four offices are located in Provo and South Jordan, Utah, and we proudly serve all Utah residents. For a free case evaluation, contact us today!