I Was in an Accident That Wasn’t My Fault. Will My Car Insurance Go Up?

You’re sitting at a stop light. You look in your rear view mirror and see a car speeding toward you. There’s no place to go, as there are cars beside you and in front of you. The car is approaching faster and faster, until WHAM! it runs into the back of your car.

The impact pushes your car forward, causing you to strike the truck in front of you. This leads to a chain reaction and four vehicles are involved. Two people are obviously injured. Altogether, eight people are affected.

While your first thought might not be, “I was in an accident that wasn’t my fault. Will my car insurance go up?” chances are the thought will creep up eventually. Nobody wants to pay higher insurance rates, particularly if they did not cause an accident.

Generally, if you are involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault your car insurance premiums should remain the same. However, if you file several claims chances are your car insurance rates will go up.

If you are involved in any car accident, it’s important to obtain certain information from all involved parties. This is particularly true if there is substantial damage or any type of injury. It is against the law to leave the scene of an accident you are involved in — whether it is your fault or not. Even if the other driver leaves the scene, stay put and call the police. This type of accident will be reported as a hit-and-run.

It’s important to document every detail of the accident. Whenever possible locate witnesses who are willing to speak to your insurance company on your behalf. At the very least, make certain they provide their statement to the police, as the police report can be used to verify your not-at-fault claim.

When it comes to auto accidents, a great deal of finger pointing goes on. Everyone wants it to appear as if they were not at fault because they know their car insurance premiums will go up. Worse yet, their policy might be canceled.

File a claim with your insurance company as soon as possible. Many insurance companies allow you to file a claim at their website 24/7. This is exceptionally convenient for those who do not have a local agent, or when traveling out of town.

It’s a good idea to visit the website of your car insurance company and learn about their claims procedures. Regardless of whether the accident is your fault or not, your insurance company will handle the claim process as your personal advocate.

If you’re involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, chances are the other driver’s insurance company will contact you to obtain our statement. Use caution when speaking with the other company. They are doing everything they can to not pay the claim and are known for using tactics to trip you up.

If you are injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, it’s advised to seek legal counsel prior to speaking with the other driver’s insurance company. Many attorneys who specialized in personal injury cases offer their services based on a contingency fee. This means you do not have to pay any money to them unless they win the case.

Insurance companies prefer to insure safe drivers. If you are involved in multiple accidents, they may begin to view you as a reckless driver. If that label is placed upon you, you’re looking at a premium increase of up to 100 percent.

Drive safely, obey traffic rules, and keep your distance from other vehicles on the road.