Auto Accident FAQs

Will my premium go up if I’m in an accident?

Not necessarily. Being in an accident doesn’t mean your premium will automatically increase. National General Insurance weighs several factors before making any changes to your insurance rate. Check out a few of them below:
 

• Your Claims History
  If you have several years of safe driving under your belt, a little fender bender probably won’t change your premium. It’s only after accumulating multiple losses, especially over a short period of time, that your claims history may begin to affect your insurance premiums.

• The Cause of Your Accident
  National General Insurance investigates all claims in order to determine the cause of each accident. If the accident wasn’t your fault, you shouldn’t be punished for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Some states even prohibit raising rates where a policyholder is not at fault. On the other hand, if you were at fault, you may see an increase in your premium.

• The Severity of the Accident
  No two claims are the same. A shattered windshield from a fallen branch will be different from a multiple car pileup on the highway. The cost of these two claims will likely be drastically different. The larger the claim, the likelier you are to see an increase in your premium.

How would an accident affect my insurance score?

Your “insurance score” is a grade calculated by information found on your credit report. Surprisingly, your credit information helps predict your potential risk of getting into a future accident or filing an insurance claim. So getting into an accident would not affect your insurance score since the score has more to do with your credit information.
 
That said, an accident could play a role in determining your auto insurance premium. If you’ve had an accident—depending on the severity of the accident, who is at fault, and your driving history—your premium could increase.