Will Your Insurance Rates Rise after an Accident?

If you’ve been involved in an accident, you may be hesitant to file a claim because you have concerns about your insurance rates skyrocketing. The truth is that your insurance rates could go up post-accident, but there are a range of factors, including fault, that play a primary role. If the other driver caused the accident in question and you suffered legal damages like medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering as a result, an experienced injury attorney serving York, PA, can help.

Key Factors

If you were involved in a car accident, your car insurance premiums could rise. Whether they do and the amount that they rise, however, will depend on variables like the following:

• The terms of your policy
• The severity of the accident
• Your prior driving record, including any past accidents or driving infractions
• The cause of the accident

If the other driver is determined to have caused the accident, your rates will increase less than they would if you were at fault, and they may not go up at all. Further, the more serious the accident, the more you can expect your premiums to increase. Finally, it should be noted that your rates may not increase immediately. This is because some insurance providers wait a year or more before adjusting.

Disputing an Unfair Rate Hike

If you believe the rate hike you’re facing is unfair, our legal team will help you explore your options, which could include disputing an unjust increase. Your insurer is required to follow the legal guidelines regarding rate increases, and if it fails to do so, you may have legal recourse.

Insurance companies must justify rate increases, and if they are unable to, they can face penalties and forced premium reductions. Some errors relate to how accidents are classified, which can support claims of unjustified premium adjustments.

Documentation that Can Help

The proper documentation can help you fight an unfair rate increase. For example, each of the following can go a long way toward demonstrating the other driver’s fault:

• The police report generated by the accident
• Any tickets that were issued
• Eyewitness testimony
• The photos and videos captured by any bystanders, dashcams, security cameras, and traffic cameras in the vicinity of the accident

Contact an Experienced Accident Lawyer for Trusted Legal Guidance

The fact is that your car insurance rates could rise after a car accident, but there are things you can do to limit the increase or to avoid it altogether. The most important step you can take toward this end is consulting with a proactive car accident attorney in York, PA, early in the process.

We have the experience, legal skill, and resources to help and will leave no stone unturned in the process. Our dedicated legal team cares about you and your claim, so please reach out by contacting us online or calling us at 717-232-5000 for more information about what we can do to help you today.