- Car Accidents
After an accident, you’re probably worried about how your insurance rates might be affected, especially if the car accident wasn’t your fault. Unfortunately, insurance companies often consider various factors beyond who’s at fault when determining your car insurance rates.
If you were in a car accident in Georgia, Hurt 911 can help you get the treatment and legal assistance you need.
What Impacts Car Insurance Rates?
Insurance providers look at your risk level based on claims and incidents tied to your policy. Even not-at-fault accidents can impact your risk profile and rates.
- Your claims history: Frequent claims of any kind may signal higher risk to insurers, leading to rate hikes. Not-at-fault accidents still count as claims on your policy.
- Type of accident: More severe accidents, like those causing major injuries or property damage, tend to increase rates more than minor fender benders. Total loss claims also significantly impact your premiums.
- Location: If you live in an area with high accident or traffic violation rates, insurers may view you as a higher risk. Where the accident happened factors into their assessment.
- Driving record: While a not-at-fault accident won’t add points to your license, a poor driving record overall indicates greater risk. Insurers will consider traffic tickets and violations when setting your rates.
- Your coverage and limits: Higher coverage levels and policy limits mean higher potential payouts for insurers, so they may raise your premiums in response, especially after an accident.
How Does Fault Impact Car Insurance Rates?
Whether or not an accident was your fault can greatly impact your insurance rates. Insurance companies determine your premiums based on how much risk they think you are. Accidents not your fault are less likely to affect your rates since you weren’t negligent. However, the situation isn’t always black and white.
Accidents Where Fault Is Ambiguous
If a fault in an accident is unclear or shared between multiple drivers, your insurance company may still increase your rates. They view these accidents as indicating that you’re more prone to risky situations, even if you weren’t completely at fault. The rate hike may not be as much as if you were fully at fault, but you’ll likely see an increase.
Accidents Where You’re Found Not At Fault
If it’s determined that the other driver was 100% at fault, your insurance rates shouldn’t go up. However, the insurance company will still review the accident details to verify you took reasonable action to avoid the collision. You can expect your premiums to remain the same if you did nothing to contribute to the accident. The other driver’s insurance should cover the costs for any injuries or damage to your vehicle.
How to Fight an Unfair Rate Increase
If you were in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may still see your insurance rates increase. Insurance companies often raise rates after any claim to offset costs, even if you weren’t at fault. This can feel extremely unfair, but there are steps you can take to fight back.
The best way to prevent unfair rate hikes after a not-at-fault accident is to hire an attorney specializing in car accidents and personal injury cases. Seasoned lawyers have often dealt with insurance companies and know how to properly document evidence to prove you weren’t at fault. They can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to minimize rate increases or prevent them altogether.
Insurance companies are businesses, so they raise rates whenever possible to boost profits. Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of. Work with a legal professional to ensure the accident details are properly recorded, and the fault is correctly attributed. Your attorney can also help you pursue a personal injury claim to recover costs from the at-fault party.
Hire a Georgia Car Accident Attorney
An experienced car accident attorney knows how to stand up to the insurance companies. They will conduct a thorough investigation of the crash, gather witness statements, review the police report, and fight to prove you were not at fault.
Our legal team at HURT 911 has experience handling car accident cases in Georgia and negotiating with insurance companies. We have a proven track record of protecting our clients from unjustified rate increases and policy cancelations after a not-at-fault collision.
Don’t let yourself become a victim twice. Call us today at 855-475-2588 or 1-800-HURT911 for a free case review.
