How New Claims Affect Your Car Insurance Premiums (2026 Guide)

By Lauren Pezzullo

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Topics Discussed in Article:

Table of contents

• Key Takeaways
• Why Insurance Rates Go Up After a Claim
• What Types of Claims Raise Your Auto Rates the Most?
• How Long Will Your Rates Stay High?
• Does an Accident Forgiveness Program Help?
• What About Accidents That Weren’t Your Fault?
• How to Avoid Rate Increases: Practical Tips
•  Should You Ever Not File a Claim?
• Should I File or Pay Our of Pocket?
• How We Built Our Guide
• FAQs: New Claims in 2026

If you’ve ever filed a car insurance claim and then watched your premium jump afterward, you’re not alone. Insurers really do raise rates after certain kinds of claims, even for long-time customers. It’s frustrating: you filed the claim because you needed help, not because you wanted your bill to go up. But once you know why premiums increase, you can spot when a claim might cost you more later, keep your rates manageable, and even snag a better deal when it’s time to shop around.

So, will filing a car insurance claim raise your premiums? Quick Answer

Filing a car insurance claim can raise your premium because insurers see claims as a signal of future risk. Increases depend on the claim type (at-fault vs comprehensive), claim cost, your driving history, and your insurer’s pricing rules. Most claims affect rates for about 3–5 years, but you can reduce the impact with accident forgiveness, smart coverage choices, and shopping at renewal.

Key Takeaways

• At-fault accident claims are the most likely to increase your rate (especially if injuries are involved).
• Comprehensive claims (theft, hail, animal hits) may raise rates, but usually less than at-fault collisions.
• Claims typically influence premiums for ~3–5 years, depending on state and insurer.
• Claim frequency matters: multiple claims in a short window often costs more than one isolated incident.
• Sometimes it’s smarter to pay out of pocket if the repair cost is close to your deductible.

Claim type	Likelihood of rate increase	Why it matters
At-fault collision	High	Signals higher future risk + higher claim severity
Not-at-fault accident	Medium (varies)	Some insurers still price based on overall claim frequency
Comprehensive (theft, hail, animal)	Low–Medium	Often lower impact, but can add up if repeated
Glass-only claim	Low	Usually smaller severity, varies by carrier/state
Injury/medical payouts	Very high	Higher costs and longer claim development

• Rules vary by state and insurer—this guide explains the most common outcomes and how to protect your rate.

Now that we know the basics, let’s walk through the details of why claims raise rates, when they don’t, and how to avoid overpaying.

Why Insurance Rates Go Up After a Claim

Car insurance is pretty much a numbers game. Each company is trying to answer the same questions: How risky are you to insure?

So when you file a claim, especially a big one, it sends up a little flag for them. The company sees it as a signal that you’re more likely to file another claim in the future. And statistically, people who file one claim are more likely to file another.

Because of that, your premium usually goes up, although not as a punishment, but because they’re recalculating how risky they think you are. And just to make things even more fun, not all claims affect your rates the same way. Insurers charge different rate increases depending on:

• Who caused the accident
• How expensive the damage was
• What type of claim it was (collision, comprehensive, injury, etc.)
• Your driving history
• How long you’ve been with the company

A tiny ding in your car door may barely affect your premium, or not at all. A $3,000 collision claim, on the other hand, can increase your rates for the next three years.

What Types of Claims Raise Your Auto Rates the Most?

Not all claims are treated the same; some have a bigger price tag than others. Here’s the general ranking, starting with the least likely to raise your rates to almost guaranteed to raise your rates.

1. Comprehensive claims (usually the least impact) – These are the “act of nature” or “not your fault” situations, such as:

• Hail
• A tree branch falling
• Vandalism
• Hitting a deer

It’s uncommon for an insurer to raise your rates over just one of these situations. In most cases, it’ll take multiple incidents within a short period before they’ll even consider it. And when an increase does happen, it’s usually pretty small.

2. Minor at-fault claims (moderate impact) – These are lower-cost accidents where you’re responsible, such as:

• Hitting a mailbox
• Scraping a parked vehicle
• Backing into a pole or barrier

When the payout is relatively low, say a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, your increase may also be relatively small. That said, the impact can vary significantly depending on your insurance company.

3. Bigger at-fault collision claims (high impact) – This type of claim is when premium rates rise the most. If you caused:

• A serious crash
• Significant property damage
• An accident involving injuries
• A claim over $2,000–$5,000
  • In these cases, you can expect a noticeable rate increase, usually lasting three to five years.

4. Injury claims (the biggest impact of all) – Claims involving injuries are the most costly for insurers. Medical bills, lost income, and potential legal expenses can escalate quickly. If you’re responsible for an accident that causes injuries to others, it’s one of the strongest indicators that your rates will increase — and by a significant margin.

How Long Will Your Rates Stay High?

Here’s the part that catches a lot of people off guard: most rate increases stick around for 3 to 5 years. And if a claim was especially expensive, a few companies may keep it on their radar even longer. The upside is that increase usually shrinks a little each year until it disappears completely. So while a rate hike is frustrating, it’s not permanent.

Does an Accident Forgiveness Program Help?

Sometimes, but it depends. A lot of insurance companies offer accident forgiveness for drivers with clean driving records, which means your first at-fault accident won’t raise your rates. But here’s what people don’t always realize:

• Not every accident qualifies
• You usually only get it once for the life of the policy
• Some companies charge extra for it
• You need a solid, clean driving history to qualify
• It doesn’t transfer, so if you switch insurers, you lose it.
• So if you’re shopping for coverage or comparing quotes, take a closer look at accident forgiveness and ask:
• Is it already included?
• Is it optional (and does it cost extra)?
• Is it actually worth it for your driving habits?

What About Accidents That Weren’t Your Fault?

This one surprises a lot of drivers. In many states, insurance companies aren’t allowed to raise your rates if an accident wasn’t your fault. But that protection isn’t true everywhere, and even where it exists, some insurers still bump premiums slightly. Why? Because from their point of view:

• Even a no-fault accident shows you’re on the road often.
• You may be more likely to file another claim later.
• Insurers look at claim frequency, not just who caused them,
  • Always check your state’s rules and your policy details. If you truly weren’t at fault, you might be able to push back on a surcharge.

How to Avoid Rate Increases: Practical Tips

Here’s the part that most people want to know: how to keep your insurance from getting more expensive than it needs to be.

1. Skip the claim if the damage is small. This is the biggest one. If the repair cost is close to your deductible, filing a claim almost never makes sense. It can actually cost you more in the long run. For example:

• Deductible: $500
• Damage: $900
• Surcharge: $200/year for 3 years = $600
  • In this case, filing the claim ends up costing more than the repair. Rule of thumb: if the damage is within about $1,500 of your deductible, it’s often cheaper to pay out of pocket.

2. Get a repair estimate before calling your insurer. You can get estimates all day long without triggering a claim. But calling your insurer first? Sometimes that creates a “claim inquiry,” which some companies treat like an actual claim even if no claim is filed. Get the estimate first, then decide whether to file.

3. Raise your deductible (strategically). If you rarely file claims, a higher deductible — like $1,000 instead of $500 — can lower your premium and discourage small claims that lead to surcharges. If you’ve got a little cushion in your emergency fund, a higher deductible is almost always worth it.

4. Ask about accident forgiveness. If you have a good driving record, some insurers include it automatically. It can save you hundreds of dollars after one at-fault accident.

5. Shop around every year, especially after a claim. This is an important one. You don’t have to stay with the insurer that raised your rates. Here’s how different insurers handle claims very differently:

• Some surcharge heavily, even for small claims
• Others barely react unless injuries are involved
• Some only penalize at-fault accidents
• Switching insurers when a surcharge hits can save you a lot.

6. Take advantage of bundling and discounts. Even if your premium goes up, you can often drop your costs by:

• Bundling auto insurance with home or renters coverage
• Enrolling in a safe-driver or usage-based (telematics) program
• Paying your policy in full using automatic payments
• Taking a defensive driving course
• Asking about discounts if you drive fewer miles

7. Keep your record clean going forward. One claim by itself usually isn’t a deal-breaker, but back-to-back claims can send rates soaring. A nice stretch with no claims will help bring your premium back down.

 Should You Ever Not File a Claim?

You should always file a claim if:

• Someone is hurt
• The damage is significant
• Another driver is involved
• There’s a chance of a lawsuit
• You hit another driver
• You’re unsure who’s at fault

For small, out-of-pocket repairs (small dings or cosmetic damage), it’s worth doing the math first before filing.

Should I File or Pay Our of Pocket?

Break-even rule of thumb: If your out-of-pocket cost is close to your deductible, filing a claim may cost more long-term.

Simple estimate:

1. Repair cost – deductible = what the insurer would pay
2. Estimate your premium increase at renewal (even a small increase adds up over years)
3. Multiply the annual increase by 3 years (typical impact window)
4. If the total projected increase is higher than the insurer payout, consider paying out of pocket.

Example:

• Repair: $1,200, deductible: $1,000 → insurer payout: $200
• If premiums rise by $15/month: $180/year × 3 years = $540
• Paying out of pocket may be the cheaper path.

Free Car Insurance Quotes — See What You Qualify For

You wouldn’t buy the first car you see, so why settle for the first insurance policy you find? A little comparison shopping can go a long way, especially when it comes to saving money. Get a free auto insurance quote now and make sure you’re getting the best deal on the coverage you need.

How We Built Our Guide

This article explains common pricing patterns insurers use after claims, including how claim type, severity, and frequency may influence premiums. Rules vary by carrier and state. For the most accurate outcome, confirm with your insurer and review your state insurance department’s consumer guidance.

FAQs: New Claims in 2026