Will My Insurance Go Up If I File a Claim? The Truth Most Drivers Don’t Know

When most people file a claim, one of the first questions they ask is whether the claim will affect their rates. People are right to be worried. Many have heard horror stories about how claims have affected other people’s policies and their experience with insurance after an accident.  Also, we all know that the rate conversation is a black box. Who really knows what goes into calculation your rates? Probably only those who are directly involved in calculating them. And of course, we all know that insurance rates are high and always seem to go up.

This article is going to discuss how claims do or don’t affect your insurance rates and what factors you should be aware of that can impact that process.

The Big Myth: “Filing a Claim Automatically Raises Your Rates”

This is a big one and no, it isn’t true that filing a claim automatically raises your rates. Whether a claim is going to raise your rates or not is going to depend on many, many factors. First, there is no automatic surcharge just for filing a claim. When your insurance company is pricing your policy, it does so based on your risk patterns. They will raise or change your rate when that risk patterns changes.

For auto insurance, an example of some of the factors that going into determining your risk patterns include:

·        The type of vehicle you drive

·        Your age

·        Where you live or operate your vehicle

·        Your driving history

·        Your claims history

Because your rates are a function of patterns, a singular claim does not automatically raise your rates. What is important to note is how that claim changes or influences your risk pattern. Your insurance company will note raise your rate because you used your policy, they will raise your rate when your risk profile changes.

What are the two factors that matter the most?

There are two factors that will have more influence than all others when thinking about a claim and its impact on your rates. First, fault, who is at fault for the accident? Second, how frequently are you filing claims?

What Are the Two Factors That Matter the Most?

There are two factors that will have more influence than all others when thinking about a claim and its impact on your rates. First, fault — who is at fault for the accident? Second, frequency — how often are you filing claims?

These two factors are far more important than the dollar amount of any single claim.

 

Fault: Who Caused the Accident?

Whether a claim affects your rates often starts with one basic question: were you at fault?

• At-fault claims are more likely to impact your rates because they signal increased risk.
• Not-at-fault claims are often treated differently and may have little to no impact on your premium.

This is because insurance companies are trying to assess future risk. If you caused an accident, statistically speaking, the likelihood of another loss may be higher. It may also give general indications about your driving behavior and its riskiness (which is why many insurance companies track your driving through an app). If you were hit by someone else, that does not say much about your driving behavior.

This distinction is why it’s important not to assume that any claim will automatically raise your rates. Many accidents happen through no fault of your own.

Frequency: How Often You File Claims

The second major factor is how frequently you file claims.

One claim, even an at-fault claim, does not automatically make you a “high-risk” insured. However, multiple claims over a short period of time can change how an insurance company views your risk profile.

Remember, insurance companies are looking for patterns, not isolated events.

For example:

• One accident in several years may have little impact
• Multiple small claims filed close together may raise more concern than one larger claim

This is why two minor claims can sometimes affect rates more than one serious accident. It’s not about punishment — it’s about identifying patterns.

Types of Claims and How They Are Generally Treated

Another topic you need to consider when determining whether a claim will have an impact on your rates is what type of claim it is that you are filing. Not all types of claims are evaluated in the same way. In order of biggest to smallest impact:

·        An at-fault collision claim is most likely to have an impact on your rates

 

·        A not at-fault collision claim will often have little to no impact, depending on the state and your insurer

• Comprehensive claims (including theft, vandalism, hail and animal strikes among others), also don’t individually have an impact on rates because they are not related to your driving behavior (these may be included in an evaluation of risk patterns in areas that are prone to certain types of incidents for example, areas that are hurricane or tornado prone, earthquake prone etc.)
• Glass claims are often treated separately and they also usually have minimal impact
• Small versus large claims, again the size of the claim matters less than the frequency with which claims are being filed over a fixed period of time.

Your insurance company will evaluate each type of claim differently and add a risk premium to the type of claim depending on where they operate and how the risk pools are organized.  Some states are more prone to certain types of claims while other states are more prone to other types of claims. What doesn’t change is that at fault collision claims will likely have the most impact regardless.

Why “Will My Insurance Go Up?” Is Often the Wrong First Question

A more helpful way to think about a claim is not just whether your rates might increase, but what financial risk you are protecting yourself from.

Better questions to ask include:

• Can I reasonably afford this repair out of pocket?
• Is another party responsible?
• Could this damage lead to bigger problems later?
• Am I exposing myself to liability by not filing a claim?

Carefully consider all of these factors when you are thinking about whether or not to file a claim.  Remember that insurance exists to protect you from financial loss — not just to save money in the short term.

Things That Often Matter More Than One Claim

While claims can have an impact on your insurance rates, it’s also important to understand that many rate changes have nothing to do with a single claim.

Other factors that commonly affect rates include:

• Tickets or moving violations
• Prior at-fault accidents
• Changes in coverage limits
• Where you live
• Overall market increases

As I’m sure you’ve noticed in the last few years, rates can go up even if you never file a claim at all.

Can You Ask Questions Before Filing a Claim?

Yes, you can always call your insurance companies to ask questions — but it’s important to understand the difference between asking general questions and starting a claim.

You can:

• Ask your insurance company general questions about coverage
• Ask hypothetically how certain claims are usually handled
• Take time to assess damage before filing

Once a claim is formally opened, it becomes part of your claim history and can be found by other insurance companies even if no payment is ultimately made (please note that for claims where no payment is made, databases usually note that the claim was closed without payment). That doesn’t mean you should avoid asking questions — it just means you should be careful about how you do so.

When Filing a Claim Is Still the Right Move

Although you may be worried about rates, there are still many situations where filing a claim is absolutely still the right decision:

• When you have significant damage
• Where there is damage caused by another driver
• Where you have any potential liability exposure no matter how minimal
• If there are injuries, even minor ones
• In cases where the damage that could worsen over time

These are cases where avoiding a claim to “save your rates” can end up costing far more in the long run and nullify the financial protection your insurance is supposed to give you.

The Bottom Line

Filing an insurance claim does not automatically raise your rates.

What matters most is:

• Who was at fault
• How often claims are filed
• Whether a claim changes your overall risk profile

The goal isn’t to avoid using your insurance — it’s to use it wisely and intentionally.

Understanding how claims actually work allows you to make decisions based on facts, not fear.

 

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This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or insurance advice.