How much does car insurance go up after an accident?

There were nearly 6 million car accidents in the U.S. in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accident rates have been increasing in recent years and experts point to everything from more distracted driving to rising temperatures caused by climate change.

After the initial shock wears off, the real surprise after a collision can be how much your insurance premiums go up — even if you weren’t at fault. 

Your driving record is only one factor determining how much you pay for car insurance, but even a single accident can have a major impact.

The amount your insurance goes up after an accident depends on several factors including your insurance company, the state you live in, the car you drive, the severity of the collision and whether the accident was your fault.

“Generally speaking, your rate will go up 10% or less if you’re not at fault,” said Brian Moody, executive editor at Kelley’s Blue Book. “If you are at fault, it’s closer to 45%.” 

Not all carriers are the same, though: Allstate and Erie raise rates less than 30% on average after an at-fault accident, according to Bankrate analysis of Quadrant Information Services data,

On average, a car accident will remain on your record for three to five years, according to Moody. The exact amount varies by state, however: It’s one year in Pennsylvania, while in Massachusetts, it’s six. 

Insurance companies can review your driving record by checking your Motor Vehicle Report. It’s generated by your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and lists any moving violations, traffic tickets and accidents.

If you made a claim for repairs stemming from an accident, it would appear on your CLUE report.

Any accident that is reported to either the police or your insurance company could result in a premium increase, according to Mark Friedlander, communications director with the Insurance Information Institute.

Insurers assess risk, not blame. And, statistically, the more crashes you’re in, the more likely you are to have another in the future.

A few states, including Oklahoma and California, do prohibit insurance companies from raising rates after a not-at-fault accident.

If you’re involved in a one-car accident or a minor fender-bender with another driver, you may be tempted to pay for repairs out of pocket rather than report it to your insurance company.

While this may keep your rates from increasing, if your provider finds out about it later, it could be considered non-disclosure and could result in your policy being invalidated. In some cases, you don’t have a choice: In New York, for example, an accident report must be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles if damages exceed $1,000 or if anyone is injured.

Many auto insurance companies offer accident forgiveness, however, either as part of a standard policy or as a separate rider you can purchase. This prevents insurance rates from going up after an accident.

“They will typically forgive your first at-fault accident, so your rate won’t increase because of the incident,” said Friedlander.

Each insurer handles accident forgiveness differently: With Progressive, a small claim (under $500) won’t raise your rates in most states. If you remain accident-free for five years, even a larger accident can be forgiven.

You can also purchase additional accident forgiveness benefits when you start or renew your Progressive auto policy and have one eligible accident forgiven per policy period.  

While accident forgiveness comes standard with certain policies, a carrier may charge extra for it — as much as 9% of your premium. That’s considerably less than the 40% bump you could face after a crash, but it’s wasted money if you don’t use the benefit.

There are also states, like California, that don’t allow insurers to offer accident forgiveness. 

If your rates do go up after a crash, there are several ways you can work at lowering them. 

Make changes to your coverage

The first thing to do if you’re hit with an accident surcharge is to see where else in your coverage you can make cuts. 

If your state doesn’t require personal injury protection or medical payment coverage, you may decide to drop them. And if you have an older car, especially one that is fully paid for, you could consider dropping collision or comprehensive insurance.  USAA has the best rates for liability insurance, but is only available to veterans and military families. Among national carriers, State Farm has some of the cheapest minimum coverage policies.

Another option is Raising your deductible, which usually lowers your monthly premium: Upping your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce the cost of full coverage by up to 30%, according to the Insurance Information Institute, while upping it to $1,000 could save you 40% or more. 

Shop for new insurance

“The market is so competitive right now, you don’t need to be stuck with your current insurer if they hit you with a high accident surcharge,” said Friedlander. “You’ll get different quotes from different companies, no matter what your driving record is like. It doesn’t cost you anything — shopping for insurance is free.”  

Geico and Progressive are among our top choices for high-risk drivers, with lower-than-average rates for people with at-fault accidents on their records.

Look for discounts

“If someone has an accident surcharge, they should try to take advantage of as many discounts as possible,” said Friedlander. “There are a lot of different programs you can qualify for [and] you can get significant savings.”

Farmers Insurance has 23 discounts available to auto insurance customers, the most of any provider we’ve reviewed. Not all discounts are available in every state, though, and some can’t be combined. 

Common discounts include:

• Bundling discount: Getting your auto insurance from the same company that handles your homeowners, life or other policy will often score you a discount. You can save up to 20% by bundling home and auto with Farmers or Nationwide, while Amica says customers can save up to 30%.

• Safety device discount: Airbags, anti-lock brakes, automatic seatbelts, daytime running lights and other protective equipment can save you as much as 23% with Geico.

• Defensive driver discount:  If you’ve been in an accident, a driver’s ed course is a good way to prevent another one. American Family Insurance offers drivers 55 and older up to 10% for completing an approved class.

• Paperless billing: Going online is an easy way to save on insurance. Auto-Owners will offer you a discount if you go paperless and set up automatic payments. 

Improve your credit

Actuarial studies suggest that how people manage their finances is a good indicator of how likely they are to file an insurance claim. So in most states, insurance companies use your credit history to determine your rates. (California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and Utah prohibit or restrict the use of credit-based insurance scores.)

Paying credit card bills and other debts on time and in full and reducing the amount of credit you’re using are simple ways to improve your score and lower your premiums. 

Experian Boost™ is a free service that reports things that wouldn’t normally be seen by credit reporting agencies — like rent, phone and subscription service payments. According to the company, users whose scores improve see their FICO score go up an average of 13 points. 

Buy a different car

After an accident, trading your vehicle for a less flashy ride could easily lower your rates. 

“Insurers base your premiums on how much it costs to repair your car,” says Moody. “Even if your insurance has gone up due to an accident, your overall rate should be lower because the insurance company’s risk has been minimized.” 

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every car insurance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of pet insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.