You are at-fault in a minor auto accident. Your vehicle was hardly damaged but the other vehicle had slightly more damage. The insurance adjuster gets involved and assesses the damage. Your vehicle’s damage is less than your deductible, so you plan on paying for your repairs yourself. You also discover the total damage to fix the other vehicle is less than $1200.
After visiting with your agent you find out the at-fault accident will cause your premium to increase by $1600 over the next three years. What do you do?
If your insurance company allows you to re-pay their out of pocket, should you? Some insurance companies allow this practice. Pay $1200 now or pay $1600 over three years in additional premium. What if you have a 2nd at-fault accident? Surely your premium will jump considerably at that point.
It is a nice option to have and consider. The option to repay does not keep the accident off your record, but does keep your premium from being surcharged.
Not all insurance companies allow this practice but under the right circumstances it can be a terrific decision, especially if you have teenage drivers in the household. The odds of a teen driver having an accident is substantially greater than the rest of the population.
Did you know a Good Student Discount can lower your auto premiums by up to 20%? If you are the proud parent of a teen driver, you should have your son or daughter visit with your agent and review their premium and what would happen with their rate in the event of an at-fault accident. Surcharges on teen auto policies can cause huge increases in premiums. Teach your teen to avoid tail-gating and to drive at a speed in which they are comfortable. Neglecting those two rules increases the likelihood of an accident.
