You got into a car accident. Maybe it was your fault. Maybe it wasn’t. Now, you’re dealing with the insurance side of things. You were about to call your insurance agent and start the claims process, but you remember back a few years.

 

Your mother got in a small crash. She could have paid for the damages out of pocket, but she called the insurance agent and filed the claim. Next thing she knew, her car insurance had increased.

 

This is how the insurance world works. If you file a claim, there’s a chance your premiums will go up, especially if you’ve filed other claims in the recent past. Even small claims can cause your insurance to go up more than you’d like.

 

Luckily, you don’t have to file a claim every time your car gets damaged. In fact, there are proper times to get in touch with insurance and instances when its better to handle things out of pocket.

 

When to File an Auto Insurance Claim

 

There are times when you should file an auto insurance claim. After all, that’s why you pay for auto insurance – so you have a coverage option when you need it. You pay for insurance so you’re not on the hook for five- or six-figure bills after a devastating accident.

 

So, here are a few times when you must file a claim:

 

• Personal Injuries: If your passengers, passengers in the other car, pedestrians, or you are injured in a crash, then you absolutely should file a claim. This is especially true if you’re at fault. Personal injuries and medical bills add up quickly. Plus, injuries can lead to litigation, which will be even more expensive.

 

• At-Fault Confusion: If it’s not clear who is at-fault for a multiple vehicle crash, then you will 100% want to file a claim. Don’t get into a personal battle against the driver of the other vehicle or their insurance company. Let your insurance company battle their insurance company and decide how they will break down the payments. Don’t get caught in the middle of these potentially messy battles!

 

• High Costs: If you need $20,000 in medical care after a weather-related one-car crash, then you should file a claim. If the costs are high, then filing a claim is necessary. That’s why you pay for insurance. So, you can file claims. This could be if you hit a fixed object, slid off the road in a snowstorm, or found your car vandalized.

 

When Not to File an Auto Insurance Claim

 

Any small crashes where no one is hurt, and there was no property damage may be better handled personally without insurance companies.

 

For example, here are a few situations where you wouldn’t really need to file a claim:

 

• One-Car Accidents: If you’re in a one-car crash and not injured, then you may not want to file an auto insurance claim. In these situations, you may save yourself a lot of money in the long run by simply taking your car to the body shop and footing the bill yourself. If you have hefty medical expenses stemming from a one-car wreck, then filing with insurance may make sense.

 

• Close to Deductible: If the damages to your car come out to be close to your deductible, then it may be a good idea to avoid a claim. No reason to hurt your car insurance record when you’d only get a little help from the insurance company anyway. If you do not have full glass on your policy, and your deductible is $500; since most windshields are under $500 to repair, it would not make a whole lot of sense to file a claim in this situation.

 

• Minor Damages to Other Vehicle: If you do significant damage to another vehicle, then filing a claim will be mandatory. But, if you only nicked someone else’s car, then you may not need to involve insurance companies. Paying with cash for minor damages of another car could save you a lot in premiums in the long run.

 

The Perfect Time to File

 

As insurance agents, we know the insurance world can be tricky to navigate. Thus, we wanted to create this guide for individuals wondering if they should file a claim or not. By using the information above, you’ll know exactly when to file and when to not file an auto insurance claim.