You were just involved in a car accident and while it might seem minor, there could be serious consequences that follow. Some of the many questions individuals have after engaging in an accident in the city of Jurupa Valley, CA include:
- Who is going to be held accountable for causing it?
- How will the insurance company determine fault?
- How will the accident affect your insurance rates?
- Will your insurance increase in cost even if you were not guilty of causing the accident?
While our accident attorneys in Jurupa Valley would be more than happy to answer these questions and many others, we are going to look at some possible outcomes of how your insurance is going to be effected seeing you were just involved in a collision.
What is accident forgiveness?
In some instances, your insurance company may decide that you have become more of a liability and will indefinitely increase your rates. These rates may not take effect right away, however, when it comes time to renew your policy, your wallet may then feel the difference. Your insurance may also honor what is known as accident forgiveness.
What is accident forgiveness you wonder? Well, some insurance companies offer a feature that protects your driving record, preventing your at-fault accident from being recorded on it. Accident forgiveness also prevents your insurer from increasing your rates just because you were found at-fault for causing an auto accident. in most cases, the insurer will “waive” you and your record from being negatively implicated by the accident if it your first one with them and only if your driving record is clean [Source: The Balance].
Bear in mind that not all insurance companies will honor accident forgiveness and some require that you purchase this as an endorsement rather than just including in it your policy.
What companies offer accident forgiveness in the state of California?
Some auto insurance companies that are known to offer accident forgiveness to its policy holders include:
- Allstate
- Progressive
- USAA
- Nationwide
- Liberty Mutual
Before assuming that your insurance company provides accident forgiveness, our accident attorneys in Jurupa Valley, CA suggest you speak with an insurance agent and confirm this first.
Does accident forgiveness protect me from having my insurance rates increase after an accident?
If it was your first accident, then accident forgiveness may protect you from seeing an increase in your insurance rates. Again, it all comes down to who you are insured with, the type of accident, and if you have a clean driving record. If you have been involved in an auto accident prior to this one, it is likely that you will see an increase in your rates.
There are many other things that are going to come up after an accident occurs that will require your attention, insurance rates being one of them. But, if your accident has brought on serious injury to yourself or others who may have been traveling with you and you would like to learn more about collecting compensation, we suggest you consult with an accident and injury lawyer in Jurupa, Valley.
USAttorneys.com is available to help you locate an attorney who is nearby to you now where you will be able to then get your free consultation scheduled.
