How accident forgiveness works? Insurance Rates After An Accident

How accident forgiveness works? Insurance Rates After An Accident

Accident forgiveness is an option with some insurance companies that protects policyholders from a premium hike after an accident. The option is primarily available on an insurance policy after the driver’s first at-fault accident.

If you pay extra for accident forgiveness, your premium won’t increase because of a crash, so it will not matter how long an accident stays on your record. Some insurance companies offer accident forgiveness as a free loyalty perk for long-term customers with clean driving records.

How Car Accident Forgiveness Works

Insurers often require drivers to have a clean driving record for three to five years for an opportunity to have an accident forgiveness add-on. If a driver qualifies, the accident forgiveness add-on will raise premiums slightly, but it could provide benefits when involved in an at-fault accident.

If a policyholder with an accident forgiveness causes a car crash, the insurer won’t increase the rates automatically. However, the driver may not avoid additional consequences of a car crash.

The accident may still show up on the driver’s record, making them lose safe driving points they were previously eligible for, which may ultimately lead to an increase in premiums. 

More importantly, accident forgiveness only applies to the current policy. Anytime drivers renew their auto insurance policy, they may face a premium increase because of a negative driving record.

Here are important details to note about accident forgiveness:

• Not all insurance companies offer accident forgiveness and it may be unavailable in some states.
• The benefit of accident forgiveness applies to one at-fault accident. It means a second at-fault accident could lead to a premium hike.
• If you switch insurance providers a few years after the crash, the at-fault accident remains in your driving record and may lead to a higher premium.

How A Car Accident Attorney Can Help

An insurance company will send an adjuster to investigate and decide the at-fault party for the accident. Unfortunately, an insurer may shift more blame to you than others. If you want compensation, establishing the liable party enhances your chances of obtaining a fair settlement for your losses.

Sharing fault in a car crash will also substantially affect your financial recovery. Under comparative negligence laws, two drivers can share liability for the came accident, and both might face increased insurance rates. An attorney can ensure you are not wrongfully blamed for a crash. 

Similarly, insurance providers apportion blame proportionately. If you’re partially liable for a crash, the insurer will reduce your compensation by a percentage of the fault shared. For instance, if you’re 20 percent responsible for the crash, you can only recover up to 80 percent of your injury-related losses.

If an insurance company or the other driver accuses you of being at fault for the accident, you should hire a Kansas car accident attorney. 

Here’s how an attorney can prove liability for a crash:

Demonstrate the Extent of Injury

After proving the liable party in a car accident, you must also prove your injuries to recover compensation. An attorney will use their skills and knowledge to prove your injury, which occurred due to the responsible party’s actions.

An attorney can compile the following information to build your case:

• Medical Records: An attorney can find crucial records like doctors’ notes, prescriptions, medical bills, and results of diagnostic tests. Consequently, an attorney can create a relationship between the severity of the injury and the liable party.
• Change in Lifestyle: A severe injury like a spinal cord injury can cause a significant change in your lifestyle. For instance, the injury may affect your mobility, which could stop your ability to play with your kids or relate with your partner. 

An attorney can demonstrate that the other driver’s fault caused the severe injury and they should be liable for your injury-related losses.

Familiarity With Traffic Laws

Many car accidents occur because drivers fail to follow traffic laws and road safety regulations. An attorney can use various sources of information, including police reports or surveillance cameras, to demonstrate fault of the other driver.

For instance, the police report contains important details like contact details of the witness, parties involved, time and date of the accident, and road and weather conditions. Alternatively, an attorney can work with an expert during investigations and apportion blame to the other driver.

After an attorney has proved you were not liable for the car accident, you can maintain your clean driving record and affordable insurance premiums.