What Will Happen To My Auto Insurance After An Accident?
Michael Babboni
Car Accidents
After a person has been in an auto accident in the state of Florida, they may think the whole ordeal is over after a period of time. Their personal injury attorney got them the settlement they need from their insurance provider, their injuries have healed, and it’s time to move on with your life on the road. However, once the time comes to renew their auto insurance policy, they’ll often quickly find that their accident has come back to haunt them after all. Auto insurance rates will typically go up after an accident, and in some cases your premiums might be as much as 30% more per month. For those living on a budget, this rise in rates can be unmanageable, leaving drivers wondering what they can do to afford mandatory auto insurance after an accident has occurred.There are a few things you can do to manage your auto insurance premiums after an accident has occurred. While you may not be able to get your insurance premiums as low as they were before the accident, every small bit counts to better manage your insurance payments into your budget. A few tricks you may be able to use to lower your auto insurance premiums after an accident in Florida are:
• Ask about accident forgiveness clauses in your policy – In some instances, you may have an accident forgiveness clause in your policy if you’ve never been in an accident before. It’s important to remember that insurance providers are businesses first, and this means they’ll prioritize their bottom line before the prioritize your budget. Your provider may have “missed” a forgiveness clause in your policy in hopes that you don’t inquire about it. With a forgiveness clause, you may be able to have your rates lowered once again as if the accident never happened if your accident was a first-time occurrence.
• Increase the deductible – If you rarely get into accidents, you may decide to raise your deductible in an effort to lower your premiums. Your deductible will only need to be paid of you’re in an accident again, while your premiums will need to be paid monthly regardless of your accident status. Raising your deductible to lower your premiums could be cost-effective if you’re unlikely to get into another accident. However, if an accident does occur, you will be responsible for paying more out of pocket.
• Consider other discounts – Your insurance provider may offer other discounts that you’re not aware of, and it’s worthwhile to see if you might qualify for any of these discounts in order to lower your premiums. For instance, your insurance provider may offer a discount for driving less than 10,000 miles per year, or they may have a discount for older vehicles.
• Take classes – Taking driving classes can help you to lower your premiums whether you’ve been in an accident or not. By taking professional courses, you’ll be viewed as lower risk to your insurance provider compared to an individual who has never taken formal classes.
• Shop around – If you’re unable to lower your premiums with your current insurance provider using any of the aforementioned strategies, it might be time to start shopping around. You may find an insurance provider that offers more discounts, is willing to lower your premiums if you take driving courses, or one that offers accident forgiveness in the future.
While an auto accident is a stressful situation, it’s not one that will follow you forever in all instances. If you’ve been in an auto accident within the state of Florida, see how our professionals can help you to get the claim you deserve at TheStPeteLawyer.com today.