3 Tips To Prevent Your Insurance Rates From Rising After An Auto Accident
If you have recently been involved in a car accident, you could be concerned that your insurance premiums are going to go up. It's true that your rates might go up if you were at fault in the accident, but you shouldn't worry. Instead, follow these tips to help prevent your premiums from going up too much. Then, you can focus on recovering from your car accident rather than worrying about how much more you will have to pay for insurance coverage.
1. Talk to a Lawyer
If you were given an infraction -- or several infractions -- after the accident, you should never go to court without talking to a lawyer first. A good lawyer might be able to get some or all of your charges dropped, especially if you have proof that your insurance company paid for any damages to the other driver's vehicle. This can be helpful because many insurance agencies charge separately for insurance claims and for points on your driver's license, so you can reduce what you have to pay if you don't get the driver's license points. Even though you will have to pay the lawyer for his or her services, doing so can be cheaper in the long run than dealing with unnecessary insurance increases, which could affect you for several years.
2. Take a Driving Class
Many insurance companies offer discounts for customers who take defensive driving classes. These classes are generally offered at local community colleges, and they will provide you with a certificate of completion once you are finished. Contact your car insurance provider to ask about whether or not you can receive a discount for completing one of these courses.
3. Consider Switching Providers
Different car insurance providers offer different types of discounts. For example, some providers are tougher on first-time car accident drivers than others. There are plenty of online tools out there that you can use to get quotes from multiple providers; then, you can find the insurance company that will cut you the most slack after your accident. Another option is to present your existing insurance company with the lower quotes that you have found; in some cases, providers will look for extra discounts to help them match the lower price so that they can keep you as a customer.
As you can see, you shouldn't automatically assume that your insurance rates will go up exponentially just because of one car accident. If you follow these three tips, you can help prevent higher insurance costs after your accident. In fact, you might find that your rates won't go up much at all if you take these simple steps. Contact a local agent, like Green Light Auto Insurance Specialists, with any specific questions.
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