You had a fender-bender last Tuesday, and now there is a dent in your bumper that’ll cost $1,200 to fix. Your deductible is $500. You’re sitting at your kitchen table trying to calculate whether filing a claim will cost you more in premium increases over the next three years than just paying the $1,200 out of pocket and keeping the accident off your insurance record.
Car insurance rates can increase after accidents, but the amount depends on whether you were at fault, what type of claim you file, your insurance company’s rating structure, and how many previous claims or violations appear on your record.
Our car accident attorneys at Cook, Barkett, Ponder & Wolz (CBPW Law) handle cases across Southeast Missouri where insurance questions intersect with liability disputes. We help our clients make informed decisions about their cases while holding negligent parties accountable for the harm they’ve caused.
Key Takeaways for Missouri Car Insurance Rate Increases After Accidents
- At-fault accidents in Missouri increase car insurance premiums significantly more than not-at-fault accidents, with the severity of the crash and claim payout amount affecting how much rates rise
- Accidents typically affect your insurance rates for three to five years, though some insurers may surcharge for shorter periods depending on their underwriting guidelines
- Missouri generally prohibits insurers from increasing premiums for accidents where you were not at fault, but insurers can raise rates for at-fault accidents and may dispute fault or treat a crash as partially at fault when rating your policy
- Comprehensive claims for non-collision damage like hail or animal strikes typically generate smaller rate increases than collision or liability claims, though repeated comprehensive claims can still affect your rates
- Shopping for new coverage after an accident may reveal significant rate differences between insurers, as companies vary widely in how they price policies for drivers with recent accidents on their records
How Much Do Car Insurance Rates Increase After an At-Fault Accident in Missouri?
According to research by U.S. News & World Report analyzing rates across multiple insurers, drivers with a single at-fault accident on their record pay an average of $872 more per year nationally than drivers with clean records.
The Insurance Information Institute notes that premiums vary based on state laws, accident severity, claim payout amounts, and individual insurer rating structures. Missouri generally prohibits premium increases for accidents where you were not at fault, but insurers may increase premiums for at-fault accidents.
Rate increases depend on several factors beyond just fault determination. Insurers price future risk based on claim history, and larger payouts signal higher potential future costs.
Your insurance company’s specific underwriting guidelines also matter. Some insurers impose flat percentage increases for any at-fault accident. Others use tiered systems where minor accidents trigger smaller surcharges than major collisions.
Do Car Insurance Rates Go Up After Not-at-Fault Accidents in Missouri?
Missouri generally prohibits insurers from increasing your premium for an accident if you were not at fault, but insurers may dispute fault or treat a crash as partially at fault when rating your policy.
Even if your insurer pays first (for example, under collision coverage) and later seeks reimbursement, Missouri generally prohibits a premium increase if you were not at fault. Moreover, Missouri generally prohibits a premium increase even if you make a UM/UIM claim, but insurers may still review the circumstances and fault allocation.
Some insurers offer accident forgiveness programs that prevent rate increases after your first not-at-fault accident within a certain period. These programs vary by company and often require maintaining a clean driving record for several years before qualifying.
What Types of Claims Cause the Biggest Rate Increases?
Claim type significantly affects how much your rates increase after an accident.
Liability Claims
Liability claims, where your insurance pays the other driver’s damages because you caused the crash, typically generate the largest premium increases because they indicate at-fault behavior and can involve substantial payouts.
Collision Claims
Collision claims for damage to your own vehicle also trigger significant rate increases, particularly when you’re at fault. Even when another driver shares blame, filing a collision claim signals that you were involved in a crash and your insurer had to pay money, which affects their actuarial risk calculations.
Comprehensive Claims
Certain non-collision losses, like animal strikes or damage from flying gravel/falling objects, are specifically treated as not-at-fault events under Missouri’s rate-increase restrictions, so they generally shouldn’t trigger a surcharge.
MedPay
Medical payments coverage (MedPay) claims may or may not affect rates depending on the insurer and fault determination, but Missouri generally prohibits premium increases for claims tied to accidents where you were not at fault.
How to Lower Car Insurance Rates After an Accident in Missouri
Post-accident rate increases don’t have to be permanent or unavoidable. Several strategies can help reduce your premiums or minimize the financial impact of accident surcharges, though the effectiveness of each approach depends on your specific situation and insurance company.
Shop Around for Competitive Post-Accident Rates
Shopping for new coverage after an accident often reveals significant rate differences between insurers. Companies vary widely in how they price policies for drivers with recent accidents, and the insurer that was cheapest before your accident may not be the cheapest afterward.
According to U.S. News & World Report analysis, average annual premiums for drivers with one at-fault accident range from $1,908 at the lowest-cost carrier used in their study to $4,926 at the highest, a difference of more than $3,000 per year. Comparing quotes from multiple insurers helps identify which companies price your post-accident risk most competitively.
Consider Accident Forgiveness Coverage
Accident forgiveness programs can prevent rate increases after your first at-fault accident if you qualify. Many major insurers offer this coverage as an optional add-on, though some provide it free to drivers who maintain clean records for specified periods. Accident forgiveness typically requires being claim-free and violation-free for a certain number of years before the accident, so it works best when purchased before you need it.
Raise Your Deductible
Raising your deductible lowers your premium, though you’ll pay more out of pocket if another accident occurs. Moving from a $500 deductible to $1,000 or higher reduces the premium your insurer charges, which can partially offset post-accident rate increases. Only raise your deductible to an amount you could comfortably afford to pay if you need to file another claim.
Take a Defensive Driving Course
Defensive driving courses sometimes qualify you for insurance discounts that can offset accident surcharges. Missouri-approved courses teach collision avoidance and safe driving techniques, and completing one may reduce your rates with participating insurers. Ask your insurance company which courses they accept and whether completion will lower your post-accident premium.
Bundle Your Policies
Bundling policies can generate discounts that reduce your total insurance costs. If you don’t already bundle your auto and home or renters insurance with the same company, doing so after an accident may create savings that partially offset your increased auto premium.
Review Your Coverage for Unnecessary Options
Reviewing your coverage for unnecessary options can reduce costs without leaving you underinsured. Collision and comprehensive coverage on older vehicles with low market values may cost more in premiums than the vehicle is worth. Dropping these coverages eliminates the associated premiums, though you’ll pay out of pocket for future damage to your vehicle.
How Fault Determination Affects Both Your Claim and Your Insurance Rates
When another driver’s insurance company disputes liability and tries to assign you partial fault, the outcome affects both your current claim settlement and your future insurance rates. Missouri’s pure comparative fault system allows you to recover even when you share blame, but your compensation gets reduced by your fault percentage, and that fault percentage can trigger premium increases with your own insurer.
How fault percentages impact you:
- Reduced settlement: If the other driver’s insurer successfully argues you were 30 percent at fault, your claim settlement drops by 30 percent
- Higher insurance rates: Your own insurance company may treat the accident as partially your fault when calculating renewal rates
- Long-term record impact: The fault determination follows you across insurance companies through shared databases
Insurance Companies Share Fault Information
Insurance companies share information through databases like the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE), which tracks claims filed with any insurer. When you apply for new coverage, insurers pull your CLUE report and see not just that you were in an accident, but also the claim amount and fault determination. Accepting partial fault when you weren’t actually to blame can follow you across multiple insurance companies for years.
How We Fight Unwarranted Fault Allegations
Our Cape Girardeau injury team handles liability disputes where insurance companies try to shift blame onto our clients to reduce their payouts. We gather evidence, like police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and, when needed, accident reconstruction analysis, that establishes clear fault and prevents our clients from being wrongly saddled with fault determinations that will increase their insurance rates for years.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Missouri Car Accident?
Missouri law allows car accident victims to recover both economic and non-economic damages regardless of whether the accident affects their insurance rates.
Economic damages you may recover:
- Medical expenses (emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, ongoing care)
- Lost wages from time away from work
- Lost earning capacity if injuries prevent returning to your previous occupation
- Property damage (vehicle repair or replacement, personal property damaged in the crash)
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries
Non-economic damages compensate for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Decreased quality of life
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of activities you can no longer perform
Your insurance rate concerns shouldn’t prevent you from pursuing fair compensation for injuries caused by another driver. The settlement or verdict you receive for a serious injury claim will typically far exceed any premium increases you experience, and you have the right to hold at-fault drivers accountable regardless of insurance ramifications.
FAQ for Missouri Car Insurance Rate Increases After Accidents
How Long Does an Accident Affect Car Insurance Rates in Missouri?
Many insurers factor accidents into rates for about three to five years, but the timeline varies by company. Missouri rules restrict certain accident-based premium increases in not-at-fault situations, but they don’t set one universal lookback period for all insurers. Even when a surcharge fades, accident/claim history can still be visible to insurers through claims-history reports (often up to seven years), which is why shopping carriers immediately after a claim usually doesn’t make the accident ‘disappear.’
Is It Cheaper to Pay Out of Pocket Instead of Filing a Claim in Missouri?
Most policies require prompt notice of an accident, but for minor property damage near your deductible, it may be worth weighing whether filing a claim could cost more long-term than paying out of pocket, especially if no one is injured. If you are unsure, consider calling for a free consultation with an accident attorney to discuss your claim.
How Does Adding a Teen Driver to My Policy Compare to Having an Accident on My Record?
In Missouri, adding a teen driver often increases premiums more than a single at-fault accident. Teen drivers are priced higher because crash risk is higher for drivers ages 16–19 than for any other age group.
Can I Remove an Accident from My Insurance Record by Switching Companies?
No. Switching insurance companies doesn’t remove an accident from your record or allow you to avoid rate increases. Insurance companies share claim and accident information through databases like the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE), which tracks your claims history regardless of which insurer you file with. When you apply for new coverage, many insurers pull CLUE (claims-history) data, which can show claims activity for up to seven years.
What Happens to My Insurance Rates if I’m in Multiple Accidents within a Short Time Period?
Multiple accidents within a short timeframe compound rate increases. Some companies will cancel or refuse to renew policies for drivers with multiple at-fault accidents, forcing you into high-risk insurance markets where coverage costs significantly more.
Don’t Let Rate Concerns Keep You From Pursuing Fair Compensation
Worrying about insurance premium increases shouldn’t prevent you from holding at-fault drivers accountable when they cause serious injuries or significant property damage. The compensation you receive for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages typically far exceeds any rate increases you’ll experience.
Our Cape Girardeau office handles car accident cases throughout Southeast Missouri, including Sikeston, Scott City, Poplar Bluff, and the SEMO region. Call Cook, Barkett, Ponder & Wolz to discuss your accident claim. During your free consultation, we will explain how liability determinations affect both your settlement and your insurance rates, and we’ll fight to establish clear fault, so you’re not wrongly blamed for crashes you didn’t cause.