If you are in a not at fault car accident, it hardly seems fair that your insurance costs would rise. But unfortunately, this can sometimes be the case.
There are many factors involved in all accidents, and not-at-fault accidents can be tricky. So next time you consider lodging a not-at-fault claim, here are a few things to be wary of.
If you are driving and your car suddenly gets hit by some debris, thus causing damage to the windshield or the car bonnet, your insurer should cover this with no extra costs. It is something that is flying through the air and you can’t safely avoid it.
But if the debris hits your car and it is deemed that you could have avoided it, your insurer may add on some extra costs. This is an example that you need to be particularly careful about.
If the debris comes of another car and you can get their insurance details, then the damage will be covered by their insurance. But if they drive away and you can’t get their details, be careful about whether to file it as a not-at-fault accident.
Another thing that can raise your insurance costs is if you have had multiple not-at-fault accidents. You may have had a run of freak occurrences that have all be deemed by your insurance company to be not your fault. But because you have had a number of them, you may be seen to be a risk by the insurer and your costs may raise.
If you have had a situation where you have filed a not-at-fault claim and seen your costs raise, it may be wise to look around at other insurance companies. And when you are doing this be sure to ask whether there are any hidden surcharges associated with filing a not-at-fault claim.
It doesn’t seem fair that you should have to pay extra for something that isn’t your fault. But in some cases, this can happen. But if you are smart about it, you won’t have to worry about losing extra cash on your insurance claims in the future.
