How Much Will My Insurance Go Up After an Accident?

Each insurer sets its own surcharge, inside rules your state writes. But there are real numbers to work with.

Key takeaways

• In Experian’s June 2025 data, one incident raised the average premium 17% [1].
• North Carolina sets at-fault accident surcharges at 40%, 55% or 70%, by damage [2].
• Surcharges generally last three years [7]. Claims history can follow you for seven [10].
• New York allows no surcharge unless you were at fault and losses topped $2,000 or someone was hurt [3].

How much does insurance go up after an accident?

Expect somewhere between a small bump and a 70% jump for a single at-fault accident. Where you land depends on who was at fault, how much damage there was, your record and your state.

Two sourced reference points (checked October 2026):

• The market average. Experian found drivers with one incident paid $367 more a year on average than drivers with a clean record, a 17% increase. Two incidents pushed the increase to 47% [1].
• A state-set schedule. North Carolina is one of the few states that publishes the exact increase. Its Safe Driver Incentive Plan assigns points for at-fault accidents, and each point level carries a fixed rate increase [2].

The average hides a wide spread by state. In Experian’s data, one incident added 23% in Texas, 22% in Florida and 15% in California, but just 2% in New York [1]. State rules explain a lot of that gap, as you’ll see below.

It also varies by insurer. Across the five insurers in Experian’s table, the one-incident increase ranged from 8% to 13% [1]. That spread is why shopping matters after an accident. For the basics of how a policy is priced, see our auto insurance guide.

Increase by accident and violation type

North Carolina’s schedule is the clearest public example of how insurers scale an increase to the severity of what happened (checked October 2026) [2]:

Two details matter here. First, there’s a break for small accidents. You get no points for a property-damage-only accident of $2,300 or less if nobody was ticketed for it and no licensed driver in your household has a conviction or at-fault accident in the experience period, generally the past three years [2].

Second, “damage” means damage to all property, including your own car [2]. A minor-looking crash can still climb a tier once repair estimates come in.

Other states don’t publish a table like this. Insurers there file their own surcharge rules with the state, so the percentages vary by company.

A worked example: what a surcharge costs over three years

This is an illustration, not a quote. It uses the NAIC’s 2024 national average auto insurance expenditure of $1,431.63 [9] and applies North Carolina’s percentages [2] for three years, the typical surcharge period [7].

Here’s the math for the first row: $1,431.63 x 0.40 = $572.65 a year, and $572.65 x 3 = $1,717.96.

Now picture a $1,500 fender bender that you caused. If filing pushed you into the 1-point tier, you’d pay about $1,718 in extra premiums to collect $1,500 minus your deductible. Paying that repair yourself would cost less.

That’s why it helps to run the numbers before you file. Our deductible calculator can help you weigh the trade-off. One caution: paying yourself is not the same as staying silent. Most policies still require you to report the accident (more on that below).

Does a not-at-fault accident affect insurance?

Usually less, and in some states not at all. The rules are clearest in the states with strict laws:

• New York. Insurers can surcharge only for accidents where you were at fault and there was bodily injury or more than $2,000 in property losses [3]. The amount paid on the claim doesn’t change the surcharge [3].
• California. An insurer can’t call you “principally at fault” unless your actions were at least 51% of the legal cause, and the accident caused injury or death or more than $1,000 in damage [4].

California also presumes you weren’t principally at fault in several common situations. These include being lawfully parked, being rear-ended when you weren’t convicted of a moving violation, and hitting an animal or a falling object [4]. The insurer has to investigate, send you written notice of its decision, and give you 30 days to ask it to reconsider [4].

Outside those rules, it depends on your insurer. Experian notes that some insurers may still raise rates after a not-at-fault accident where state law allows it [1]. Ask your agent how your company treats them before you assume you’re in the clear.

How long does an accident stay on your insurance?

Most people get a fuzzy “three to five years” answer. That’s because three separate clocks are running.

The surcharge on your premium

According to the Insurance Information Institute, accident surcharges generally stay on your premium for three years after the claim [7]. Some state rules line up with that. North Carolina counts points over a three-year experience period [2], and New York can surcharge for two or more accidents or minor convictions within about three years [3].

Your insurer’s look-back

California bars insurers from rating a renewal on a driving record that’s more than 36 months old [5]. For California’s Good Driver Discount, insurers look back three years for principally at-fault accidents [6]. North Carolina stretches the look-back to five years for serious convictions of four or more points on or after July 1, 2025 [2].

Your claims history

This is the long one. A database called C.L.U.E., run by LexisNexis, reports up to seven years of auto claims [10]. Insurers can use it when you apply for a new policy, so an accident can show up long after the surcharge ends.

Your state DMV keeps its own driving record, on its own timeline. That record and the claims database aren’t the same thing.

When does car insurance go down after an accident?

Usually at the first renewal after the surcharge period ends. With a typical three-year surcharge [7], that’s your third renewal after the claim if you stay accident-free.

It doesn’t always happen on its own. Check the renewal notice against your old premium. If nothing changed, ask your insurer whether the accident has rolled off, then compare quotes. Our policy renewal checklist covers what to look at.

How to avoid an insurance increase after an accident

You can’t erase an at-fault accident, but you can keep the damage small.

1. Get the fault decision in writing. If you think the insurer got it wrong, push back with your police report, photos and witness details. In California, you have 30 days to ask for reconsideration after the written notice [4].
2. Report the accident, but do the claim math. The Insurance Information Institute warns that failing to report an incident, even a minor one, risks your coverage [7]. New York’s regulator tells drivers to report promptly and check their policy’s exact reporting rules [13]. Our insurance claim checklist walks through the steps.
3. Check your claims report for errors. You can request one free C.L.U.E. report every 12 months [10]. Texas regulators note it lists the date of loss, type of loss and amount paid [11].
4. Shop your renewal. Insurers weigh the same accident differently, as Experian’s 8% to 13% spread shows [1].
5. Review your coverage, not just your price. A higher deductible or dropping extras can offset a surcharge. Don’t cut liability limits to do it. Our liability limits calculator and coverage gap check show what you’d give up.
6. Ask about discounts you aren’t using, such as bundling your car with home insurance.

For next time, look at accident forgiveness. The NAIC describes it as an insurer agreeing not to raise your premium after an at-fault accident. It’s sometimes standard, but more often a paid add-on, and many insurers require a clean record for several years first [12]. It must be on your policy before an accident to help. Our accident forgiveness guide covers what it costs and when it’s worth paying for.

If an accident involved serious injuries, check whether your limits would have covered a lawsuit. An umbrella policy adds liability coverage on top of your auto policy.

Get a local agent to shop your rates after an accident

A surcharge is set by one insurer. Another insurer may price the same accident differently, and an independent agent can quote several at once.

That matters most at two moments: right after the surcharge hits, and when it’s due to drop off. Browse local agencies on our auto insurance hub, search the independent agent directory by state, or find insurance agents near you. Bring your declarations page and your C.L.U.E. report so the quotes are accurate.

Frequently asked questions

Will my car insurance go up after a not-at-fault accident?

It depends on your state and insurer. New York and California limit surcharges to accidents where you were at fault [3][4]. Elsewhere, some insurers may still count a not-at-fault accident if state law allows it [1]. Ask your agent how your insurer treats them.

How much does insurance go up after a minor accident?

Often less than after a serious one, and sometimes nothing. North Carolina charges no points for a first property-only accident of $2,300 or less when your household has a clean record [2]. New York allows no accident surcharge unless losses exceed $2,000 or someone was hurt [3].

Should I switch car insurance after an accident?

Switching won’t hide the accident. New insurers can see up to seven years of claims history through C.L.U.E. [10]. But each insurer prices that history differently [1], so comparing quotes and types of coverage at renewal can still save money. An independent insurance agent can run those quotes for you.

How long after an accident do you have to file a claim?

Report it to your insurer as soon as you can. California’s regulator says to notify your insurer immediately [14], and New York’s says to report promptly and check your policy’s requirements [13]. New York no-fault injury claims have a 30-day written notice deadline [13].

Why did my car insurance go up without an accident?

Your price reflects everyone’s claims, not just yours. The Insurance Information Institute points to other drivers’ crashes, faster-rising repair and medical costs, and higher legal costs [8]. The NAIC reports average auto insurance spending rose 36.64% from 2020 to 2024 [9].

The bottom line

A single at-fault accident can raise your premium anywhere from a few percent to 70%, and the increase usually lasts about three years. Your state’s rules set the floor, your insurer sets the price, and shopping your renewal is the step most people skip.

Sources

1. Experian, “How Much Will My Insurance Go up After an Accident?” (Ben Luthi, July 20, 2025; Experian data as of June 2025). Publisher runs an insurance-quote comparison service. experian.com
2. North Carolina Department of Insurance, “Safe Driver Incentive Plan.” ncdoi.gov
3. New York State Department of Financial Services, “Can my insurance company raise my premium due to an accident or traffic ticket?” dfs.ny.gov
4. Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, § 2632.13, Determination of “Principally At-Fault” Accidents (Cornell LII). law.cornell.edu
5. Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, § 2632.5, Rating Factors (Cornell LII). law.cornell.edu
6. Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, § 2632.13.1, Eligibility to Purchase Good Driver Discount Policy (Cornell LII). law.cornell.edu
7. Insurance Information Institute, “Do auto insurance premiums go up after a claim?” iii.org
8. Insurance Information Institute, “Why did my auto insurance costs go up even when I didn’t file a claim?” iii.org
9. NAIC, “NAIC Releases 2024 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement” (Oct. 1, 2026). content.naic.org
10. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “LexisNexis C.L.U.E. (Auto & Property Reports).” consumerfinance.gov
11. Texas Department of Insurance, “Get a free CLUE about your insurance claims history” (Aug. 5, 2024). tdi.texas.gov
12. NAIC, “Consumer Insight: The Time to Get Smart about Accident Forgiveness is Before Hitting the Road for the Holidays.” content.naic.org
13. New York State Department of Financial Services, “Filing Claims Under Your Own Policy.” dfs.ny.gov
14. California Department of Insurance, “Had an accident?” consumer guide. insurance.ca.gov