Short answer: Probably, yes — at least for a while.
If your insurance company pays out on a claim (whether it’s an at-fault accident, a comprehensive claim like a windshield, or even a not-at-fault incident in some cases), most customers will see their premium go up at their next renewal. How much and for how long depends on a lot of factors, but you can usually expect the increase to stick around for 3–5 years.
I know that’s not the news anyone wants to hear after an accident, so I want to be upfront about how it works and what actually moves the needle on your rate.
Resetting Your Auto Premium
Insurance pricing isn’t random, but it’s also not a simple “one claim = X% increase” . Here’s the big-picture view of the main things that influence your rate:
- Your Driving Record (the biggest one)
- At-fault accidents, minor fender-benders, and major collisions
- Moving violations (speeding tickets, running red lights, etc.)
- How long ago the incidents happened — something from four years ago usually hurts less than something from four months ago
- How long you’ve been licensed (new drivers almost always pay more)
- Where You Live - Every state has its own rules and approved rating factors. On top of that, local things like traffic density, crime rates, weather risks, and even the cost of medical care in your area play a role. That’s why the same driver and same car can cost dramatically more (or less) just by crossing a state line.
- The Vehicle You Drive
- Safety features and crash-test ratings (good for discounts)
- Repair costs — newer cars with sensors, cameras, and aluminum body panels are expensive to fix
- Theft rates and horsepower (sorry, sports-car owners)
- Who Else Is on Your Policy - Adding a teen or young driver usually causes the sharpest jump in premium because experience matters more than almost anything else. The good news? As they rack up clean driving years, the “young driver surcharge” starts shrinking — sometimes dramatically.
- Broader Trends We Can’t Control - Even if your record is spotless, premiums across the board can rise because of inflation, skyrocketing parts and labor costs, more frequent severe weather, or an increase in lawsuits and repair bills industry-wide.
So Should You Even File That Claim?
Sometimes the answer is still “yes,” especially if the damage is significant or someone is injured. A $1,500 fender-bender you can comfortably pay out of pocket, though? Many customers choose to handle those themselves to keep their record clean and avoid the multi-year surcharge. (We can’t tell you what to do — that’s your call — but paying for claims out of pocket is the only way to keep your premiums from increasing.)
The Bottom Line
Filing a claim usually means a higher premium at renewal, often for 3–5 years. But rates aren’t set in stone forever. Keep a clean record moving forward, let some time pass, add safety features, or even shop your policy when the surcharge period ends — many people see their rates drop back down (sometimes lower than before) once the incident ages off their record.
Have questions about a recent claim or want to know what your renewal might look like? Check out or website, and give us a call!