Help. My car insurance has jumped very high

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Hello all. I used to pay around 450 for six months of car insurance. However, unfortunately, I rear ended someone on the free way (The freeway had construction and was shut down to one lane. Someone far up ahead got in an accident and everyone was slamming on their breaks. I barely knicked the guy in front of me) Luckily the guy was cool and we didn't call the police. So I didn't get cited for anything, but the guy had to replace his entire bumper for the tiniest injury to the car (I'm thinking he kept his 900 dollar check)
Anyway, time is up to renew this August. My premimum has gone from 450 to 900+. Can they even double it like that? And what would everyone's suggestion be to get a cheapass deal on car insurance? Triple AAA quoted me 850 for six months. I was wondering if I can apply for insurance through some other company without telling them about the claim I had. Would they find me out? I'm assuming they would, but it'd be great if I could somehow get away without this claim giving me problems. I don't want this claim to affect my insurance (even though it will) since I honestly think I'm a pretty good driver. Any help is appreciated.
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']When did this accident occur? It's possible it had nothing to do with the rate increase.[/QUOTE]
Back in April. They said it wouldn't raise since I already paid the six months in advance. They also told me it wouldn't raise period if the claim was 850 or less. I actually wound up talking to the guy who I hit and he said it was going to be between 800-900 to replace the bumper. I find it odd that my premium would double, even if it was only 50 dollars over 850.
I've also paid them close to 3,000 since I've been with them. Not that I would expect that to count for anything, but I guess it just shows insurance companies always want a reason to profit.
 
My older sister is high risk, due to getting into several accidents, DUIs, etc. She has to pay around $100 every month. My insurance is quite low, but that's because I just started driving recently.
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']My older sister is high risk, due to getting into several accidents, DUIs, etc. She has to pay around $100 every month. My insurance is quite low, but that's because I just started driving recently.[/QUOTE]
Wait, she pays a 100 after several accidents and DUIs? And now they're charging me around 160 after the one accident? That's insane. There must be more to this story. I plan on giving them a call tomorrow when they open up.
EDIT: I'm basing the doubling of the premium on the automated system telling me I owe 165 in August. Do they ever ask for, say, two months in advance? I don't know, I've always prepaid for six months.
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']My older sister is high risk, due to getting into several accidents, DUIs, etc. She has to pay around $100 every month. My insurance is quite low, but that's because I just started driving recently.[/QUOTE]

And that's where the BS meter pings the red.


How old are you FoS?
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']And that's where the BS meter pings the red.


How old are you FoS?[/QUOTE]
20. I started driving three years ago. Spotless otherwise.
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']And that's where the BS meter pings the red.


How old are you FoS?[/QUOTE]I'm only 24 though (will be 25 in just over a month). I've been away at college and quite busy with school, and finally got the chance to learn.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']20. I started driving three years ago. Spotless otherwise.[/QUOTE]

You're a single male under 25, you're the highest risk category there is. While it sucks, $900 is pretty decent for six months in that category.

Also heavily influenced by what year, make car and how it's paid for.
 
But I've been paying around 430 for six months. This is bullshit that it's more than doubled.
Does anyone know if I can get away with switching companies and not telling them about the claim I had?
EDIT: My car is a 1986 Plymouth Caravelle, paid off.
 
You can also lower it by having an alarm system, lo-jack, good report card if you're still a student, and calling Geico!! hehe
It doesnt matter who you call, everyone will know about your car accident now, and even if you didnt report it, they would find out and either cancel your policy, or raise your rates anyway.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']But I've been paying around 430 for six months. This is bullshit that it's more than doubled.
Does anyone know if I can get away with switching companies and not telling them about the claim I had?[/QUOTE]

A) If that's the reason your insurance went up, they're gonna know.
B) If you withhold any information that they directly ask you, you'll get dropped. Trust me, you don't want to be dropped.

Just call them and ask them point blank why your rates are going up. I guarantee you not all of it is going to be related to your claim.
 
[quote name='Noodle Pirate!']You can also lower it by having an alarm system, lo-jack, good report card if you're still a student, and calling Geico!! hehe
It doesnt matter who you call, everyone will know about your car accident now, and even if you didnt report it, they would find out and either cancel your policy, or raise your rates anyway.[/quote] That sounds swell. I think I'll do that.
 
Basically you're screwed until your 25ish.

That's what happens at your first slip up. They bend you over a table and have at you for a few years.
 
[quote name='levi333']Basically you're screwed until your 25ish.

That's what happens at your first slip up. They bend you over a table and have at you for a few years.[/QUOTE]
So I've heard. This really sucks. Does anyone else other than myself think I should have just paid for the guy's bumper?
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']So I've heard. This really sucks. Does anyone else other than myself think I should have just paid for the guy's bumper?[/QUOTE]If there are no cops involved, I would just pay for it myself. If the cops report it, your insurance will find out anyway.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']So I've heard. This really sucks. Does anyone else other than myself think I should have just paid for the guy's bumper?[/quote]

If it was a nick - you probably should have.

Although... the guy sounds like a real jerk - your insurance co agents might have saved you some money and a lawsuit by stepping in. If it was really just a nick, $900 is pretty damn steep.
 
[quote name='camoor']If it was a nick - you probably should have.

Although... the guy sounds like a real jerk - your insurance co agents might have saved you some money and a lawsuit by stepping in. If it was really just a nick, $900 is pretty damn steep.[/QUOTE]

If he did replace the bumper, thats pretty normal. You'd be amazed at how much they charge for that plastic, and then there's labor.
 
[quote name='camoor']If it was a nick - you probably should have.

Although... the guy sounds like a real jerk - your insurance co agents might have saved you some money and a lawsuit by stepping in. If it was really just a nick, $900 is pretty damn steep.[/QUOTE]
Well, I should say I barely hit him. The knick produced about a pen size hole-- that was the only damage. Not sure why. Maybe because my head light poked through the bumper. But the hole, of course, meant that his bumper had to be placed.
It should be noted that my right headlight, radiator, and the front of my car in general got annhilated while he got a tiny little hole. I could laugh more about it if it didn't wind up costing me a shitload.
 
seems a really high jump but well i'm 25 hubby is 25 our car is a 2003 hyundai and we pay around 670 for 6 months and have only been in one accident that was the other person fault (the other person even got a ticket cuz what she did was so bad... rearended at a red light ... she was going about 40mph and totaled our car and caused a domino effect that caused damage to 6 other cars... oh that car was a honda civic w/ less than 10000 miles on it).

anyway married gets us a discout we use a military insurance company that is WAY cheaper than anyone else has quoted us and we are both over 25 and my insurance is still close to 700 and was 800 when i lived in MD and CA (now in GA it's cheaper)
 
Don't lie about your accident history. If you happen to get in another accident and they find out about the first they will use it to not cover you at all. That said, just call around and tell them your situation and that you are looking for cheaper insurance. Personally, my favorite carrier is State Farm. They aren't the most expensive or the cheapest but they have good agents that follow through. Ultimately, though, just call a bunch of places about price.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Well, I should say I barely hit him. The knick produced about a pen size hole-- that was the only damage. Not sure why. Maybe because my head light poked through the bumper. But the hole, of course, meant that his bumper had to be placed.
It should be noted that my right headlight, radiator, and the front of my car in general got annhilated while he got a tiny little hole. I could laugh more about it if it didn't wind up costing me a shitload.[/quote]

It drives me nuts when ppl get so anal about their cars. I mean, there was probably a quick fix for that but I bet the guy went whole-hog (or pocketed the money)

Last year I was getting out of my car and the door barely touched the car next to me. I checked, there was no mark, and I went in the store just as the guy with the car next to me was coming out. He tried to stare me down, and then I swear he stood there for five minutes trying to find the spot where my car door touched his car (getting in close to the doors, feeling around on his door) before taking off. I half expected he was going to come in and start a convo with me about changes to his door on a molecular level.
 
[quote name='camoor']It drives me nuts when ppl get so anal about their cars. I mean, there was probably a quick fix for that but I bet the guy went whole-hog (or pocketed the money)

Last year I was getting out of my car and the door barely touched the car next to me. I checked, there was no mark, and I went in the store just as the guy with the car next to me was coming out. He tried to stare me down, and then I swear he stood there for five minutes trying to find the spot where my car door touched his car (getting in close to the doors, feeling around on his door) before taking off. I half expected he was going to come in and start a convo with me about changes to his door on a molecular level.[/QUOTE]

Could be a leased car, you never know. Anything happens to my car, damned straight I'm replacing it because I'm not paying a wear-and-tear penalty.
 
For replacing the bumper, you've got to remember that the bumper cover is the visible part (the plastic molding) but the bumper itself is under the cover. Often, if you rear-end someone, there may not be much visible damage, but the damage under the bumper cover can be more significant. Most cars bumpers will crumble at as little impact as 5 mph.

As for hiding your accident...all insurance companies use a "CLUE (Claims Loss Underwriting Evaluation?)" report which will search for loss history based upon your drivers license, vehicle VIN, home address, name, etc. In other words, if you called in a claim, you cannot hide the accident. If you lie about the accident on an application, you can jeopardize your coverage in the event that you do have an accident.

Your best bet at this point is to shop around if you think you can save some money.
 
[quote name='halvorsb']For replacing the bumper, you've got to remember that the bumper cover is the visible part (the plastic molding) but the bumper itself is under the cover. Often, if you rear-end someone, there may not be much visible damage, but the damage under the bumper cover can be more significant. Most cars bumpers will crumble at as little impact as 5 mph.
[/QUOTE]

I can attest to that. Girl hit us at about 10mph, barely any damage to the cover but a whole mount broke. $3000 later, and it was fixed.

Thank God the girl had the same insurance as us, didn't have to lift a finger. USAA FTW.
 
Yeah, I definitely agree with that-- however, the guy I hit said they looked at it and saw no damage underneath. I just holed his bumper. I can understand his need to repair the bumper, but most people with a slightly defaced bumper with no meaningful damage are going to pocket the check. I would have paid for his bumper myself if my fucking insurance company didn't tell me my rates wouldn't go up unless it went over 850 (and if it went 50 dollars over their cut off, why the fuck would it impact it so badly? Going from the rate not rising to 50 dollars past the limit and my premimum doubling seems drastic.
I'll call them tomorrow and hope for the best.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Anyway, time is up to renew this August. My premimum has gone from 450 to 900+. Can they even double it like that? [/QUOTE]

Welcome to the real world of auto insurance. They will fuck you anyway they can.
 
Check geico.com

I know it sounds played out, but I saved a ton of money. My insurance kept creeping up and up, and I had a perfect record (not a teenager either). So I shopped around and Geico was almost $800 cheaper for me.

I pay about $40 a month now (I own my car).
 
Call them and find out. Its likely that youre stuck paying that. Just be thankful you dont live in NJ. I was paying $2000 per year for a 1996 Saturn SL1 with a clean driving record, and I still pay about $1800 per year on a 07 Corolla - even after switching to my parents' policy.
 
If your state allows it, you might want to consider dropping your collision and comprehensive coverage since your car is a 1986. Basically that means if your car gets stolen or damaged in an accident, the insurance company wouldn't pay for it. You could save a bunch of money by doing that. Possibly half or even more on your premium.

Also you might want to get an online quote from Progressive and Geico. I was shopping for cheaper insurance a few weeks ago when I bought a newer '02 car. My current company (Allstate) quoted me almost $700 for 6 months. That is ridiculous considering that I'm 29 and have never filed an insurance claim, never been in an accident that was my fault and never had a ticket since I've been driving. I got a quote from Geico for less than $350 for 6 months. After that I called my insurance company and told them if they didn't match Geico's rate that I was leaving. They matched it.
 
[quote name='camoor']If it was a nick - you probably should have.

Although... the guy sounds like a real jerk - your insurance co agents might have saved you some money and a lawsuit by stepping in. If it was really just a nick, $900 is pretty damn steep.[/quote]

This happen to me eariler this year. I accidently bump a guy while backing out and it produced a tiny nick and his insurance claim it cost $1300+ for it. They never even talked to me or try to contact me when I tried contacting tyhem over a dozen times about what happen since the other guy was like a good two or so parked into driving lanes. Insurance is bs, nobody needs it until you get into an accident, and when you do, they will raise your rates. It's like a license to print money.
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']My older sister is high risk, due to getting into several accidents, DUIs, etc. She has to pay around $100 every month. My insurance is quite low, but that's because I just started driving recently.[/QUOTE]

yea that seems low. My friends went to driving school which lowers you rates and they're paying $120 a month.
 
Look around for other insurance companies that will have a lower rate, and obviously don't lie about the accident.

And just remember, Arizona has the highest rates for auto insurance. It's no surprise, since everyone speeds out here. :roll:
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']You're a single male under 25, you're the highest risk category there is. While it sucks, $900 is pretty decent for six months in that category.

Also heavily influenced by what year, make car and how it's paid for.[/quote]
I only pay $80 a month ($480 for six months) and im 19.
 
[quote name='7dustfan']If your state allows it, you might want to consider dropping your collision and comprehensive coverage since your car is a 1986. [/QUOTE]

I was going to suggest the same thing.

Definitely call around for quotes from different places (and don't lie about your history) that's always a good idea, especially when you get such a massive jump in your premium. I'd call Geico, Progressive, a local Erie agent, State Farm, etc etc.

I'd also ask for quotes based on raising your deductible (but don't lower your coverages too much, that typically doesn't lower your rate much anyway.) Raising your deductible can really bring the rate down.

As already mentioned you are a male under 25, so you're boned.
 
If your state allows it, you might want to consider dropping your collision and comprehensive coverage since your car is a 1986. Basically that means if your car gets stolen or damaged in an accident, the insurance company wouldn't pay for it. You could save a bunch of money by doing that. Possibly half or even more on your premium.
Click to expand...

I was just going to say the same thing. Also, increase your deductible, chances are that your deductible is $500, which means that if you get in an accident then you pay the first $500 and the insurance covers the rest. If you increase it to say $1000, your premium will go down and I don't know much about your car but if you are just driving it around and not saving it for a classic car then if there is about $1000 in damage, it will more than likely be totalled anyways and you can just file a claim and collect the money for insurance. But that in turn brings your premium up more, that's the beauty of the insurance world.

But I would definitely look to getting rid of comp and collision and then possibly raising your deductible. It wouldn't hurt to call your agent and see if he/she could shop rates for you or just get some quotes from other companies.

Hope that helped!

EDIT - Looks like I'm just reiniterating what Wubb said since he can type faster than me. Good luck!
 
:lol:

Hell I wouldn't be surprised if his deductible is lower than $500. When I first shopped insurance it seemed like $100 was what they tried to pawn off as the typical (and smart choice) deductible. Mine is currently $500.
 
I lucked out tremendously. Called up Countrywide Auto Insurance and their rule is not to count a claim against you unless it's over a 1,000 (my claim was 850) I also got discounts for being a Countrywide employee and how I was still on my parents insurance with full coverage (which I didn't know, and I guess they give you a lower rate if you've bought full coverage since it makes you seem responsible and less of a risk)
After electing to receive better insurance (still doing liability, but plus uninsured motorist, and 50/100/50k coverage) It's costing me 380 for my six month premium. I was pretty excited and relieved since I'm paying less than I've ever paid before with slightly better insurance.
I may wind up dropping uninsured motorist, though, since I have a 1986 Caravelle that blue books for 900 dollars. I don't really care if I get a massive owning at someone else's fault-- though it's something to consider keeping since uninsured motorist has no deductible.
 
I'll echo what some other CAG's are saying: check Geico.

Geico has been good to me so far as they give you the benefit of the doubt if you have 5+ years of a good record and get into an accident or get a speeding ticket.

Plus they give decent discounts for being members of certain banks, getting decent grades (if you are still in school) or having AAA coverage. Just those three things alone can save you 15%.
 
[quote name='blackjaw']I'll echo what some other CAG's are saying: check Geico. .[/QUOTE]

FWIW, I switched to Geico, and my bill was literally cut in half from when I was with Progressive. I have the very basic plan, and I only pay $163 for 6 months. Being 25 and accident free for 7 years helps, but you can always check out a free online quote.
 
[quote name='PRMega']FWIW, I switched to Geico, and my bill was literally cut in half from when I was with Progressive. I have the very basic plan, and I only pay $163 for 6 months. Being 25 and accident free for 7 years helps, but you can always check out a free online quote.[/QUOTE]
Jesus that's cheap.
 
good god that is alot for insurance... I feel better with mine and my wifes monthly bill of 109 for liability on my Nissan Truck (about 29 mo) and full coverage on her new pathfinder...

Im sure in a year or so when I get a new car (looking at RX8 or Sky) it will go up dramatically
 
Glad it worked out for you FoS. Personally I saved a ton switching from Geico to Erie (so the exact opposite of a few other CAGs.) Just goes to show that you need to call a few companies and see who gives you the best rate.

I really should call around the next time my policy is coming up, but it's so much easier to just re-up unless they jack the rates on you.
 
[quote name='wubb']Glad it worked out for you FoS. Personally I saved a ton switching from Geico to Erie (so the exact opposite of a few other CAGs.) Just goes to show that you need to call a few companies and see who gives you the best rate.

I really should call around the next time my policy is coming up, but it's so much easier to just re-up unless they jack the rates on you.[/QUOTE]
Erie. Hmm, never heard of them until it was mentioned by you earlier. I should check with em, eh, after this policy?
 
[quote name='wubb']Worth a shot. But I'm not sure they have agents in AZ, actually.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, checked them out. No prescence here. I may check with Geico, but I'll probably definitely take off uninsured motorist until I get a better car.
 
I have Geico at the moment, and I'm pretty sure they are the cheapest insurance provider in Arizona. If you find a better deal, be sure to tell me.
 
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