Do Not-At-Fault Accidents Count Against You
Being found not at fault does not automatically protect your rate, because insurers weigh the accident itself, not just who caused it.
What decides whether your rate moves
- Accident forgiveness Some insurers waive the first at-fault or not-at-fault accident if you qualify. Ask your insurer whether you have this and whether it applies here.
- State rules on fault A few states limit or ban surcharges for accidents where you weren't at fault. Check your state's rules or ask your insurer directly.
- How clearly fault was assigned If fault was disputed or unclear, insurers may still treat it as a rated event. Keep the police report and any claim notes that confirm you weren't responsible.
- Your claims history overall One not-at-fault accident matters less if your record is otherwise clean. Several claims in a short span, even not-at-fault ones, can still draw attention at renewal.
- Which insurer you're with Policies differ in how they treat not-at-fault claims, even in the same state. Compare how a new insurer treats this before you assume switching helps or hurts.
When a parked-car hit still shows up at renewal
You were stopped at a light when another driver rear-ended you. The police report clearly placed fault on the other driver, and their insurer paid for your repairs. You assumed that was the end of it, since you hadn't done anything wrong.
At renewal, your premium went up slightly. You called your insurer and learned the accident was still logged as a claim on your record, even though you weren't at fault, because your state doesn't restrict surcharges for not-at-fault claims and you didn't have accident forgiveness. You asked about adding forgiveness going forward and also requested a quote from another insurer to compare how they handled the same accident history. The other insurer didn't factor in the claim the same way, and you switched at renewal instead of staying with an automatic increase.
Will my rate go back down once the accident ages off my record?
Usually, yes. Most insurers only weigh recent history, so once enough time has passed, a not-at-fault accident typically stops affecting your rate, the same way other claims eventually do.
How long that takes depends on your insurer and sometimes your state, so there's no single answer that applies to everyone. If a rate increase seems to be sticking around longer than expected, ask your insurer directly how long they weigh this type of claim, and compare that against what other insurers would do with the same history.
Now that you know what moves your rate, compare quotes to see how different insurers treat your accident history.
Should you still file a claim after a not-at-fault accident
If you do
Filing gets your repairs paid and creates a clear record of what happened. It may still appear as a claim on your history, even if the other driver's insurer pays. Your insurer can tell you upfront whether it affects your rate.
If you don't
Skipping the claim avoids it showing up in your history, but you cover repairs yourself and lose the paper trail if the other driver disputes fault later or their insurer delays. You also lose any forgiveness protection tied to filing properly.
Does a not-at-fault accident affect my insurance score?
It can, depending on the insurer, since some scoring models count any claim regardless of fault. Others separate not-at-fault claims out entirely. Ask your insurer how their scoring model treats this specific accident, since the answer varies even within the same state.
Can I remove a not-at-fault accident from my record?
Usually not directly, but you can dispute how it's being used if fault was misassigned. Contact your insurer with documentation like the police report. If the error is confirmed, they can correct how the claim is rated.
Does the other driver's insurance affect my future rates?
No, only your own insurer's records affect your rates. Even if the other driver's insurance paid for everything, your insurer independently decides whether to log the event and how to weigh it at your next renewal.
