| After making an insurance claim on their auto | | | | filing any insurance claims for a few years. If you |
| insurance policy, people will quite often try to switch | | | | have a minor claim that doesn't involve any other |
| their insurance on their car over to another company | | | | vehicles or people, consider paying for it out of |
| in the hopes that they will get a better deal and | | | | pocket if you can. It's more money up front, but |
| avoid having their premium raised. What they soon | | | | may save you more money in the long run. |
| find out however is that even though there may not | | | | Of course, driving more safely is always your best |
| have been a police report filed, the record of their | | | | bet. Most people are a bit "gun shy" after accidents |
| insurance claim is shared with all other insurance | | | | and start to drive more carefully, so that will work in |
| companies, effectively blocking them from getting | | | | your favor. Listen to that nagging voice in your head |
| that sweet deal. | | | | that tells you to be more careful. |
| It sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? Say maybe you | | | | If you were involved in an accident with another |
| hit a curb in a parking lot, doing damage to your | | | | vehicle and there is a police report, then you know |
| vehicle that goes over your deductible. No one was | | | | that all the insurance companies will definitely know |
| hurt, you didn't hit another car, but now your vehicle | | | | about it, should they take a look-like when you go to |
| is damaged. You file an insurance claim, get it fixed, | | | | buy insurance from them. You may be able to save a |
| pay your deductible and you're good to go. Next | | | | few bucks by changing insurance companies even |
| thing you know, your premium goes up. That's | | | | then, but regardless of who you go with, the best |
| understandable. Your insurance company now sees | | | | thing you can do is ask them if they have any |
| you as a bigger risk and therefore seeks to protect | | | | options for lowering your premium. Some offer a |
| itself financially. | | | | discount if you attend driver's safety school. Another |
| So you get the bright idea of switching companies. | | | | option is if you have a vehicle that is fully paid for, |
| There was no police report, no moving violations, no | | | | you can just get liability coverage, which only covers |
| public record, right? Wrong. Insurance companies | | | | any damage you do to other people and property, |
| have a program in place for such occurrences. This is | | | | not your own. This is risky, but often cuts your |
| the same program that allows them to all | | | | premium in half. |
| communicate and cooperate with each other. It's | | | | In the end, there really is no way to pull the wool |
| pretty much vital to the auto insurance "system." | | | | over the insurance companies' eyes. The best thing |
| So what are you supposed to do? In reality, there's | | | | you can do is drive safely and avoid claiming any |
| not much you can do. Your claims record will follow | | | | minor dents or dings that don't involve other vehicles. |
| you everywhere. The best thing you can do is avoid | | | | |