In this video, we will address whether your insurance premiums in California would go up if you’re not at fault in a car accident. My name is Matt Eason. I’ve been practicing personal injury law in California for 25 years. Clients regularly ask me what their insurance premiums will increase even if they are not at fault.
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Everybody is concerned about the fear of premiums going up. For those of us who grew up before the computer age really took over, we lived in complete fear that our rates would go up if we made a claim on our insurance policy.
We have that fear because we didn’t understand how the rates were calculated. We always assumed that someone behind the door somewhere was looking at our driving record and giving us a thumbs up or a thumbs down and assigning specific rates.
In the computer era, things are much different. Rates are being assigned based on the number of points on your record or lack thereof, length of driving history, zip code, and age. So, as a practical matter, the fact that you claimed your policy should not impact your premiums unless you are at fault.
We often see this problem with uninsured motorist claims. Clients raised in the 80s are fearful of claiming their insurance policy for injuries caused by someone else who did not have insurance. The reality is that if you were not at fault, it’s illegal for them to raise your rates. It’s probably a crime of the century, and it would be a tremendous class-action lawsuit. It’s not likely going to happen. You purchased insurance for a reason. If you’re not at fault, you should use it.
My name again is Matt Eason. I’ve been practicing personal injury law here in Sacramento for over 25 years. If you’ve been involved in a car accident and have questions about insurance or your claims, I hope you consider contacting one of our Sacramento car accident attorneys. Our law firm is Eason & Tambornini. We are located at 1234 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Our phone number is 916-438-1819.
