Worried about my car insurance...
March 12, 2017 9:49 AM Subscribe
Oh, god, I'm dumb... in the fall I got into an "accident" and I don't think I did the right thing, now I'm worried about my insurance. Details inside.
So, I'm a new driver and have had my license for about 8 months months now. Back in October I got into an "accident" in a parking garage. I guess I misjudged the amount of space I had to back out, drove too close to a concrete pillar and damaged my side mirror. I was so panicked from that that I drove forward and drove *over* a concrete parking divider. Because this happened downtown, on city owned property, the police came and filled out a report. They also helped me get free from the concrete parking divider.
I fixed my side mirror, had no damage to the undercarriage of my car, but I was so afraid and so stupid... that I never reported this to my insurance company. Because there WAS a police report (and that's it, there was nothing from the city) I'm suddenly afraid that I won't be able to renew my policy or ever get insurance again because of this. I know I should have told them about the accident, but I was just sooo frightened and embarrassed.
Are the odds high that my insurance will find out about this accident, because there was a police report? And if they do find out about it, what can I do? Will I ever be able to have car insurance again? I know I was stupid, but now I don't know what to do.
So, I'm a new driver and have had my license for about 8 months months now. Back in October I got into an "accident" in a parking garage. I guess I misjudged the amount of space I had to back out, drove too close to a concrete pillar and damaged my side mirror. I was so panicked from that that I drove forward and drove *over* a concrete parking divider. Because this happened downtown, on city owned property, the police came and filled out a report. They also helped me get free from the concrete parking divider.
I fixed my side mirror, had no damage to the undercarriage of my car, but I was so afraid and so stupid... that I never reported this to my insurance company. Because there WAS a police report (and that's it, there was nothing from the city) I'm suddenly afraid that I won't be able to renew my policy or ever get insurance again because of this. I know I should have told them about the accident, but I was just sooo frightened and embarrassed.
Are the odds high that my insurance will find out about this accident, because there was a police report? And if they do find out about it, what can I do? Will I ever be able to have car insurance again? I know I was stupid, but now I don't know what to do.
Yes, you can and will have insurance in the future; at the very worst, all that will happen is your rates might rise, just as they would if you'd gotten a speeding ticket. Nothing else is going to happen: a one-car minor accident with no one else involved, and no claim against your insurance? No problem.
Please take it easy, we've all had boo-boos of one sort or another, and as things go this sounds like really small potatoes. (Don't offer the insurance company information, though.) You'll receive a renewal notice soon enough.
posted by easily confused at 10:06 AM on March 12, 2017 [6 favorites]
Please take it easy, we've all had boo-boos of one sort or another, and as things go this sounds like really small potatoes. (Don't offer the insurance company information, though.) You'll receive a renewal notice soon enough.
posted by easily confused at 10:06 AM on March 12, 2017 [6 favorites]
Hi! So take a deep breath and relax. There is the possibility that when your insurance company runs your motor vehicle report, this will eventually show up and it may affect your rates on a future term. Companies handle this differently. Some insurance companies may choose to non-renew your policy, but it's a lot more likely that they will offer you a higher cost policy than non-renew you. If they do choose to non-renew, they will have to give you 30-45 days notice so even if that happens, you will have plenty of time to quote and find a new policy.
There isn't anything to do now, and it likely wouldn't have helped to report the accident unless you were trying to file a claim for the damage to your vehicle. If you get a non-renewal notice, shop around with other companies - there will be a company that will insure you. If they just raise your rate, you can always call and ask if there is anything that can help lower it again (or just shop around).
posted by argylekneesocks at 10:07 AM on March 12, 2017
There isn't anything to do now, and it likely wouldn't have helped to report the accident unless you were trying to file a claim for the damage to your vehicle. If you get a non-renewal notice, shop around with other companies - there will be a company that will insure you. If they just raise your rate, you can always call and ask if there is anything that can help lower it again (or just shop around).
posted by argylekneesocks at 10:07 AM on March 12, 2017
Why was there even a police report unless you damaged something in the garage? Are you sure there was a "report" and the cops didn't just help you out?
Either way, if you never filed a claim and no one else was damaged and you fixed your car yourself it is really unlikely your insurance company will care. Don't worry. There isn't an accident if no law was broken and no one was injured and no one else's property was damaged, and you didn't get a ticket, what would a police report say? Have you actually seen it? You can request it and have a look. I doubt there is any accident report.
Insurance companies don't generally raise rates for you scraping a curb and not filing a claim and fixing the damage yourself. Everyone has done something like that. Don't be so hard on yourself.
The big lesson you learned is not to panic when behind the wheel and something goes wrong. That's a good lesson to learn the easy way
posted by spitbull at 10:19 AM on March 12, 2017
Either way, if you never filed a claim and no one else was damaged and you fixed your car yourself it is really unlikely your insurance company will care. Don't worry. There isn't an accident if no law was broken and no one was injured and no one else's property was damaged, and you didn't get a ticket, what would a police report say? Have you actually seen it? You can request it and have a look. I doubt there is any accident report.
Insurance companies don't generally raise rates for you scraping a curb and not filing a claim and fixing the damage yourself. Everyone has done something like that. Don't be so hard on yourself.
The big lesson you learned is not to panic when behind the wheel and something goes wrong. That's a good lesson to learn the easy way
posted by spitbull at 10:19 AM on March 12, 2017
I know this was upsetting to you--I think it would be upsetting to any new driver!
The reality is that this was a relatively minor incident--not even an accident.No one was hurt, no one else's property was damaged, no other vehicles were involved, the damage to your car was minor. Really, this kind of thing happens. Insurance companies have a lot of bigger issues to worry about. Worse case scenario is your rates may go up a bit-- but I would be surprised if even that happened. I definitely can't see your policy being cancelled over this.
posted by bookmammal at 10:25 AM on March 12, 2017 [6 favorites]
The reality is that this was a relatively minor incident--not even an accident.No one was hurt, no one else's property was damaged, no other vehicles were involved, the damage to your car was minor. Really, this kind of thing happens. Insurance companies have a lot of bigger issues to worry about. Worse case scenario is your rates may go up a bit-- but I would be surprised if even that happened. I definitely can't see your policy being cancelled over this.
posted by bookmammal at 10:25 AM on March 12, 2017 [6 favorites]
You are generally not obligated to file claims on your insurance if you do not need them to fix the damage to your car. You generally are obligated to tell them the truth if they specifically ask you about something.
Insurance companies where I am mostly just send you renewal papers without asking you any questions or contacting your personally other than by mail. If they know about this accident through an automatic reporting system in your jurisdiction, your rates might go up when you receive this renewal notice.
If they don't hear about it, and they don't ask you, you're not likely to be obligated to seek them out to tell you about it. If they do ask you, you can tell them you had a parking incident, minor damage, you had the damage fixed, etc. This will not result in the cancellation of your policy, but might result in a rate increase.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:41 AM on March 12, 2017 [8 favorites]
Insurance companies where I am mostly just send you renewal papers without asking you any questions or contacting your personally other than by mail. If they know about this accident through an automatic reporting system in your jurisdiction, your rates might go up when you receive this renewal notice.
If they don't hear about it, and they don't ask you, you're not likely to be obligated to seek them out to tell you about it. If they do ask you, you can tell them you had a parking incident, minor damage, you had the damage fixed, etc. This will not result in the cancellation of your policy, but might result in a rate increase.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:41 AM on March 12, 2017 [8 favorites]
I have done this! Or something close to this. Parking garages, amirite?! Basically what other people said: while your insurance company will make a big deal about "Tell us everything you do in your car!" realistically they are most concerned with things that cost them money. And this is something that just cost you money. You weren't drunk or doing anything dangerous, it was a legit mistake and did not cost them a thing. As spitbull says, you are entitled to see the report, if there is one and that might set your mind at ease. For now I'd wait it out. The good news about car insurance is that it's NOT like health insurance. It's really really hard to get to a point where you are "uninsurable" (and you are nowhere near that point, you are not even on the road to that point right now), you just wind up with fewer options. I'm sorry this was so scary but I think you are fine.
posted by jessamyn at 10:42 AM on March 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn at 10:42 AM on March 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
Just to confirm, a mechanic should have looked under your car after you jumped a divider. That can do hidden damage to steering or suspension or oil pan or wheel true, and often necessitates an alignment at least. I'm assuming you did have it looked at since then.
posted by spitbull at 10:47 AM on March 12, 2017
posted by spitbull at 10:47 AM on March 12, 2017
As an auto insurance agent myself (IANYA), let me assure you the heavens will remain standing. I'm sure it doesn't seem that way in the middle of something like this happening. I too have gotten into situations where I made an accident worse because I was panicked about a mistake so I can relate. Definitely not an easy thing to put in perspective, but it comes with time.
Best case scenario: you acted in your own self-interest (and within your legal rights) not to report the incident to your insurance company since you didn't want/need their help this round. No one finds out or cares, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Worst case scenario: your insurance company finds out later when your policy renews (by checking your nationwide DMV records including traffic stops and accident-related police reports.) They get revenge by charging you slightly more than they would have if you told them before they pulled it up on a report. If they are very finicky/exclusive, they give you a minimum of 28 days (sometimes more than 2 months) to choose another carrier before booting you. You pay a higher rate than you may have otherwise for 3-5 years after the accident date (not the time it is discovered.) Some carriers don't even care about the issue of advanced reporting all and just focus on surcharging for what they can find.
posted by dissolvedgirl22 at 10:47 AM on March 12, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best case scenario: you acted in your own self-interest (and within your legal rights) not to report the incident to your insurance company since you didn't want/need their help this round. No one finds out or cares, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Worst case scenario: your insurance company finds out later when your policy renews (by checking your nationwide DMV records including traffic stops and accident-related police reports.) They get revenge by charging you slightly more than they would have if you told them before they pulled it up on a report. If they are very finicky/exclusive, they give you a minimum of 28 days (sometimes more than 2 months) to choose another carrier before booting you. You pay a higher rate than you may have otherwise for 3-5 years after the accident date (not the time it is discovered.) Some carriers don't even care about the issue of advanced reporting all and just focus on surcharging for what they can find.
posted by dissolvedgirl22 at 10:47 AM on March 12, 2017 [3 favorites]
If it's any comfort, I got stuck on a parking divider on my FIRST day at a new job. I was heading out the lunch and got nervous because there were a bunch of people hanging out in the parking lot who were also heading out the lunch. I was freaked out about backing up with them all around me and so I pulled forward really fast....aaand drove over the divider and got stuck. Oh the humiliation. Then I had about 15 people all yelling suggestions about what to do next....the experience still makes me cringe and it happened like 20 years ago. I also WAS NOT a new driver when this happened....so even the most experienced among us getting nervous and make mistakes sometimes. Don't sweat it and it probably will have no impact on your insurance whatsoever.
posted by victoriab at 11:11 AM on March 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by victoriab at 11:11 AM on March 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
Mod note: From the OP:
Well, first of all, thank you to everyone who has replied. My anxiety about this has significantly decreased!! I'm still a little worried, but hopefully everything will turn out all right with my insurance.posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:48 PM on March 12, 2017
I do have some more information, because spitbull asked a few questions. First, yes I had a mechanic check underneath my car and, luckily, there was no damage. Second, I filled out a "collision witness report statement." Actually, I didn't realize I could pull up the online version of the report and it says that I "struck property" (collision with the cement pillar) and that there was actually no damage to the property. The report doesn't mention anything about my car being damaged. The case is marked as closed.
With the limited information in the report, I guess I maybe shouldn't worry about it so much? I forgot to mention that I'm in Canada, so I don't know if that makes a big difference, insurance-wise.
Insurance is regulated at a provincial level in Canada, so it might still vary, but from personal experience in Ontario, I can tell you about the time I damaged my car in a parking lot incident similar to the one you describe.
I never reported it to my insurance. They later found out about it, because my car was nearly destroyed in a parking lot (while I was at a Metafilter Meetup, coincidentally enough) and when they sent an adjuster out to look at the damage, the previous damage was also visible. Neither accident so much as affected my insurance rate, the first because I never reported it to insurance and didn't try to get them to fix the damage under the second claim and the second because the car was parked and I was away from it at the time so clearly was not at fault.
I would not worry about this. I mean, I would worry about it. I did worry about it. I worried about it a lot when I knew my insurance was sending an adjuster to look at my car. But that worry proved to be unfounded in my case and likely is in your case, as well.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:10 PM on March 12, 2017
I never reported it to my insurance. They later found out about it, because my car was nearly destroyed in a parking lot (while I was at a Metafilter Meetup, coincidentally enough) and when they sent an adjuster out to look at the damage, the previous damage was also visible. Neither accident so much as affected my insurance rate, the first because I never reported it to insurance and didn't try to get them to fix the damage under the second claim and the second because the car was parked and I was away from it at the time so clearly was not at fault.
I would not worry about this. I mean, I would worry about it. I did worry about it. I worried about it a lot when I knew my insurance was sending an adjuster to look at my car. But that worry proved to be unfounded in my case and likely is in your case, as well.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:10 PM on March 12, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by erst at 10:04 AM on March 12, 2017 [6 favorites]