Updated: June 20, 2026
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Rates go up 47% on average after a first at-fault accident, from $182 to $268 per month.
Your insurer matters more than the accident. The same crash costs $5,623 more per year at one company versus another.
Your rate won't drop automatically when the accident ages off your record. You have to get new quotes at that renewal.
The 47% average is a starting point. Your increase could be higher. What you'll actually pay depends almost entirely on which insurer holds your policy.
How long an accident stays on your insurance determines how many years you'll pay the elevated rate before returning to the clean-record tier.
| Clean | $182 | $2,180 | 0% |
| At Fault Accident ($1000-$1999 Prop Dmg) | $268 | $3,210 | 47% |
Most insurers can't raise your rate in the middle of a policy period. The increase shows up at your next renewal, so if your bill hasn't changed yet, that doesn't mean you escaped it.
Your current insurer controls your rate increase more than any other factor. What also affect the amount and duration are the severity of property damage, whether accident forgiveness was already on your policy, whether this is your first or a repeat at-fault accident, your state's rules on rate increases and how long the accident stays on your insurer's record.
Your insurer's lookback period is the number of years it checks back into your history when setting your rate. California's DMV keeps accidents for 10 years; California insurers can only look back three. The rate increase ends when your insurer's lookback period ends, not when the DMV record expires.
National General charges $3,302/year after a first at-fault accident. AAA charges $8,925 for the same driver and the same accident. Which company costs least changes completely once an accident is on your record.
MoneyGeek's rate data is based on accidents with $1,000 to $1,999 in property damage, so your rate may differ. If your damage was under $500, ask your insurer whether it qualifies as a minor accident before your policy renews. Most insurers won't offer that lower rate unless you ask.
Each additional accident moves you into a more expensive pricing category. At three accidents, most insurers will refuse to renew your policy or move you to a high-risk plan with higher rates and fewer standard insurer options. If you already have a prior traffic offense, ask your insurer directly whether they plan to drop you before your policy renews.
Five states apply rules that change how long or how much you pay:
New York uses a point system. Each accident or ticket earns points that convert to a fixed dollar amount added to your rate, so you can calculate your exact increase before renewal.
California law limits insurers to a three-year lookback. No insurer can go beyond that regardless of their own rules.
Michigan uses a no-fault system: each driver's own insurance pays for their injuries regardless of who caused the accident. Vehicle damage and injury claims are handled separately.
Massachusetts bans insurers from raising your rate for a first minor at-fault accident under $1,000 when no one was hurt.
Florida bans insurers from raising your rate unless someone was seriously hurt or the other party files a lawsuit.
If you live outside those five states, your insurer looks back three to five years depending on that company's own rules. Confirm your specific period with your insurer.
Accident forgiveness blocks the rate increase after a first at-fault accident, but only if it was already on your policy when the accident happened. You can't add it after the fact, and buying it at the same renewal where your rate is already going up won't lower that increase.
GEICO: Earned (five accident-free years, age 21+) or purchased. Not available in California, Connecticut or Massachusetts.
Progressive: Automatic for claims under $500 in most states. Free for larger accidents after five straight years with no at-fault accident.
Travelers: Forgives one accident per three-year period. Ask your agent whether your record qualifies before counting on it.
USAA: Free after five accident-free years. Military members and families only.
State Farm: Does not offer accident forgiveness in any state.
After forgiveness is used, the next at-fault accident gets the full rate increase. Check your policy for how many clean years you need before forgiveness applies again.
Pull quotes from at least five insurers at least one week before your renewal date. If the lowest quote is more than $200/year below your current rate, switching saves money even after giving up any loyalty or multi-policy discount.
Before you shop, try disputing first. If you have evidence the other driver caused the accident, contact the claims adjuster and send them that evidence: photos, witness statements, dashcam footage. A successful dispute removes the rate increase entirely, which is better than any quote comparison.
The insurers cheapest before an accident often aren't cheapest after one. Use an independent agent or a comparison tool to get at least five quotes before your renewal date.
A second accident within your insurer's lookback period moves you into a more expensive pricing category and may cause your insurer to drop you. The full lookback period must pass before your rate drops, and one clean year doesn't change anything.
Your deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before insurance covers the rest. Raising it from $500 to $1,000 cuts your monthly rate by 10% to 15%. However, you pay $500 more out of pocket at your next claim. Do the math before changing it.
Bundling auto and home policies or paying your premium upfront can offset 10% to 25% of the rate increase. A good student discount stacks on top of both. You lose the good-driver discount after an at-fault accident, but the others still apply.
Your rate doesn't drop automatically when the lookback period ends. Get new quotes at that renewal, because that's when the lower price becomes available. If your accident was March 15, 2022, and your insurer uses a three-year period, get quotes at your first renewal on or after March 15, 2025.
Your rate may not go up at all. California, Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Florida ban insurers from raising your rate if you weren't at fault or were less than 50% responsible.
Even outside those four states, call your insurer and ask them to review their fault decision. The officer's opinion doesn't force your insurer to agree with it. Your insurer conducts its own investigation, and that decision is what sets your rate.
Travelers charges the lowest full coverage rate after a first at-fault accident at $137/month. State Farm is $141. For the minimum coverage your state legally requires, State Farm leads at $61/month, GEICO at $66 and Travelers at $69.
State Farm doesn't offer accident forgiveness in any state, so it won't protect you from a rate increase after your next accident. If that matters to you, Travelers, GEICO and Progressive all offer it, but availability varies by state, so check before you choose.
| Travelers | $137 | $1,649 | -28% | 4.8 |
| State Farm | $141 | $1,688 | -26% | 4.5 |
| Amica | $144 | $1,727 | -25% | 4.7 |
| Geico | $153 | $1,839 | -20% | 4.4 |
| National General | $159 | $1,913 | -17% | 4.3 |
Your first at-fault accident will cost you. The average driver ends up paying around $268 per month, or about $3,210 yearly. That's nearly 50% more than someone with a clean driving record, who pays around $182 per month. But here's the thing: which insurance company you choose matters more than the accident itself. National General might add $1,122 to your yearly bill, while AAA could add $6,745 for an identical driver and accident.
Your rate can still go up. Insurers check your motor vehicle record at each renewal and receive accident data from state databases and a national database called CLUE, which tracks insurance claims across companies. The police report is what puts the accident on your record.
A DUI costs more and lasts longer. The average DUI costs $4,087/year, $877 more per year than the at-fault accident average. A DUI stays on your record seven to 10 years in most states, compared to three to five years for an at-fault accident.
Accident forgiveness covers one accident. After it's used, the next at-fault accident gets the full rate increase. How long before forgiveness resets depends on your insurer, so check your policy. State Farm offers no accident forgiveness at all.
No. Your insurer won't send you a lower bill when the lookback period ends. You have to get new quotes at that renewal to get the lower rate. Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers explains when and how to shop for clean-record pricing after a violation drops off.
Yes, and try it before you shop. Contact the claims adjuster, put your disagreement in writing and send any evidence you have: photos, witness statements, dashcam footage. The adjuster's decision and the police officer's opinion are separate, and a successful dispute removes the rate increase entirely.
All rate figures are sourced from Quadrant Information Services' ZIP-code-level premium database, which aggregates publicly filed rate schedules from all major insurers operating in each state. The standard baseline profile is a 40-year-old male driver with good credit, a clean driving record and full coverage at the 100/300/100 split limit with $1,000 comprehensive and collision deductibles. Scoring methodology weights cost at 60%, customer satisfaction at 30% and coverage availability at 10%. Read our full car insurance methodology.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.
He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.
Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.
Mark holds a B.A. from Boston College and an M.A. in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He started his career in financial risk management at State Street and is also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.
