How long does an accident stay on your insurance?

Question: If I live in California, how long will an auto accident stay on my car insurance record?

Answer: Insurance companies usually go back 3 to 5 yrs. If an accident is on your driving record it could affect you for that amount of time. The car insurance companies will rate you on an accident which could in turn mean higher premiums.

In California, when an accident is reported to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles by someone in law enforcement it will show on persons driving record. Unless the reporting law enforcement officer says a different person is at fault. In this way it is possible that if another driver was found to be at fault for the accident that it would not show up on your driving record. And in turn will not be considered by your auto insurance agency.

Please keep in mind, the DMV also notates that if you, or another party in your accident, has more than $750 in damage or if someone is injured or dies. Then the accident needs to be recorded on what’s called a SR-1 accident report. The DMV must record this & keep it on file.

California assigns at-fault accidents. The information regarding the incident and the point will be placed on your California driving record when you are the party that is at-fault. The accident will usually remain on your record for 3 yrs.

Car insurance agencies usually check a person’s driving record when an individual applies, renews or makes changes to their auto insurance policy. There’s a good chance if you have an accident on your motor vehicle record at the time that the insurance company checks your record, it’s possible it will affect your liability insurance premiums.

The DMV is usually the entity that keeps information regarding your accidents. Although, insurance companies also keep a database of claims related to auto accidents. C.L.U.E. known as the comprehensive loss underwriting exchange can be accessed by insurance companies to find previous claims you’ve had. If you were the person at-fault and have other claims against your policy, future auto insurance companies will know.  The same is true if you are in a single-car accident & make a claim for your personal automobile.

How long does a point stay on my record?

The amount of time will depend on how severe the offense is. The majority of points and accidents will stay on your driving record for 39 months, basically 3 years & 3 months. Points that are the direct result of more serious offenses, like a DUI or a hit-and-run, can stay on your record for 13 years.

Having a lot of points on your driving record affects your driving privilege & the amount you’ll pay for auto insurance.

If I have a point on my record, how does it affect me?

Accidents and tickets are assigned points. Every incident is assigned a point to it. Depending on what type of traffic incident, you can get anywhere from 1 – 2 points for a traffic ticket, and 1 point for an accident.

Here are Some Examples of points:

• You get a ticket due to speeding, running a red light, making an unsafe maneuver, or having an at-fault accident, a point will be placed on your driving record.
• If convicted for reckless driving, a hit-and-run, DUI, or driving while suspended or revoked, you will receive two points on your record.

How to avoid getting a point on your driving record

Avoid getting points on your driving record by ultimately driving smart and driving safe. Obey all traffic laws, following all provisional driving rules, & drive defensively to avoid collisions. Please avoid distractions like these;

• Adjusting the radio, checking your cell phone, eating food, & being distracted by passengers.
• Driving very reckless, excessive speeding, weaving in & out of traffic, & disregarding weather & road conditions, & having an aggressive attitude toward other drivers.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
• Drag racing, trying to evade police officers, & other unlawful acts.