Rear End Collisions & Auto Insurance

Are you always at fault when you rear-end another car? Rear end car accidents are the most common type of car accidents. When you rear end another car, your auto insurance rates may increase by 30% to 40%, or even MORE if you lose a safe driver discount, in addition to the accident surcharge.

What if the car ahead of you stops suddenly, for no reason, and you can’t stop in time to avoid hitting the car? Will your car insurance rates go up, even though you were not tailgating or speeding? Isn’t that a rip off?

Unfortunately, if you rear end a car, you are almost always considered at fault for the accident. If the car in front of you slams on the brakes and stops, you are required to have maintained a safe following distance & speed, in case of this possibility.

What if an animal darts in front of the car in front of you, or even worse, a child? You need to drive defensively, not just to prevent your own mistakes, but to prevent your involvement in the mistakes of others.

There are some circumstances where you may not be at fault when you rear end another car. If a car rear ends you, and pushes you into the car in front of you, the driver rear ending you is responsible for the damage to your car, the car in front of you, and any injuries.

For example, if the car in front of you stops suddenly, you stop and avoid hitting the car in front of you, but the driver behind you hits you from behind and pushes you into the rear of the car in front of you.

Sometimes, if a car suddenly cuts in front of you from another lane of traffic, causing you to rear end the car, you may not be at fault. If the damage to your car or the other car indicates the point of impact was not dead center of the other car’s rear end, may support your version of the event.

However, some states require the driver rear-ending the other car to prove they were not negligent. Knowing what is true, and being able to prove it, are two very different things, particularly if there are no objective witnesses, ambiguous physical evidence, and it is your word against the other driver.

Maintaining a safe following distance may not protect you from rear-ending another car.

Once I was driving on a highway in the right lane, maintaining a safe following distance from the car ahead. A car from the left lane cut in front of me to get to a highway exit. The car’s rear bumper came within a foot of the front of my car, as it sped up and passed in front of me, while moving to exit the highway. If the driver had to slow once he cut into my lane, or if I had increased my speed at the wrong time, I would have rear-ended his car, and proving I was not responsible for the accident may not have been possible.

Be careful, even with a very low speed impact, when you rear end another car, and there is no apparent damage or injury.

I have seen situations where there appeared to be no damage or injury, but the person who rear-ended the other car gets a letter from a lawyer a year later, claiming they are responsible for injuries caused by the accident. A lot of people consider being hit from the rear in a car accident as winning the lottery, and rush off to a chiropractor and a lawyer’s office, with a claim of whiplash, or a back injury. They build their case over time and come after you when they think they can get a nice settlement.

This is where it helps to have an agent. You are required to report all accidents to the insurance company. But if you call your insurance company’s claims phone number, to report an accident without damage or injury, it becomes part of your claims history, which may subject you to higher rates by losing an accident-free discount, and most likely result in higher rates when you shop your auto insurance.

Contacting and asking the advice of your local agent often prevents this type of accident from becoming part of your claims history, while meeting your obligation to report all accidents to the insurance company. If you buy your auto insurance directly from the company, like Geico, Progressive, Amica, or USAA, you don’t have this option.

As you can see, you can still be considered “at fault” for accidents, even when you drive safely. To avoid higher car insurance rates in these situations, many companies offer a feature called “Accident Forgiveness,” which if you have on your policy before the accident, will protect you from higher rates.

Some insurance companies provide accident forgiveness for their long term customers at no additional cost, and some companies let anyone have it by paying more for it. This feature is a great option for newly licensed drivers, or drivers with a history of having an accident every 3 to 5 years.

What’s the best thing to do if your car insurance rates go up because of an at fault accident?

You should shop around for the best insurance rates. The insurance company having good rates for you before the accident, may have the highest rates for people with an accident on their record.

If you are concerned with not paying higher rates BEFORE you get into an accident, shop around for the best auto insurance company offering accident forgiveness at a reasonable price.

As I often say, your driving profile changes all the time. In addition to changes in your situation, auto insurance rates change all the time. The insurance company having good rates for you 5 years ago may be the most expensive auto insurance company for you now.

Don’t make the common mistake of sticking with the same car insurance company for no reason. If you don’t check the rates for ALL the leading auto insurance companies each year, you are probably paying way too much for car insurance. Check out my list of all the leading auto insurance & home insurance companies.

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