Reader’s Question:
Since I have never gotten into an accident, I’d like to know if I need to inform my auto insurance company in case I encounter one. Am I obligated by law here in California to report any accident to my auto insurance company?
Aditya
San Francisco, CA
Although car insurance providers demand that they would like to know even the least accident you are involved with, you are not obligated by law in California to tell them about this accident. If it is obvious that the deductible that you agreed to pay is higher than the cost of the repairs on your vehicle, it would be better to pay the expenses by yourself and not report any claim to your car insurance provider. Keep in mind that all of your claims, even so if the damage would be less than your deductible, it will be on your insurance history. However, although the absence of an accident report to your insurance provider will not make you a criminal, majority of auto insurance policies state that the insurance provider has no responsibility to give coverage if you fail to report the accident quickly.
It would be reasonable not to file a claim if the repair expenses are less than your deductible. What they always advise to pick a higher deductible will be applied to this instance. You can keep the money that you save for having cheaper auto insurance premiums or you can even deposit it into a bank account. In case of an auto accident, you are financially ready to repair the damage even if the charge will be a little higher than your deductible.
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