You’ve bumped into a pole; there’s a little damage but nothing too bad. Should you even call your insurance company?

That is a question faced by countless drivers every day and the answer is not always so straightforward. The short of it is yes, there are situations where it is ok, and even more beneficial, to not call your insurance company after damaging your car. What are some of those situations?

The Types of Accidents You Can Pay For Out of Pocket

Filing too many claims through your insurer can cause your rates to soar; costing you hundreds if not thousands over the coming years. If you find yourself in the following situations, think twice before calling them up.

An Inexpensive One Car Accident

Bumping into a pole, your kid’s baseball putting a dent in the side: these are situations that cause some damage, but nothing that’s too expensive to fix. Damage you inflict to your own car is always handled through your collision or comprehensive insurance. Both coverages come with deductibles that usually range from $50 all the way up to $2,000. If you estimate the damage inflicted to your car to be below your deductible, or even slightly above it, you should just handle the repairs out of pocket. If the damages are $300, but the deductible is $200, you would save $100 by filing a claim, but your company may decide to raise your rates, costing you more money in the long run.

The only thing we would advise in this situation is to make sure your estimate of the damage is accurate. Insurance companies expect claims to be submitted in a timely manner. If you wait too long, your claim may not be accepted. If the damage turns out to cost more than your initial estimates, you may be stuck paying for it. If you have a local auto body shop, check with them to be sure the damage will be inexpensive to fix.

If you are injured in a one car accident, so long as you can afford the medical bills either out of pocket or through your health insurance, you do not need to report it. If you hit a pedestrian however, that always needs to be reported.

A Very Minor Two Car Accident

In an accident with no more than two drivers where neither is injured and the damage minimal, you can both agree to not call the insurance company. The benefits of not calling your insurance company are the same as in the situation above. Admittedly however, it is a bit trickier with an extra driver. We would advise you only do this if you trust the other driver.

The reason being, the other driver can at any time renege on their agreement to not involve the insurance companies. It may not be wholeheartedly , but say the damage to their car turns out to be more costly than originally thought, or their neck starts to hurt a few hours later. The intent could be malicious as well, where they try to take advantage of the agreement by blaming you for damage to their car you didn’t even cause.

It will be disadvantageous if it comes down to them having their insurance company behind them, and you by yourself. So, unless you know or really trust the other driver, we would not recommend you not call your insurance company even in the most minor of two car accidents. If the other driver is trustworthy however, then this situation would be ok.

The Types of Accidents Where You Should Always Report it

There are a few accidents where no matter what you need to report to your insurance company. What are they?

Accidents Where Someone Else is Injured

If another driver involved in your accident is injured, even if its minor, it needs to be reported. Medical expenses are costly no matter where you go in the U.S. If they need to get themselves checked out due to injury, most likely they will come after you to pay the bills.

How much you need to pay depends on how much at fault you were, and that depends on which state you live in. For example, If you live in a state like Missouri, the amount you pay is proportional to the amount you were at fault. For car insurance in New Jersey on the other hand, if you are found less than 50% at fault, you do not have to pay anything.

What does this all mean? It means you do not want to be defending yourself on your own. You spent a lot of time and money finding the best car insurance company, so you will want them behind you to insure the other driver’s company is not taking advantage of you.

Accidents Where the Damage is Costly

Whether it's a one or multi-car accident, if the damage is large, you must report it. Your car may even be relatively unscathed but if you caused a lot of damage, you need to report it as well. Odds are, in such a large accident, even if no one is injured, someone is going to seek recompense from you. You will want your insurance company on your side for the same reasons you want them if someone else was injured. Your insurer doesn't want to pay out such a large claim either, so they're going to use their resources to fight and reduce your exposure.

Content courtesy of Value Penquin.

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Travelers Insurance is a Fortune 500 company decorated with many respectable awards from Forbes, Barron, and Goldman Sachs. Travelers protects homeowners when there is damage to the home or other structure, personal belongings, liability, valuable items, and other living expenses. Extensive auto coverage is also available and offer more than just standard liability.

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The glove compartment is an often overlooked and underused component of most cars. When used to its potential, your car’s glove compartment can hold a wealth of valuable information and resources. If you are ever in an accident or your car breaks down, you want to make sure that emergency services numbers and your insurance information are close at hand.

Your cell phone is often a lifeline in times of emergency, but it will serve little purpose if the battery dies. Keep a car charger in your glove box for those times when your phone needs a battery boost. While you’re in the electronics store, look for a small GPS unit and car adapter as well. It could save you if you make a wrong turn and suddenly find yourself hours out of your way.

In terms of personal safety and protection, add a small first aid kit, an umbrella and a pair of driving gloves. Why gloves, you ask? To protect your hands if you have to use a glass breakage bar, which you should also keep in the glove box.

You should also add your insurance cards to the glove box. If you need auto insurance, contact PMA Insurance Services in Chantilly, VA at (703) 449-1327.

If you are already a customer of PMA Insurance Services in Chantilly, VA, then you know that our independent insurance agency is dedicated to serving you and your neighbors throughout the Northern Virginia and Washington Metropolitan area and offering you access to more than thirty auto and home insurance companies that can serve your needs.

You should also know that we care about you and your family and want you to make the best choices when it comes to matters of safety. Did you know that The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 16 to 19 year olds are involved in more automobile accidents than any other age group? The good news is that you can do something about that. The most important thing you can do to assure your teen’s safety while driving is to make sure he or she gets driver education.

Looking to purchase that first car for your teenager? Then here are a few tips on choosing a safe car.

• Make sure the vehicle is equipped with Electronic Stability Control which will prevent it from spinning out.
• Look for a vehicle that features an Automatic Braking System.
• Buy a vehicle that has airbags that work.
• Make sure the tires are good and check them regularly to avoid any problems.

Of course it is also important to make sure that your teen has proper auto insurance too. Our friendly and experienced agents are great at helping you choose the best carrier for your needs. We offer policies from reputable companies including Travelers, Safeco, GMAC, Kemper Preferred, Dairyland, Hartford, Progressive, Allied, Metlife and many more. Why not contact us today and get a quote? You can reach us at (703) 449-1327.