Car Insurance After an Accident, Claim or Ticket in Minnesota

The William Tuttle Agency writes drivers with accidents, claims and violations from one office at 121 W Broadway St in Owatonna. The first thing we do is read your motor-vehicle record and your claims history the way an underwriter will, and tell you plainly what each carrier is going to see.

Why did my insurance go up after an accident?

Because carriers price on the probability of a future claim, and an at-fault accident is the strongest predictor they have. The increase applies at the next renewal and typically remains for three to five years, stepping down over time. The size depends on the severity, whether there was an injury, your prior record, and the carrier's own surcharge schedule — which varies more than most people expect. Our guide to why rates go up covers the other factors.

Does a not-at-fault accident raise my rates?

Generally less, and with some carriers not at all. A claim where the other driver was at fault, a comprehensive claim for a deer strike, hail or a cracked windshield, and a claim under your own uninsured-motorist coverage are rated differently from an at-fault collision. Make sure the claim is coded correctly; a not-at-fault loss recorded as at-fault is a fixable problem that costs real money.

What is accident forgiveness?

A feature some carriers offer that waives the surcharge for a first at-fault accident after a period of clean driving, or that can be purchased as an endorsement. It is worth asking about before an accident, not after. If your current policy has it, a first accident may not change your rate at all; if it does not, the surcharge applies.

How does a speeding ticket or other violation affect the price?

Minor moving violations typically carry a smaller surcharge than an at-fault accident and stay on the rating record for around three years, though the underlying conviction can remain on your Minnesota driving record longer. Multiple violations compound; a major violation — reckless driving, a DWI, a suspension — moves you into a different market entirely. See high-risk auto insurance.

Should I pay for a small accident out of pocket?

Sometimes. A minor at-fault loss with no injury may cost less to pay yourself than it would in surcharges over the following years — but you generally must still report an accident to your carrier, and an unreported accident that later produces an injury claim is a serious problem. Our guide to filing a claim versus paying out of pocket walks through the math; we will walk through your numbers.

What if my carrier non-renews me?

It happens, especially after two incidents in a short period. A non-renewal is not the end of insurability; it is a market change. With 20+ carriers, we can usually place a driver with a clean explanation and a fair price, and a driver who keeps continuous coverage and a clean record for a few years returns to standard rates. The mistake is letting coverage lapse while shopping.

What if my current carrier priced me out?

A driver with one accident and one ticket can see a renewal that doubles — and a single-carrier agent has nowhere else to look. Many agents represent a single company. We lead with Farmers Insurance and hold appointments with 20+ additional carriers, including commercial markets such as BTIS, AmTrust, RLI and Tapco — so an operation that does not fit the first market often has somewhere to go. It may simply not be the first market we call. You still deal with one licensed local person in Owatonna who answers the phone. See the carriers we represent.

How much does car insurance after an accident cost in Minnesota?

The price of car insurance after an accident depends on what it would cost to rebuild or replace, your claims history, the coverage limits and deductibles you choose, where the property or vehicle is garaged and the carrier — each prices differently. Published averages describe almost nobody; the useful number is a quote for your situation, run across more than one carrier at matching coverage.