In Washington State, insurance companies won’t raise your rates for filing a no fault claim. If you are not at fault for an auto accident, these are called no fault claims. This means there was no negligence on your part in the car crash. This is a good thing, however insurance companies will always try to dodge liability and avoid paying you if possible.
It is against the law for insurance companies to raise your rates after a no-fault claim
RCW 46.52.130 states: “No policy of insurance may be canceled, non-renewed, denied, or have the rate increased on the basis of such information unless the policy holder was determined to be at fault”. This law makes it illegal for your insurance company to raise your rates if you were the victim of an auto accident due to someone else’s negligence. Not only that, but with it come legal repercussions if insurance companies don’t abide by this law. If your insurance rates increase from a no-fault accident, the insurance company will be charged with a gross misdemeanor. If the insurance company does this intentionally, they will be charged with a class C felony. That means they will receive a punishable offense.
It’s important to remember that the insurance company’s only priority is to make money. They do this by paying auto accident victims as little as possible following their car crash. If possible, they will use any excuse they can to raise your rates as well. If you’re getting any push back from adjusters, it’s always smart to talk with expert car accident lawyers. Don’t sign anything from the insurance company without speaking to an experienced auto accident attorney!
Why You Shouldn’t Stress About The Insurance Company Raising Your Rates For Filing A No Fault PIP And UM/UIM Claim
If you were injured in a car crash due to someone else’s negligence, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) will pay for not only your medical bills, but your lost wages as well. Uninsured and Under Insured Motorist Coverage (UM/UIM) allows you to file a claim with your insurance company should the driver who hit you not be able to cover your damages following your accident. These coverages are designed to protect you if you’re in an accident. A common misconception however is that filing these claims will raise your insurance rates. Here’s why you shouldn’t stress about filing a PIP or UM/UIM claim:
- It’s illegal for your insurance to raise your rates for filing a no fault claim. Doing this would violate law RCW 46.52.130. If you didn’t cause the accident, you have nothing to worry about when filing these claims. Just because you weren’t at fault however, doesn’t mean the insurance company will accept liability.
- The purpose of these coverages are to protect you, and are meant to be used if you were in an accident. Don’t be afraid to file a PIP or UM/UIM claim! These coverages were designed to help you, and are what you pay for every month in your insurance premiums. The insurance company will never tell you that though, and may even lie to you about being able to file a claim. This is all a part of their strategy to save money in order to maximize their profits.
Why The Right Auto Accident Attorney Makes A Difference
Just because the law is on your side, doesn’t mean the insurance company will make it easy. At the end of the day, a jury makes the decision who they believe is liable for damages and how much of those damages should be paid. Insurance adjusters have time tested tactics that they use against good people who aren’t familiar with the legal process to take advantage and pay as little, if any, as possible to them. Often they get away with it too, convincing the jury that you were partially at fault. Or they will lie and say that your damages aren’t that bad. Without a expert personal injury attorney, too many have suffered at the hands of the adjusters.
Big insurance companies like Geico, USAA, and Progressive have data and know what minimum offers most people take for similar claims. Only an experienced attorney knows that data and can fight back so you can get fairly compensated for your claim.
In A World Filled With Data, Insurance Companies Take Advantage Of “The Little Guy”
Our experienced auto accident lawyers are vey familiar with the adjusters tricks, and have a strategy of our own that we’ve used to help hundreds of good people just like you in their claims against insurance companies.
A good auto accident attorney knows the legal process, as well as the law. We can validate what’s been done to you and prove it in front of a jury! With decades of experience to back us up, we’ll make sure to fight for you so you can focus on getting better! The insurance company wont weasel out of compensating you what you deserve when you have a first class team of personal injury lawyers on your side!
We Will Fight For Your Rights
Dealing with the insurance company can feel like going to war. Believe me, the debates our team has with adjusters on behalf of our clients are a battle! At Premier Law Group, we’re willing to go to war for you. We won’t stop fighting until the battle is won. But don’t just take our word for it, read what our clients say about us!
Don’t just take our word for it, read what our clients say about us!
“We’d been trying to avoid using a lawyer for an accident that was determined to be the other party’s fault. The accident itself seemed very straightforward to us, no questions about who was at fault, no questions about the injuries or repairs to the vehicle. After MONTHS of dealing with the other party’s insurance, we caved and called Premier Law. One meeting, Jon was very clear and open about the process and what we could expect, including fees and timelines. He also gave us suggestions and insights for how to approach the case. Audrey took over the paperwork and communication on the case, and she was so incredibly on the ball with everything and responsive to us. After hearing from the law firm, the insurance company settled quickly and easily, while we had been trying for months on our own. Absolutely would recommend.” – Carrera Halwachs.
Jason at premier law group is truly an outstanding individual. Our particular case was not something that their firm usually sees but they were more than willing to help us and give us all of the information they had available. I can't recommend them enough.