How Insurers Determine Fault in a Car Crash

22 Mar How Insurers Determine Fault in a Car Crash

Learn how insurers determine who is at fault for an auto accident.

More than any other factor, rates for your car insurance are determined by your driving record. Good drivers with a clean history are likely to enjoy lower premiums, while drivers with one or more at-fault accidents must usually pay higher rates for coverage. However, even safe drivers can get involved in a car accident from time to time.

For every crash that happens on U.S. road, someone is always at fault. Therefore, if you’re involved in a single-vehicle crash, you will automatically be deemed at fault and can expect that mark to stay on your record for some time.

Your insurer will likely determine fault based on the police report of the incident. While there can be exceptions, the general rules of thumb are as follows:

• If you struck another vehicle from behind, you will be deemed at fault, regardless of what the driver did
• If you collide with a vehicle during a lane change, you’ll be at fault if the other vehicle was in your blind spot or if the vehicle was already in the lane
• If you ran a red light, stop sign or other traffic control, you’ll be deemed at fault

Ultimately, the drivers’ insurance companies will make the final decision regard their driver’s claim. However, with supporting evidence, you can avoid having to pay out on your insurance when you’re not at fault. When considering your claim, check to see if any traffic laws have been broken – did a driver skip a red light or were they speeding when the road accident occurred? These observations are not always easy to prove and usually require witnesses. However, they can help to determine who was at fault in an accident.

Here’s how to handle a car accident – although we hope you’ll never need to use it! At Dougherty Insurance, we help motorists stay safe on the roads with reliable car coverage. Contact us today for unparalleled auto insurance in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.