Question
How much could my rate go up after a small fender bender?
My wife backed into a parked car while shopping and caused about $2K-$3K in damage. I'm trying to decide if I should pay out of pocket for the damage or file a claim.
Answer
Page 58 of our State of Car Insurance Report shows that an accident in California has an average impact of an additional $899 in premium per year. These numbers are averages and there are other factors at play, but that should provide a ballpark figure as to what you can expect.