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Will my rates increase if I hit a fence?

I lost control of my car and ran into someones fence. Will my car insurance cover the damaged fence and will my insurance rate go up?

Aug 13, 2024 Modesto, CA

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Ava Lynch
Director of Insurance Content

Ava joined The Zebra in 2016 as a licensed insurance agent and writer. She now serves as director of insurance content, leading coverage strategy and…

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  • 9+ years of Experience in the Insurance Industry

If you have liability coverage on your vehicle, which your state requires, the damage will be covered. However, if you file a claim you will most likely suffer a rate increase for what your car insurance company would consider an at-fault accident. In California in 2017, the average rate increase after an at-fault accident was around 39%. Now, you need to consider this over 3 years, as that's how long it will stay on your insurance record. I would recommend getting an estimate for the damage to the fence before taking out a claim. Then you can compare the value of the claim to the value of the premium increase; whichever is less financially difficult, do that.

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