Ultimately, your insurer will decide if your rate goes up or stays the same. Whether or not your rate increases and the amount of the increase will depend on the circumstances, your existing history of claims, and your coverage.

Finding

cheap car insurance

after an accident can be tricky—you may need to shop around. That’s where

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But first, read on for everything you need to know about no-fault accidents.

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What is a not-at-fault accident?

Let’s say you’re minding your own business and following the law at a stoplight. Suddenly, someone rams into you from behind and damages your rear bumper. Sure, you were involved in an accident—but you were not at fault.

You document the damage and you plan to file a claim with your insurance company to cover the repair costs. But then a friend tells you not to file and just cover it out-of-pocket because your rate might go up.

MORE:

What is a clean driving record?

Here’s the truth: In a no-fault accident, the other driver’s policy should cover the repair costs for your car. But it’s definitely true that your own insurance premium might go up afterward. It depends on your insurer.

Most companies won’t increase your rates after a not-at-fault accident, but some will.

If you already have a history of claims, it’s far more likely that your accident will be seen as a pattern of risk—even if you weren’t at fault.

Key Takeaway Accidents can make your insurance premiums rise, even if you were not at fault.

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Where can I find the information on my prior accidents in my policy?

What is no-fault?

Not-at-fault accidents can happen any time you're not responsible for causing a car accident, but no-fault depends on your state. Some states have a "no-fault" policy.

So what is no-fault? If you live in a

no-fault state

, your insurance covers damage to your car as well as medical expenses, regardless of who is at-fault. This is different from at-fault states, which require the at-fault party's insurance to cover the other driver.

This doesn't mean that there's no fault assigned at all, however. Your insurance company will still consider the fault, and no-fault states still have liability insurance to help.

A no-fault accident will still go on your record. Whether or not your insurance rates increase depends on the situation. Though fault may not officially be assigned in every case, if you are found to be 50% negligent in the accident, your rates will probably increase.

When you’re not at fault, it’s not all bad

You should be able to file against the at-fault party, which means you are less likely to see an increase.

But if the other party was uninsured or didn’t have high enough coverage, you may need to file your own claim just to cover costs. In this situation, some providers won’t raise your rates since it’s a no-fault claim.

MORE:

Uninsured motorist coverage

But there is some bad news about no-fault claims

The truth is that most carriers will raise your premium for filing a claim, regardless of whether you were at fault. It will probably be a smaller surcharge than an at-fault accident, but your rate will still go up.

If you have

accident forgiveness

on your policy, you might be able to get around an increase. But the bottom line is that insurance companies can use no-fault claims as a reason to bump up your rate.

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What to do after a no fault accident

If your insurance company raises your rate after a no-fault accident, it may be time to look for a new provider. The lowest price before an accident (even a no-fault accident) may not be the lowest price after.

You’re entitled to shop around. New surcharges won’t go into effect until your policy renewal date, so you have plenty of time to research better offers.

Use

Jerry

to find the lowest

car insurance

rates given your driving history and claims history. You’ll never have to speak to an agent or spend hours on hold—unless you really like elevator music, in which case we’ll try to arrange something!

Jerry handles phone calls, paperwork, and negotiation. It’s completely free and the average user saves over $800 a year on car insurance. Ready to save some money?