Will your insurance go up if you use the comprehensive coverage to fix a car that was vandalized?

Answer 1

That depends on your claims history, driving record, and amount of vandalism. Your rate will probably go up because any time you "bill" your own insurance company for damages, they have the right to personally recover money from you through an insurance increase. A legal but smart thing to do is once your claim is settled and your car is fixed, switch insurance companies. Last year I had two rear end wrecks. The first time I rear ended an SUV and my insurance had to pay out $3,700 for damages to my car, plus the SUV. When my policy renewed two months later, they hiked my rate from $212 per month to $267! Six months later, I rear ended a tanker truck, and my insurance had to pay out $12,000. I drove around a rental car for about a month, and got $6,500 dollars from the insurance company. (12,000 minus 6,000 for the lienholder plus 500 rental reimbursement) I went to my broker to ask advice and to insure my new car as well. In California, your rate cannot be raised until you renew your polcy, unless you move resulting in a zip code change. Well at 267, I knew my rate would go up come the following April, so I had my broker search for a new company. He found one that was 50 dollars cheaper than what I was paying before. Not only that, I moved in town recently and my rate dropped another 12 dollars, resting at $198 per month. So if you have time, see your broker if you have one, or wait until what your renewal offer says.