Should I report this to insurance?

Question

I'm in Texas. I have been in two accidents, one in 2005, and the other in 2008. Both of these times, I completed defensive driving to get the ticket waived. Do I have to report these incidents to a new insurance company?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

your insurance company is already aware -the DMV advises them.  contact your agent regardless.

Answer 3

Yes, of course.  A defensive driver course clears the points from the record, but, it depends on whether the company asks 5 years back, or 3 years whether you report 1 or 2 accidents.  Remember, there is still a record of claims.  It is a matter of disclosure, and not-at-fault accidents have to be reported as well.  You put the details on the appplication, and in the remarks note points cleared by completing driver education.

I take it the first course didn't work, since you managed to s***w up again only 3 years later.  It may not be the best time to change companies.  You may have no points, but you do not have a claims-free record.

Ignore the person who says it is illegal for them to use the accidents against you.  Your record is only cleared of driver licence points, but no court can clear your record of claims.

Um, Wolf Harper, we are not talking tickets, we are talking accidents.  The state drops tickets, but they cannot drop claims.  If an insurance company pays a claim, there is only one way to wipe that out and that is to pay the company back.  I have been an insurance broker a long time, and I can tell you, companies do not drop the claims records just because driver licence points are gone, because a paid claim has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the driver history, and everything to do with the insurance history.  I have registered and insured thousands of vehicle, I had to take university level courses to earn my licence, and upgrade and train every year to keep my licence, I do have some idea what I am talking about.

Answer 4

You might as well. Your new insurance company will get information on your driving record from the DMV and accident information from the company you were last with. If you mislead them on your application, they will probably cancell you.  

Answer 5

no.

If you took driver's course, then you are cleared of them.

good Luck...

Answer 6

To be safe, I would report everything to your new insurance.  I doubt that your two accidents would affect your rates but If you fail to tell them, they can come back and cancel you.  That is not the worst thing, but often AFTER you have an accident, they will go over your application, discover that you failed to report something and then deny coverage.  Be up front with them

Answer 7

you dont have to tell them if you cleared them but, they will check your driving record  anyway. if they were YOUR FAULT, it may be used against you either way... it is not legal for them to use it against you IF YOU LEGALLY CLEARED THE MARKS  but, they do... if they find you a "high risk driver" , they could give you super high rates to scare you away or some lame excuse why they wont cover you . its realy hard to prove when they "blow you off" but they do it and know you cant afford to fight them over it .. or want to.. unfair --yes  .. true---yes.. life in the big city now-a-days..    

Answer 8

Whoa, Fred, calm down.  It's real common for people to get 2 tickets or accidents in three years, that doesn't make them a bad driver.  That's why states drop tickets and accidents off your record in 3 years.

The whole deal with traffic school/defensive driving is that if you take hte course, the DMV agrees to hold the point(s) off your record, which means not telling the insurance company.  This is legal.  Obviously this is wasted if you tell the insurance company - so don't, and they shouldn't be asking IMO.

As for switching, your old insurance company may know about the accidents because you filed claims, so they may treat it as if you had those points.  Definitely shop around for other insurance, and if they are lower, pressure your present company to drop their rates.