When Your Premium Changes After a Missouri Accident
You filed a claim after an accident in Missouri. Your current policy term continues at the same premium. The rate increase appears at your next renewal, typically 6 to 12 months after the accident date. Missouri carriers re-rate your policy when the renewal term begins, not when the claim closes.
The size of the increase depends on three factors: whether you were at fault, the total claim amount paid by your carrier, and whether your policy includes accident forgiveness. Missouri is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused the accident bears financial responsibility. If you caused the accident and your carrier paid a claim, your renewal premium rises. If another driver caused the accident and their carrier paid, your premium does not change.
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Get Your Free QuoteMissouri Minimum Liability
$25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000
Missouri requires $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage. An at-fault accident that exceeds these limits can trigger a larger rate increase because the claim amount signals higher risk to the carrier.
Missouri Department of Revenue, Financial Responsibility & Insurance Verification
How Fault and Claim Amount Drive the Rate Increase
Missouri carriers assign a surcharge based on the claim amount and your fault status. An at-fault accident with a paid claim moves you into a higher risk tier. The carrier applies a percentage increase to your base premium, not a flat dollar amount. A household with two vehicles on one policy sees the surcharge applied to the entire policy premium, not just the vehicle involved in the accident.
Claim amount matters. Carriers tier accidents by severity: minor property damage, major property damage, bodily injury, and total loss. Each tier carries a different surcharge percentage. Missouri law does not cap the surcharge amount, so carriers set their own increase schedules.
If you were not at fault and the other driver's carrier paid the claim, your premium does not rise. Missouri is a pure at-fault state, meaning the driver who caused the accident is financially responsible. Your carrier does not surcharge you for an accident another driver caused. If the other driver was uninsured and your uninsured-motorist coverage paid the claim, the surcharge depends on your carrier's policy: some treat it as a not-at-fault claim with no surcharge, others apply a reduced surcharge because your own coverage paid.
The surcharge applies to your entire policy premium at renewal, not just the vehicle involved in the accident. A household with three cars on one policy sees the increase across all three vehicles.
Accident Forgiveness and First-Event Protection
Accident forgiveness is an optional endorsement or a benefit included in certain policy tiers. When active, your first at-fault accident does not trigger a surcharge at renewal. The carrier treats the accident as if it did not happen for rating purposes. Your premium stays flat. Accident forgiveness typically applies once per policy period, not once per vehicle. If you have two cars on one policy and both are involved in separate at-fault accidents within the same term, only the first accident is forgiven.
Eligibility requirements vary. Some carriers require three to five years of accident-free driving before accident forgiveness activates. Others offer it immediately to new customers who meet a clean-record threshold at the time of purchase. A few carriers include it automatically in their preferred-tier policies. If you are unsure whether your policy includes accident forgiveness, check your declarations page or contact your carrier before filing a claim. Once the claim is filed, the carrier applies the surcharge rules in effect at the time of the accident.
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How Long the Surcharge Lasts and When It Drops Off
Missouri carriers apply the accident surcharge for three to five years from the accident date. The surcharge appears at your first renewal after the accident and continues at each subsequent renewal until the accident ages out of your rating period. Most carriers use a three-year lookback: an accident that occurred more than three years ago no longer affects your premium. A few carriers use a five-year lookback for severe accidents involving bodily injury or total loss.
The surcharge does not decrease gradually. It stays at the same percentage for the entire lookback period, then drops to zero when the accident falls outside the rating window. If you switch carriers during the surcharge period, the new carrier will see the accident on your motor vehicle report and apply their own surcharge. Switching does not reset the clock or remove the accident from your record.
Missouri Uninsured Motorist Rate
20.7%
One in five Missouri drivers is uninsured. If an uninsured driver causes an accident and your uninsured-motorist coverage pays the claim, ask your carrier whether they treat it as a not-at-fault claim with no surcharge or apply a reduced surcharge.
Insurance Research Council, 2023
What Happens If You Switch Carriers After an Accident
Switching carriers after an at-fault accident does not erase the surcharge. The new carrier pulls your motor vehicle report during underwriting and sees the accident. They apply their own surcharge schedule, which may be higher or lower than your current carrier's. Some drivers find that switching to a carrier that specializes in non-standard or accident-affected drivers produces a lower total premium even with the surcharge applied, because the base rate is lower.
Timing matters. If you switch carriers before your current policy renews, you avoid the surcharge on your current carrier's renewal but pay it immediately with the new carrier. If you wait until after the renewal, you pay the surcharge once with your current carrier, then again when you switch. The accident stays on your motor vehicle report for the full lookback period regardless of how many times you switch.
Compare Carriers to Find the Lowest Post-Accident Premium
Missouri drivers with a recent at-fault accident should compare carriers before their renewal date. Surcharge schedules vary widely. A carrier that applies a 40-percent increase after a minor accident may cost more at renewal than a carrier that applies a 25-percent increase to a slightly higher base rate. The lowest post-accident premium is not always the carrier you were with before the accident.
Request quotes from at least three carriers that write in Missouri and disclose the accident during the quote process. Carriers that specialize in non-standard auto insurance often offer lower post-accident premiums than preferred-tier carriers. Compare the total six-month or annual premium, not just the monthly payment. Some carriers front-load the surcharge into the first term, others spread it evenly across the lookback period. Use the comparison tool on this site to see which Missouri carriers write policies for drivers with recent accidents and request quotes directly.