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Property Damage Accident Points: What Actually Happens to Your Rate

How many points does a property-damage-only accident add to your license?

Most states assign 3-4 points for an at-fault accident with property damage only, though some use conviction-based systems with no numeric point value. California assigns 1 point. North Carolina assigns 3 points. Florida assigns 3 points for accidents with damages exceeding $500. The points remain on your DMV record for three years in most states, measured from the accident date.

Your insurance company applies its own surcharge independently of the state point system. The carrier surcharge typically lasts three to five years and is based on the claim itself, not the point count. A driver with zero prior claims faces a smaller percentage increase than a driver with a claim already on file, even if both accidents added the same number of DMV points.

Carriers review your full claim history at every renewal through the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) database, which retains accident records for seven years. The DMV points may drop off your license record after three years, but the accident remains visible to insurers for the full CLUE retention period. Some carriers stop surcharging after three years; others maintain the surcharge until the five-year mark.

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What rate increase should you expect after a property-damage accident?

A first at-fault property damage accident typically increases your premium by 20-40% at your next renewal. The exact percentage depends on your carrier, your state, and whether you have prior violations or claims. Drivers with clean records before the accident see increases toward the lower end of that range. Drivers with a speeding ticket or prior claim in the past three years often face increases above 40%.

A driver paying $120/mo before the accident can expect to pay $144-168/mo after a 20-40% surcharge is applied. That increase persists for three to five years depending on the carrier's surcharge schedule. The monthly dollar impact grows larger as your base premium increases with normal annual inflation adjustments.

Some carriers tier their accident surcharges by claim severity. A $2,000 property damage claim may trigger a smaller surcharge than an $8,000 claim, even though both add the same number of DMV points. Progressive, Geico, and State Farm publish tiered accident forgiveness programs that waive the first accident surcharge for drivers who have been continuously insured for a specified period, typically three to five years with the same carrier.

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Does a property-damage accident require SR-22 filing?

A property-damage-only accident does not require SR-22 filing unless it triggers a license suspension for failure to maintain required coverage or failure to pay a judgment. SR-22 is a state-mandated proof-of-insurance filing required after specific violations: DUI, driving without insurance, causing an accident while uninsured, license suspension, or failure to pay a court-ordered judgment.

If you were insured at the time of the accident and your liability coverage paid the claim, no SR-22 filing is required. If you were uninsured or underinsured and the other party filed a claim you could not cover, some states suspend your license until you provide proof of financial responsibility, which triggers SR-22. The filing requirement lasts one to three years depending on the state.

Drivers who already carry SR-22 for a prior violation and then cause a property-damage accident do not receive a second SR-22 filing requirement. The existing filing continues under its original timeline. The accident surcharge applies to your premium, but the SR-22 filing fee and non-standard carrier assignment remain unchanged.

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Stop Overpaying While Your Points Fade

Find Carriers That Accept Points

How long does the accident stay on your insurance record versus your DMV record?

The accident appears on your DMV driving record for three years in most states, but your insurance record retains it for up to seven years through the CLUE database. Carriers access CLUE at every renewal and underwriting review, so the accident remains visible long after DMV points expire.

Most carriers apply the surcharge for three to five years, then remove it even though the accident still appears in CLUE. A few carriers maintain the surcharge for the full seven-year CLUE retention period. The carrier's surcharge schedule is disclosed in your policy documents under the rating or underwriting section.

When you shop for new coverage, every carrier pulls your CLUE report during the quote process. An accident that occurred six years ago no longer triggers a surcharge at most carriers, but it still appears in the underwriting review. Some carriers offer accident forgiveness that prevents the first at-fault accident from appearing in your quoted rate, but forgiveness programs typically require three to five years of prior continuous coverage with the same insurer.

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Can you remove the points or reduce the surcharge early?

Defensive driving courses remove points from your DMV record in some states but do not automatically reduce your insurance surcharge. States including Texas, Florida, and California allow point reduction through approved traffic school, which removes the points from your license and may prevent a suspension if you are near the threshold. The course does not erase the accident from your CLUE report or force your carrier to remove the surcharge early.

You must request a rate review after completing a point-reduction course. Some carriers apply a discount for completing defensive driving; others maintain the full surcharge until the scheduled expiration date. The discount is applied at renewal, not mid-term, unless you contact your agent or carrier directly and request a re-rate.

Switching carriers after the accident often produces a lower premium than staying with your current insurer, even with the surcharge applied. Carriers weight prior claims differently, and some non-standard carriers specialize in drivers with recent at-fault accidents. A driver paying $168/mo with their current carrier after a 40% surcharge may find quotes of $135-150/mo with a competitor willing to apply a smaller accident penalty.

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Which carriers offer the best rates after a property-damage accident?

Geico, Progressive, and State Farm typically remain competitive for drivers with a single at-fault accident and no other violations. These carriers apply tiered accident surcharges and offer accident forgiveness programs that waive the first accident after a qualifying coverage period. Drivers who have been insured with the same carrier for five years may qualify for forgiveness that eliminates the surcharge entirely.

Drivers with multiple claims or violations within three years often receive non-renewal notices from preferred carriers and must move to standard or non-standard markets. Non-standard carriers including The General, Safe Auto, and Dairyland specialize in high-risk drivers and typically quote higher base premiums but apply smaller incremental surcharges for accidents than preferred carriers would.

Carrier appetite for accident-history drivers varies by state under current underwriting guidelines. A driver in Texas with one at-fault accident may receive competitive quotes from six to eight carriers, while the same driver in Michigan or Florida may find only two or three carriers willing to offer standard-market pricing. Always compare quotes from at least three carriers after an accident, and request quotes again at each annual renewal as the accident ages and carrier underwriting rules shift.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a property-damage accident count as a moving violation for insurance purposes?

A property-damage accident is not classified as a moving violation, but it triggers a surcharge similar to or larger than a speeding ticket. Carriers treat at-fault accidents as higher-risk events than most moving violations because accidents demonstrate claim probability. The surcharge typically lasts three to five years.

Will your rate go down automatically when the DMV points expire?

Your rate does not drop automatically when DMV points expire. Carriers apply surcharges based on their own claim-history timelines, which typically run three to five years from the accident date regardless of when points fall off your license. You must reach your renewal date after the surcharge period ends to see the reduction.

Can you switch carriers immediately after an at-fault accident to avoid the surcharge?

Switching carriers does not avoid the surcharge because all insurers pull your CLUE report during the quote process and apply their own accident penalty. Some carriers apply smaller surcharges than others, so shopping for new coverage after an accident often produces a lower total premium even with the surcharge included.

How many at-fault accidents before you lose your license?

Most states do not suspend your license based solely on the number of at-fault accidents unless the total point accumulation from all violations and accidents exceeds the state threshold, typically 12 points in a 12-month or 24-month period. Accidents combined with speeding tickets or other violations accelerate point accumulation and bring you closer to suspension.

Does filing a claim for your own vehicle damage make the surcharge worse?

Filing a collision claim to repair your own vehicle after an at-fault accident typically does not increase the surcharge beyond the liability claim penalty, but it does add a second claim to your CLUE record. Some carriers apply separate surcharges for liability and collision claims; others apply a single combined accident surcharge regardless of how many coverage types were used.