Does the first claim in the first year of a new car affect the second year's insurance?
2 Answers
Whether the first insurance claim in the first year of a new car affects the second year's insurance depends on the number of claims made. If the new car only had one claim in the first year of insurance, it will not affect the second year, and the premium will neither increase nor decrease. However, if the policyholder makes two or more claims in the first year, it will affect the premium in the second year, which will increase by a certain proportion based on the claim situation. More relevant information is as follows: Reducing insurance premium rates: If the insured vehicle has no road traffic safety violations or road traffic accidents, the insurance company should reduce its premium rate in the next year. In subsequent years, if the insured vehicle still has no road traffic safety violations or road traffic accidents, the insurance company should continue to reduce its premium rate until it reaches the minimum standard. Increasing insurance premium rates: If the insured vehicle has road traffic safety violations or road traffic accidents, the insurance company should increase its premium rate in the next year. If there are multiple road traffic safety violations, road traffic accidents, or major road traffic accidents, the insurance company should further increase the premium rate.
Making a claim in the first year of owning a new car will definitely affect the insurance premium in the second year. I learned this the hard way. Last year, shortly after getting my new car, I accidentally scraped it against a guardrail and filed a claim for repairs costing over 2,000 yuan. As a result, when renewing my insurance this year, the premium increased by more than 800 yuan. The insurance company explained that because I had made a claim, I could no longer enjoy the no-claims discount. I advise new car owners to be especially careful—if the repair cost for minor scratches is under 1,000 yuan, it’s more cost-effective to pay out of pocket. Otherwise, the increase in next year’s premium might exceed the repair cost. Of course, if a major accident occurs and you must file a claim, safety should always come first.
