How Many Times Can You Claim Car Insurance in a Year?
3 Answers
There is no limit to reporting vehicle damage. Insurance companies impose no restrictions on the number of claims. As long as the incident occurs within the policy period and falls under the coverage, the insurer will compensate. However, frequent claims may affect the renewal discount for the following year, impacting future premiums. Here is additional information: 1. Renewal Pricing: All policyholders have an insured amount when purchasing insurance. For example, if the insured amount is 100,000 yuan, the total cost of multiple repairs cannot exceed this amount. Any excess must be covered by the policyholder. 2. Insurance Basics: Due to a lack of insurance knowledge, some policyholders only realize after purchasing insurance that car insurance is not all-encompassing. There are certain absolute or partial exclusions, such as no coverage for drunk driving, unlicensed driving, unregistered vehicles, waiving the right to recover, aftermarket modifications, or a 30% absolute deductible for hit-and-run cases.
I've been driving for over ten years, and when it comes to the number of insurance claims, there's actually no set limit on how many times you can claim in a year. Insurance companies won't refuse to pay just because you've made three claims, but each claim leaves a record in their system. The key point is that when you renew your policy the next year, they'll review your claim history to determine how much to increase your premium. My neighbor made four claims last year and got rejected when trying to switch insurers. It's really not cost-effective to file claims for minor scratches and dents—paying out of pocket might only cost 300-500 RMB, but the premium increase could be over a thousand. For major incidents, you should definitely file a claim, but it's advisable to keep claims within twice a year to be on the safe side.
When I first bought car insurance this year, I specifically asked the agent. He said there's no legal limit on the number of claims—they'd have to pay even for five or eight claims. But the reality is, just one claim removes your premium discount for the next year; two claims increase the premium by 25%. A former colleague of mine made three claims in a year and ended up with doubled premiums plus an additional high-risk fee at renewal. Now, for minor accidents, I'd rather pay out of pocket. When I smashed the rearview mirror, I spent 800 yuan to fix it myself. If I had filed a claim, I'd have to pay over 2,000 yuan more in premiums next year—no matter how you calculate it, it's a loss.
