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When you file a car accident claim with your insurance company, it affects your rates slightly, even if the accident was not your fault. This is why it's important to know when you should file a claim and when you shouldn't. Here are three times you shouldn't:

You Were Not Injured in a One-Car Accident:

If you crashed into a tree, fence, or pole, this is considered a one-car accident. You shouldn't have to file a claim in this instance if you were not injured. However, you may want to file if there is significant damage to your vehicle and you have comprehensive insurance. Your insurance will not cover damages to your vehicle in this situation unless you have comprehensive insurance. If this is the case, it would be a waste of time to file a claim with your insurance company if you are not injured because you will have to pay out of pocket for the repairs to your vehicle anyway. 

You Can Pay for the Damages Yourself:

If the damages to your vehicle are going to cost less than your deductible amount, then filing a claim is unnecessary since your insurance won't be covering any of the cost anyway. However, at the time of the accident, it can be difficult to determine whether or not the damages are going to cost more or less than your deductible amount. A good rule of thumb is to file a police report and take your vehicle to a collision center for an estimate of the cost of repairs right away before you decide whether or not to file a claim. However, you should always file a claim right away if anyone is injured or the vehicle is not drivable. In these situations, the damages to your vehicle are most likely more than your deductible amount. Plus, you will want coverage from the insurance company for the injured person or people involved. 

There is No Damage to Any Property: 

If someone accidentally bumps your vehicle very slightly but leaves no marks on your vehicle, then you definitely don't need to get insurance involved. Even though it was the other person's fault for the accident, filing a claim for this will still affect your rates. The same is true if someone bumps your garage door but leaves no marks or backs into your fence without leaving any marks or bent posts.

When you know these three situations in which you shouldn't file a car accident claim, you can be sure that you aren't making unnecessary claims that can affect your rates and give your vehicle a poor car accident report.