{"id":13024,"date":"2026-05-18T13:57:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T13:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/?p=13024"},"modified":"2026-05-18T13:57:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T13:57:27","slug":"how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-insurance-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-insurance-record\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Do Accidents Stay on Your Insurance Record?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Understanding how long accidents stay on your insurance record is important for managing your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">auto insurance<\/a>&nbsp;costs and driving history. Accidents can&nbsp;impact&nbsp;your premiums and remain on your records for varying lengths of time depending on the severity and fault. Insurance records and DMV records serve different&nbsp;purposes&nbsp;but both influence your driving profile. Factors such as the type of accident, state regulations, and insurance company policies&nbsp;determine&nbsp;how long an accident affects your rates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article will explain the&nbsp;duration that different types of accidents&nbsp;stay on your insurance and DMV records, how these records influence your premiums, and provide guidance on accessing and managing your driving and insurance information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Long Do Accidents Stay on Your Insurance Record?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many drivers wonder exactly how long car accidents stay on their insurance record and affect what they pay. The direct answer: most insurance companies look back three to five years when calculating your premiums.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The term \u201cinsurance record\u201d typically refers to your&nbsp;claims&nbsp;history report (such as a CLUE report) and your internal file with each insurer\u2014not just your state DMV abstract. These records track every claim&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;filed, regardless of which company you were with at the time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The clock typically starts on the&nbsp;accident date&nbsp;itself, not when repairs are completed or when the claim is closed.&nbsp;This is an important distinction because many drivers assume their \u201cclean record\u201d countdown begins later than it&nbsp;actually does.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how different accident types typically affect your record:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Minor at-fault accidents<\/strong>: Usually remain on your insurance record for about 3 years&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major at-fault crashes<\/strong>&nbsp;(injuries or large payouts): Often affect rates for 5 years or longer&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DUI or reckless driving accidents<\/strong>: Can&nbsp;impact&nbsp;your premiums for 7\u201310 years, sometimes longer&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Comprehensive-only claims<\/strong>&nbsp;(hail, theft, deer strike):&nbsp;Generally&nbsp;have less impact on liability pricing and may affect eligibility rather than surcharges&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>More serious accidents carry longer consequences because insurers view them as stronger indicators of future risk. A minor fender bender suggests a momentary lapse, while a crash involving injuries or property damage exceeding certain thresholds signals a pattern that many insurance companies want to&nbsp;monitor&nbsp;for an extended period.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">DMV Record vs. Insurance Record:&nbsp;What\u2019s&nbsp;the Difference?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding the difference between your DMV record and your insurance record is essential for managing your driving history and insurance costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">State DMV Records&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>State agencies (DMV, DPS, BMV, depending on your location)&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;your official driving record. This document shows your traffic tickets, license suspensions, reported crashes, and moving violations. Most states keep standard violations on file for 3\u20135 years, though more serious offenses like DUIs can remain for 10 years or even permanently in some&nbsp;jurisdictions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In New Jersey, most accidents fall off insurance records in three years. New York typically keeps accidents on driving records for about four years. California accidents reported to the DMV stay visible for three years, though DUIs can remain for up to ten years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Insurance Company Records&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Insurers&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;separate rating histories&nbsp;and also&nbsp;check third-party databases like CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) and ISO. These databases track your claims history nationwide across all carriers and can&nbsp;retain&nbsp;accident records for up to seven years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s&nbsp;the critical difference:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>DMV focus<\/strong>: Tracks violations, suspensions, and reported crashes per state law. Used for driver license status and driving privileges.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insurer focus<\/strong>: Tracks claims&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;filed, payouts made, fault determinations, and patterns across all your past policies. Used to&nbsp;determine&nbsp;your premium.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>An accident can age off your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmvusa.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DMV<\/a>&nbsp;record but still affect quotes if it&nbsp;remains&nbsp;visible in claims databases your insurer uses. This is why you might expect lower rates after a certain period, only to find that a new insurer still sees the claim when they&nbsp;pull&nbsp;your history.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Long Do Different Types of Accidents Affect Your Auto Insurance?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all crashes are rated the same. Fault, claim type, and payout amount all influence how long an accident matters to insurers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Typical patterns by accident type:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>At-fault property damage crash<\/strong>: Often surcharges for 3\u20135 years. The severity of damage and total&nbsp;claim cost&nbsp;can push this toward the longer end.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>At-fault crash with injuries or big payout<\/strong>:&nbsp;Typically&nbsp;5 years or longer. Especially those involving medical bills or liability claims from other parties.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Not-at-fault crash<\/strong>: May still be visible for 3\u20135&nbsp;years, but&nbsp;often carries a smaller or no surcharge depending on state law. Some states restrict how insurers can raise rates for accidents where you&nbsp;weren\u2019t&nbsp;responsible.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Comprehensive-only claims<\/strong>&nbsp;(theft, hail, vandalism, collision with animals): Usually have less impact on liability surcharges but may affect your eligibility for certain policies or influence comprehensive deductible changes.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Some states have specific regulations limiting how insurers can use not-at-fault accidents or&nbsp;very small&nbsp;claims when setting rates. Each insurer also files its own surcharge schedule with the state, so two companies can treat the same crash differently in both size of increase and duration of surcharge.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This variation is why shopping around after an accident is so valuable\u2014what one company penalizes&nbsp;heavily,&nbsp;another might view more leniently.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Factors That Determine How Long an Accident Influences Your Rates&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Insurers&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;simply ask \u201cdid you have a crash?\u201d They examine several risk factors that change how long they keep rating it:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fault determination<\/strong>: At-fault versus not-at-fault makes the biggest difference. Partial fault (where states allow it) creates a middle ground that still typically raises rates, just less severely.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Severity of the crash<\/strong>: Injuries, total&nbsp;loss&nbsp;vehicles, and large medical or liability payouts all signal higher risk. The more serious the outcome, the longer insurers tend to apply surcharges.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Claim cost thresholds<\/strong>: Many insurers use specific dollar thresholds. For example, claims above $1,000 or $2,000 often trigger larger, longer surcharges. In California, accidents causing property damage exceeding $1,000 must be reported to the DMV.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Number of claims<\/strong>: Multiple accidents or multiple claims within 3\u20135 years can extend higher pricing significantly. This pattern can push you into \u201chigh risk\u201d or \u201cnon-standard\u201d driver categories with&nbsp;even&nbsp;stricter rating.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Violation&nbsp;tie-ins<\/strong>: Accidents that include tickets for speeding, DUI, or reckless driving can be surcharged longer than clean accident records. A crash combined with a moving violation compounds the impact.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>State rules<\/strong>: Some states&nbsp;cap&nbsp;surcharge duration or limit use of older violations and claims in rating formulas.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Many auto insurers use a standard \u201cexperience period\u201d (often 36 or 60 months) and re-rate policies at each renewal within that window. Freeway Insurance specializes in helping&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/high-risk-drivers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">higher-risk and non-standard drivers<\/a>&nbsp;find companies that may look&nbsp;back&nbsp;fewer years or rate more leniently for certain accident types.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2.jpg\" alt=\"Toy cars involved in a collision beside a judge\u2019s gavel, representing legal issues and car insurance record consequences after an accident.\" class=\"wp-image-13028\" style=\"width:793px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2-294x196.jpg 294w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/freeway-how-long-do-accidents-stay-on-your-record-2-285x190.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Do Car Insurance Rates Go Back Down After an Accident?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rates often start to ease after about three claim-free years, but the timing depends on your insurer\u2019s surcharge schedule and the seriousness of the claim.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many companies use a gradual reduction model rather than removing the surcharge all at once.&nbsp;You\u2019ll&nbsp;typically see the largest increase at your first renewal following the accident, with smaller decreases applied at&nbsp;subsequent&nbsp;renewals until the accident ages out of the rating period.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example timelines:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Minor at-fault crash<\/strong>: Premium bump for about 3 renewals, then often removed entirely if you&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;a clean record with no new tickets or claims.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major at-fault injury crash<\/strong>: Elevated rates for 5 years or more. Some carriers&nbsp;require&nbsp;a longer claim-free period before offering \u201cpreferred\u201d pricing again.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Your rates may never return to the exact&nbsp;pre accident&nbsp;levels because base rates, inflation, and coverage changes move over time independent of your accident. However, the risk \u201cpenalty\u201d from the accident itself can and does expire.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Switching carriers after an accident&nbsp;doesn\u2019t&nbsp;erase your history\u2014the new insurer will still see it through CLUE and similar databases. But different companies price the same accident history differently, which is where working with a broker like Freeway Insurance helps. You can compare options to find who currently offers fair compensation for your improved driving behavior.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ways to Reduce the Impact of an Accident on Your Insurance Costs&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You usually&nbsp;can\u2019t&nbsp;erase a valid accident from your record, but you can often reduce how much you pay while&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;still affecting your premiums.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Practical strategies to lower costs:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Maintain&nbsp;a clean record going forward<\/strong>: No new tickets, DUIs, or at-fault claims. Each renewal without incident&nbsp;demonstrates&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;a safe driving risk worth keeping.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ask about&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/discounts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>discounts<\/strong><\/a>: Many insurance companies offer safe driver discounts, multi-car and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/should-you-bundle-home-auto-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">multi-policy bundling<\/a>, good student&nbsp;discounts, and&nbsp;telematics or usage-based programs that can offset surcharges.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Complete a defensive driving course<\/strong>: In some states and with some insurers, an approved defensive driving course can reduce a&nbsp;portion&nbsp;of the surcharge or add a discount to your policy.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consider raising deductibles<\/strong>: If you can afford a higher out-of-pocket cost&nbsp;in the event of&nbsp;another claim, increasing your&nbsp;deductible&nbsp;can lower your premium while&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;being surcharged.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Review coverages and limits<\/strong>: Trim unnecessary&nbsp;extras, but&nbsp;be careful not to drop required or essential protections like liability coverage or uninsured motorist coverage. Protect yourself adequately.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shop around<\/strong>: Different insurers weigh accidents differently. An agency like Freeway Insurance can quote multiple carriers at once to find cheaper options for drivers with recent accidents on their record.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The key is&nbsp;taking&nbsp;proactive steps rather than simply waiting for the accident to age off your record. Every action that reduces your premium compounds over the three to five years&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;paying elevated rates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may want to read:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/get-more-with-freeway\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How Freeway Insurance Helps Drivers Get More Without Paying More\u202f<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accident Forgiveness and Other Special Programs&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Accident forgiveness programs prevent your first qualifying at-fault accident from raising your rates with that&nbsp;insurer.&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;essentially insurance&nbsp;for your insurance rate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Important details&nbsp;about accident forgiveness:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>It typically must&nbsp;be on&nbsp;your policy before the accident occurs\u2014you&nbsp;can\u2019t&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;it after the fact&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It may not apply to&nbsp;very serious&nbsp;crashes like DUI incidents, hit-and-runs, or major injury accidents&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It prevents a surcharge but does not remove the accident from your claims history databases (other insurers will still see it)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond accident forgiveness, some insurers offer other features that can soften the long-term effect of a claim:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Vanishing deductibles<\/strong>: Your deductible decreases over time with safe driving&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Loyalty discounts<\/strong>: Long-term customers may receive&nbsp;rate forgiveness&nbsp;after accidents&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Small claim exceptions<\/strong>: Claims below a certain dollar threshold may not trigger surcharges&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Availability and rules vary widely by insurer and state. Not every company offers these programs, and the specific terms differ significantly. A broker like Freeway Insurance can help check which companies offer these programs in your area and&nbsp;determine&nbsp;whether you qualify.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Freeway Insurance Helps Drivers with Accidents on Their Record&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Freeway Insurance is a U.S.-based insurance agency that works with many different auto insurers, including companies willing to&nbsp;insure&nbsp;high risk&nbsp;and non-standard drivers who may have been turned down elsewhere.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How Freeway can&nbsp;assist:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Compare quotes from multiple carriers<\/strong>&nbsp;for drivers with recent accidents or SR-22 requirements, all in one request&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Identify&nbsp;companies using shorter lookback periods<\/strong>&nbsp;or more flexible surcharge rules for certain types of accidents&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Help customers bundle auto with renters or&nbsp;homeowners&nbsp;insurance<\/strong>&nbsp;to offset some of the accident-related premium increases through multi-policy discounts&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Offer bilingual (English\/Spanish) support<\/strong>&nbsp;online, by phone, and in local offices for drivers who prefer in-person help&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Freeway can also discuss related&nbsp;coverages&nbsp;like roadside&nbsp;assistance, rental reimbursement, and medical&nbsp;payments&nbsp;coverage to make sure&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;not underinsured after a serious crash. These protections matter when&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;already dealing with the&nbsp;financial impact&nbsp;of higher premiums.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;recently had an accident and seen your premium increase, contact Freeway Insurance at&nbsp;<a href=\"tel:800-777-5620\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">800-777-5620<\/a>&nbsp;or visit one of&nbsp;our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/locations.freeway.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">offices<\/a>&nbsp;for a personalized review or get a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free quote online<\/a>. Even while that accident&nbsp;remains&nbsp;on&nbsp;your record, you may be able to obtain better rates than&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;currently paying.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does a car accident ever completely disappear from my record?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most accidents \u201cage out\u201d for rating purposes after a&nbsp;set number&nbsp;of years\u2014typically three to five years for standard incidents. However, older claims may still appear in some databases even when they no longer affect your price.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some states and insurers permanently&nbsp;retain&nbsp;serious violations like DUIs for internal records, even if they no longer directly change your premium. What matters most&nbsp;for&nbsp;your bill is how far back each insurer looks when calculating rates, not whether the data exists somewhere in the background.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask your agent or a Freeway Insurance representative how far back a specific company looks before assuming an old accident no longer matters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will a no-fault accident still show up on my insurance record?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, most insurers still see no-fault accidents or claims because they are filed and paid even when you&nbsp;didn\u2019t&nbsp;cause the crash. The claim appears in databases like CLUE regardless of fault determination.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, some states restrict insurers from&nbsp;surcharging&nbsp;for&nbsp;certain not-at-fault accidents. Companies may still consider a pattern of frequent claims as a risk factor even if none were your fault. The&nbsp;financial impact&nbsp;of a true no-fault accident is usually smaller and may last a shorter time than a comparable at-fault crash.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do small claims or fender benders always raise my rates?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not always.&nbsp;Very small&nbsp;claims&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;automatically trigger a surcharge\u2014many insurers use&nbsp;minimum&nbsp;claim thresholds (for example, claims under $500) or allow one minor claim without a significant increase.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, frequent small claims can still mark you as&nbsp;higher&nbsp;risk, potentially extending how long&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;treated as a higher-cost customer. In some situations, paying out-of-pocket for minor damage instead of filing a collision claim can prevent a future surcharge. Check your specific policy terms and talk to an agent before deciding whether to file.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I get cheaper insurance if I switch companies after an accident?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Switching&nbsp;doesn\u2019t&nbsp;erase the accident from your record\u2014new insurers will still see it in claims databases. But each company rates risk differently, so quotes can vary significantly even for identical accident histories.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some carriers specialize in non-standard or&nbsp;high risk&nbsp;drivers and may offer more affordable options for people with recent at-fault accidents or SR-22 requirements. Freeway Insurance can&nbsp;help compare&nbsp;multiple insurers quickly to&nbsp;find&nbsp;who is currently treating your specific accident type more leniently.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I find out exactly&nbsp;what\u2019s&nbsp;on my driving and insurance records?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Request an official driving record from your state DMV or equivalent motor vehicles agency to see tickets, suspensions, and reported crashes. You can typically mail a form with the required fee, visit in person with valid identification, or&nbsp;submit&nbsp;online requests through your state\u2019s DMV website. Have your&nbsp;driver&nbsp;license number and current address ready.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also request a copy of your CLUE auto report from the reporting agency once per year to see your claims history. Reviewing these records helps catch errors\u2014such as incorrect accident dates or fault assignments\u2014which can sometimes be challenged and corrected. Freeway Insurance agents can help interpret&nbsp;what\u2019s&nbsp;displayed on your record information and how&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;likely to affect future premiums.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understanding how long accidents stay on your insurance record is important for managing your&nbsp;auto insurance&nbsp;costs and driving history. Accidents can&nbsp;impact&nbsp;your premiums and remain on your records for varying lengths of time depending on the severity and fault. Insurance records and DMV records serve different&nbsp;purposes&nbsp;but both influence your driving profile. Factors such as the type of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1002635,"featured_media":13027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[],"importance":[],"type-content":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13024"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1002635"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13024"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13030,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13024\/revisions\/13030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13024"},{"taxonomy":"importance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/importance?post=13024"},{"taxonomy":"type-content","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-content?post=13024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}