Tools

Should I file a claim? calculator

Compare what an insurance claim would pay with what a possible premium increase could cost over the following years, using your own numbers.

Runs entirely in your browser: nothing you enter is sent or stored by this site. Results are estimates for planning, not a quote or advice.

What it tells you

A claim pays for today's damage, but an at-fault claim can bring a surcharge that lasts for years. For small losses, paying out of pocket can be cheaper overall. This calculator sets the payout against the possible extra premium so you can see which way your numbers point.

How to use it

  1. Enter the repair estimate and your deductible.
  2. Enter your current yearly premium.
  3. Say who was at fault. If another driver caused the crash, their insurer normally pays through a third-party claim and you skip the deductible.
  4. Enter the premium increase to assume and how long it would last. Both are editable examples, not market figures: surcharges vary by insurer, by state and by the size and type of claim. Your agent or insurer can usually tell you the effect of a claim before you file it.
  5. Tick the box if accident forgiveness applies.

The math

  • Payout = repair estimate − deductible.
  • Possible extra premium = yearly premium × assumed increase × years it lasts (zero if forgiveness applies).
  • Net benefit of filing = payout − possible extra premium.

Important exceptions

  • Always report crashes involving injuries or another vehicle, even if you plan to pay the damage yourself. Most policies require prompt notice, and an injury claim made months later against an unreported accident can leave you without coverage.
  • Not-at-fault and comprehensive claims (theft, hail, hitting a deer) are often treated differently from at-fault collisions, and some states limit surcharges for accidents you did not cause.
  • Paying yourself does not hide the accident from the other driver's insurer or from claims databases if anyone else reports it.

Read should you file a claim or pay out of pocket? before deciding, and how to file a car insurance claim, step by step if you go ahead.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

Related guides

Should you file a claim or pay out of pocket? How to weigh a small claim against your deductible and a possible rate increase, which accidents you should report anyway, and how fault changes the math. How to file a car insurance claim, step by step The steps from the scene of the accident to the final payment, what to have ready when you call, and the deadlines insurers must meet. First-party vs third-party claims The difference between claiming on your own policy and claiming against the at-fault driver's insurer, and how to choose when the other driver caused the crash. Accident forgiveness explained Accident forgiveness stops your premium rising after a first at-fault accident. How GEICO, Progressive, Allstate, Liberty Mutual and others offer it.

Terms used here

Surcharge An extra charge added to your premium after an at-fault accident, traffic violation or claim, usually lasting three to five years. Deductible The amount you pay toward a covered loss before your insurer pays the rest, set per claim for coverages like collision and comprehensive. At-fault accident A crash in which you are found mainly responsible, which your liability coverage pays for and which usually raises your premium at renewal. First-party claim A claim you make under your own insurance policy, such as collision, comprehensive, PIP or uninsured motorist coverage. Third-party claim A claim you make against another driver's insurance for damage or injuries that driver caused, rather than against your own policy.

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