One claim can push insurance up 41 percent

A single insurance claim for a minor traffic accident can increase your annual premium 41 percent, according to a report by insuranceQuotes.com.

In some areas of the U.S., one claim can push premiums up by 76 percent and a second one can nearly double a consumer’s insurance bill, the Web site said.

“Many consumers underestimate the consequences of making claims because they can affect your rate for years,” Laura Adams, a senior analyst at insuranceQuotes.com, told TheDetroitBureau.com.

In some cases, she said, the increase in premiums can exceed the amount of the claim – particularly if consumers’ rates remain high for several years.

In its second annual study of insurance rates, the Web site found that a single claim increased a customer’s rate by an average 41 percent – 3 percentage points higher than the previous year.

Consumers in Massachusetts typically saw a 76 percent increase in rates after one claim, the highest in the U.S., the study found.

California was a close second at 75 percent, with New Jersey third at 72 percent. Drivers in Maryland generally saw the smallest increase at 22 percent.

Claims for collision, property damage or bodily injury drove rates up 41 to 45 percent, the report said.

Comprehensive claims for property theft or incidents such as pothole damage to wheels increased premiums by about 2 percent a year.

The study by insuranceQuotes.com was conducted by Quadrant Information Services, which used data from six major carriers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, TheDetroitBureau.com said.