It may be cheaper to pay out of pocket than to file a claim, in some instances, warns a new study.

That fender-bender could be more costly than you expected, according to a new study. Putting in a claim with your insurance company could lead to as much as a 76% increase in your annual premium, depending upon where you live, with the average motorist’s insurance bill climbing by 41%.

How much you’re dunned will depend upon the type of claim, but a second collision could nearly double your bill, according to a new report by insuranceQuotes.com.

“Many consumers underestimate the consequences of making claims because they can affect your rate for years,” said Laura Adams, a senior analyst for the website.

Adams cautions motorists to think careful before filing a claim, especially a small one for property theft, because the insurance payout may not nearly recoup the increase you could face on your premiums.

“If you get a premium hike for making a small claim, that could hurt your finances over the long run,” she said.

Insurance rates are influenced by a variety of factors, including age, experience and location. Many insurers also use factors such as a motorist’s income and education level – practices that came under fire from the Consumer Federation of America this week.

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Insurers are quick to adjust rates once a client starts filing claims. And in its second annual study, insuranceQuotes found that a single claim will send the average American motorist’s bill surging 41%. That’s up three percentage points from a year ago.

The increase varies widely by state, with Massachusetts at the high end, and Maryland at the other extreme – 76% and 22%, respectively.

California was close behind Massachusetts, at 75%, followed by New Jersey, at 62%. On the low end, Michigan motorists saw an average 23% hike after a single claim, while Montana residents saw their insurance premiums climb 25%.

No matter where you live, however, the study found that filing a second claim was a significant financial blow, driving up the average insurance bill by 93% compared to that of a claim-free driver.

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The type of claim has a significant impact, the report noted. The most expensive are for bodily injury and collision or other property damage, rates rising an average 45% and 41%, respectively. Comprehensive claims, which can cover problems as diverse as pothole damage to wheels as well as property theft, increased the typical insurance premium by 2% last year.

Nonetheless, since insurance rates usually remain elevated for a number of years after a claim is paid, motorists need to think about whether it’s worth filing in the first place.

The insuranceQuotes study was conducted by Quadrant Information Services which relied on data from six major carriers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report was based on the assumption of a $2,000 claim and policy limits of $100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage.

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