Car accidents typically fall off your insurance record in three to five years for rating purposes, though they remain visible on the industry-wide claims database for up to seven years. The exact timing depends on your insurer, your state, and how serious the incident was. A minor at-fault fender bender is usually priced out of your premium within about three years. A DUI-related crash can affect your rates for a decade or more.
The confusion around this question comes from the fact that “your insurance record” isn’t one thing. It’s two separate records with two different clocks.
The Two Records Insurers Check
When you apply for coverage or your policy renews, insurers pull from two sources.
The first is your C.L.U.E. report, maintained by LexisNexis. C.L.U.E. stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, and it logs every auto insurance claim you’ve filed or had filed on your behalf for up to seven years.1LexisNexis Risk Solutions. LexisNexis C.L.U.E. Auto Nearly the entire auto insurance industry contributes claim data to this database, so switching companies won’t hide a past accident. Any insurer that pulls the report can see the full seven-year history.
The second is your Motor Vehicle Report, or MVR, from your state’s department of motor vehicles. Your MVR tracks traffic violations, license suspensions, and accidents reported to the state. How long an accident stays on your MVR depends entirely on state rules. Most states keep accident records for three to five years, but some retain them for a decade or more.
The practical difference: your C.L.U.E. report reflects insurance claims, while your MVR reflects what the state knows about your driving. An accident can appear on one and not the other. If you paid for repairs out of pocket and never filed a claim, the accident might show up on your MVR (if police were called) but not on your C.L.U.E. report.
How Long the Accident Actually Affects Your Rate
Although C.L.U.E. keeps seven years of data, most insurers only factor the last three to five years of claims into your premium. After that window closes, the accident stops driving up your rate, even though it stays visible on the report for a couple more years. It’s similar to a credit report where old items still appear but no longer count against your score.
The exact lookback period varies by company and state. Some states cap how far back an insurer can go when setting rates; others leave it to company discretion. So if you had an accident four years ago and your current insurer isn’t charging you for it anymore, a different insurer pulling your report tomorrow might still see it and price accordingly.
Surcharges also don’t drop off in a straight line. Most of the reduction happens toward the end of the surcharge period, so the steepest penalty comes in the first year or two. A second accident during that window can compound the increases and effectively reset the clock.
When Accidents Stay on Your Record Longer
The three-to-five-year timeline applies to typical accidents. Serious incidents are treated differently. A DUI-related crash or an accident involving reckless driving can affect your rates for ten years or more, depending on your state. Before you assume the clock is nearly up on an old incident, check what category it falls into. The rules for a standard at-fault collision and the rules for an alcohol-related one are not the same.
At-Fault vs. Not-at-Fault Accidents
Whether you caused the accident matters. An at-fault accident is the kind that triggers surcharges and sits prominently on your record. A not-at-fault accident, where the other driver caused the collision, theoretically shouldn’t penalize you. In practice, it’s more complicated.
Some insurers do raise rates after not-at-fault accidents. Research from the Consumer Federation of America found that several major insurers surcharge drivers who were hit by someone else, sometimes by 10% or more. Only a couple of states explicitly prohibit insurers from raising rates on drivers who weren’t at fault. In most of the country, your insurer has discretion.
Your insurer determines fault by reviewing the police report, physical evidence, statements from everyone involved, and eyewitness accounts. In some states, fault is split by percentage. Being found 20% responsible for a crash may be treated differently than being found 80% responsible, and the surcharge threshold varies by company. Two drivers in identical situations but with different insurers can see very different rate impacts.
If another driver caused your accident and your insurer raised your rate anyway, call and ask whether the not-at-fault claim triggered the increase and whether your state has consumer protections that apply.
A Note on Accident Forgiveness
Many insurers offer accident forgiveness, which prevents your rate from increasing after your first at-fault accident. There’s a catch that trips people up: forgiveness prevents the surcharge, but the accident still appears on your C.L.U.E. report.2Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. LexisNexis C.L.U.E. and Telematics OnDemand If you switch insurers, your new company will see the claim and may not honor your old company’s forgiveness. Forgiveness protects you with your current insurer; it doesn’t erase the event from your record.
How to Check What’s on Your Record
You’re entitled to one free copy of your C.L.U.E. report every twelve months under the FACT Act. Request it directly from LexisNexis online, by mail, or by phone through their consumer disclosure portal.3LexisNexis Risk Solutions. LexisNexis Risk Solutions Consumer Disclosure – Home After you submit the request, LexisNexis sends a letter with instructions for accessing the report. For your MVR, contact your state’s DMV. Fees for a driving record copy range from a few dollars to around $25, depending on the state.
Check both reports. Your C.L.U.E. report shows insurance claims; your MVR shows violations and state-reported accidents. An error can appear on either, and each requires its own correction process.
How to Dispute an Error
Mistakes happen more often than you’d expect. A claim gets attributed to the wrong driver, a not-at-fault accident gets coded as at-fault, or a claim you never filed appears on your report. These errors directly inflate your premium.
If you find an inaccuracy on your C.L.U.E. report, dispute it with LexisNexis. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the reporting agency must investigate your dispute within 30 days of receiving it.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 – 1681i If you provide additional information during that window, the investigation can be extended by up to 15 additional days. Gather supporting documents before you file: the police report, correspondence with your insurer, claim settlement letters, and repair receipts all strengthen your case.
For MVR errors, go through your state’s DMV, which has its own correction process. If your insurer is the source of the error, contact them directly and request a correction in writing. Keep copies of everything.
If LexisNexis or your insurer refuses to correct a legitimate error, file a complaint with your state’s insurance department. These complaints are free, and most states require insurers to respond through a formal process. Where an incorrect record has led to unjustified rate increases or a policy cancellation, some drivers have pursued legal action.
What You Can Do While the Clock Runs
Completing a state-approved defensive driving course can knock 5% to 15% off your premium, depending on your state and insurer. Most states offer some form of this discount, and courses are typically short and available online. Ask your insurer which courses qualify before enrolling.
Shop around. Insurers penalize accidents very differently. One company might raise your rate 50% after a claim while another raises it 15%. You don’t need to wait for your renewal date to switch, but settle any open claims with your current insurer first, and verify the new company’s accident forgiveness policy if that matters to you.
Finally, keep the record clean going forward. Surcharges are designed to phase out after three to five years of clean driving. A second accident during that window doesn’t just add another surcharge; it compounds the existing one. Every claim-free renewal is a step back toward your pre-accident rate.