Is It Possible to Withdraw an Auto Insurance Claim After Filing?

When you file a claim with your auto insurance company, you may later decide doing so wasn't a good idea. In most cases, you can ask your insurance carrier to withdraw the claim. However, the record of the claim will stay on your driving record.

There are a number of reasons why an insured driver may wish to withdraw a claim he filed with his insurance carrier. Common reasons include the cost of repairs being an amount close to the deductible; not wanting to pay a high deductible; or not wanting your insurance rates to increase. Regardless of the reason, you are usually permitted to withdraw claims, as long as payment has not yet been made on the claim. Even if a check has already been issued, so long as the check has not been cashed, the claim can typically be withdrawn. Generally, the only time a claim cannot be withdrawn is when the insured is the party at fault in an accident.

Many people assume that when a claim is withdrawn, any record of the claim is withdrawn as well. That is not true. A record of the claim will still remain on the insured's driving record. However, since the record will reflect a payout of $0, it is unlikely that the record will negatively affect your policy or premiums in any way.