If you have been involved in a minor car accident, you should still report the incident. If you do not, you can suffer the consequences even months after the accident has occurred. Here are the four major reasons to file a claim:

1. The Other Driver Can File:  The other driver involved in the car accident may have insisted that they were not going to file a claim with their insurance; however, they have time to change their mind. Typically, you can take up to 30 days before you decide to file a claim for the auto accident. The other driver in your case may decide to do this if they find that they have sustained an injury from the accident that they now want compensation for. If the other driver files and your insurance company discovers the incident from the other insurance company, they will raise your rates. 
2. Your Insurance Can Deny the Claim: If you file a claim for the auto accident after more than a week has passed, your insurance company has a right to deny your claim. This is because, by this time, most evidence that the damages and injuries occurred from that one incident are washed away. In the end, it's best to file a claim as soon as the accident has occurred even if you feel that it is unnecessary. You never know what kind of damages or injuries can show up in the future. 
3. Your Insurance Can Drop You: If your auto insurance company is made aware of an accident that you caused that you did not report, your auto insurance may drop you from coverage. This is because it poses a risk to them and shows a lack of responsibility on your part. No insurance company wants to put themselves at risk in this way. Once you are dropped from an insurance company, it also makes it much more difficult to get insurance coverage from other companies because they will know your history. 
4. You Can Expect a Huge Rate Increase: In order to reduce the financial risk an insurance company takes with you after you have not reported an accident you have caused, they will significantly increase your rate if they don't drop you. This is much worse than the small increase you will see by reporting the accident yourself. 

When you know these four reasons to file a claim, you can see why it's so important for insurance purposes. Don't forget to have an auto accident attorney by your side to ensure that your own insurance company is not taking advantage of you. Remember, the insurance company only has their own best interest in mind, not yours, which is why having an attorney from a firm like Monohan & Blankenship to protect your rights is so important.