Expert: Bennie719 - 10/24/2007

Question
I was wondering if insurance claims can be retracted or undone by the party placing the claim. If damage was done on the car of the "innocent" and no damage was done on the car of the "at-fault" can the "innocent" party undo a claim that was placed by themselves or are claims not able to be undone?

Answer
Hi Christopher,
Laws vary from state to state, and you did not mention your state of residence.
In most states there is a threshold for the dollar amount of damages before the accident will be considered 'chargeable' and have an impact on your rate.
That threshold is usually $500-$750.
If you are 100% positive that the other car suffered no damage and the occupant suffered no injury, then you can call the insurance and withdraw your claim.  
If your insurance company has already inspected your car and the damage exceeds the state threshold, there will still be a penalty charge placed on your policy for a fault accident.
It doesn't matter whether the insurance pays or not, it's the fact that you were involved in a chargeable accident.
I hope this is of help, please write again if I can provide more assistance.
Your feedback on my answer will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Bennie
San Francisco Bay Area 10-23-07 10:45 PM PST