Average Car Accident Settlement: How Much Can You Get? 2024

After a car accident, you can often file a claim for compensation. Learn the factors that determine how much the average car accident settlement is worth.

June 5, 2024 Read in 3 mins

Data

Car accident settlement trends from 2013-2022 were analyzed, covering bodily injury, property damage, collision claims, frequencies, and average amounts.

Average Car Accident Settlement (2013-2022)

Understanding the financial implications of car accidents is crucial. One key aspect is the average car accident settlement, a topic that draws considerable interest from both claimants and insurance companies.

Specifically, insurers offer settlements to car accident claimants to end claims against their policyholders. Knowing the average value of these settlements allows everyone to set their expectations after a crash.

Average Car Accident Settlement: A Closer Look

The data on private passenger auto insurance losses from 2013 to 2022 presents a revealing narrative of the insurance sector's financial dynamics. Starting at $21,816 in 2013, the total average losses have steadily climbed, reaching $35,516 by 2022.

This gradual yet persistent increase underscores the mounting financial pressures within the auto insurance market. Particularly noteworthy is the sharp rise in losses post-2019, hinting at an accelerated trend in operational costs. Factors such as inflation, the escalating price of vehicle repairs, and increased medical expenses may contribute to this trend.

Trends in Bodily Injury, Property Damage, and Collision Claims

Average Private Passenger Auto Insurance Losses by Type, 2013-2022

www.consumershield.com

%7B%22data%22:%5B%7B%22_type%22:%22datasets%22,%22name%22:%22Property%20damage%22,%22theme%22:%22blue%22,%22_key%22:%22b0f4e59d9c51%22,%22type%22:%22bar%22,%22dataset%22:%7B%22rows%22:%5B%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22888b88c0-718e-4691-a1b0-be7a7650a504%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'13%22,%223231%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22d436f3df-e4f3-47bc-93eb-3b5dd879013c%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'14%22,%223516%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'15%22,%223628%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%222e53ee51-858b-4f39-b9dc-76474cb8ed1a%22%7D,%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22261c9fb4-19cc-4620-9f72-77ea602ceb1f%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'16%22,%223969%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'17%22,%223797%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22ce0c8dfe-d83a-4404-93c7-0d50abb43aec%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'18%22,%223924%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22f8842d12-3b0a-47f1-97a2-3b0a6dc8dba7%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'19%22,%224061%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%225572cbb4-945d-4c0c-a84f-d394edae4cb0%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'20%22,%224450%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22a786533a-ac5d-4246-bf57-e2a7bc3e77b2%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'21%22,%224710%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%2207ab2046-39fd-4868-a261-501a613a76cf%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'22%22,%225313%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%2242b5e2fd-5182-4f5c-87d9-ddd6a8d7ec4a%22%7D%5D%7D,%22valueType%22:%22currency%22%7D,%7B%22dataset%22:%7B%22rows%22:%5B%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'13%22,%2215441%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22888b88c0-718e-4691-a1b0-be7a7650a504%22%7D,%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22d436f3df-e4f3-47bc-93eb-3b5dd879013c%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'14%22,%2215384%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'15%22,%2217014%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%222e53ee51-858b-4f39-b9dc-76474cb8ed1a%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'16%22,%2216082%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22261c9fb4-19cc-4620-9f72-77ea602ceb1f%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'17%22,%2216234%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22ce0c8dfe-d83a-4404-93c7-0d50abb43aec%22%7D,%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22f8842d12-3b0a-47f1-97a2-3b0a6dc8dba7%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'18%22,%2217451%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'19%22,%2218443%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%225572cbb4-945d-4c0c-a84f-d394edae4cb0%22%7D,%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22a786533a-ac5d-4246-bf57-e2a7bc3e77b2%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'20%22,%2219965%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%2207ab2046-39fd-4868-a261-501a613a76cf%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'21%22,%2223172%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'22%22,%2224211%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%2242b5e2fd-5182-4f5c-87d9-ddd6a8d7ec4a%22%7D%5D%7D,%22valueType%22:%22currency%22,%22_type%22:%22datasets%22,%22name%22:%22Bodily%20Injury%22,%22theme%22:%22blue%22,%22_key%22:%22b3077c8cfdff34a2b7db4361dbd26184%22,%22type%22:%22bar%22%7D,%7B%22dataset%22:%7B%22rows%22:%5B%7B%22_key%22:%22888b88c0-718e-4691-a1b0-be7a7650a504%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'13%22,%223144%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'14%22,%223169%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22d436f3df-e4f3-47bc-93eb-3b5dd879013c%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'15%22,%223377%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%222e53ee51-858b-4f39-b9dc-76474cb8ed1a%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'16%22,%223454%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22261c9fb4-19cc-4620-9f72-77ea602ceb1f%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'17%22,%223517%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22ce0c8dfe-d83a-4404-93c7-0d50abb43aec%22%7D,%7B%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22f8842d12-3b0a-47f1-97a2-3b0a6dc8dba7%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'18%22,%223661%5Cr%22%5D%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'19%22,%223826%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%225572cbb4-945d-4c0c-a84f-d394edae4cb0%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'20%22,%223709%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22a786533a-ac5d-4246-bf57-e2a7bc3e77b2%22%7D,%7B%22_key%22:%2207ab2046-39fd-4868-a261-501a613a76cf%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22'21%22,%225136%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22'22%22,%225992%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%2242b5e2fd-5182-4f5c-87d9-ddd6a8d7ec4a%22%7D%5D%7D,%22valueType%22:%22currency%22,%22_type%22:%22datasets%22,%22name%22:%22Collision%22,%22theme%22:%22blue%22,%22_key%22:%22a61b1edd6cb0cc902078491cd5a26c0a%22,%22type%22:%22bar%22%7D%5D,%22isLogarithmic%22:false,%22isStacked%22:true,%22isDouble%22:false,%22isVertical%22:false,%22axisName%22:%22Year%22,%22_type%22:%22chart%22,%22title%22:%22Average%20Private%20Passenger%20Auto%20Insurance%20Losses%20by%20Type,%202013-2022%22,%22slug%22:%7B%22current%22:%22average-car-accident-settlement%22,%22_type%22:%22slug%22%7D%7D

Source: Insurance Information Institute

The data on bodily injury, property damage, and collision claims from 2013 to 2022 shows a clear trend of increasing claim severity across all categories, indicating higher compensation amounts over the years. While claim frequencies fluctuate, the overall cost of claims has risen notably. Bodily injury compensation grew from $15,441 to $24,211, property damage from $3,231 to $5,313, and collision claim costs soared from $3,144 to $5,992, highlighting escalating expenses in handling these claims.

Frequency of Claims: A Decade Overview

The frequency of claims also presents an interesting pattern. While the claim frequency for typical car accident settlements with injury peaked at 1.06% in 2017, it notably decreased to 0.74% in 2022. Conversely, property damage claims, after a slight dip, increased to 2.37% in 2022.

These fluctuations reflect changes in driving behaviors, road safety measures predicted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (NHTSA), and the increasing cost of healthcare and vehicle repairs.

Factors That Affect Your Car Accident Settlement

Every auto collision is unique. Thus, every car crash settlement will also differ. But there are general factors to consider that can affect any claim.

You can seek compensation when someone else’s negligence injures you. The average car accident settlement covers two types of losses: economic and non-economic.

Economic losses cover the monetary costs of your crash, such as:

Property losses
Past and future medical bills
Lost wages
Diminished earning potential

Depending on your state, your compensation can also cover your non-economic losses. These losses represent the effects of your injuries on your quality of life. For example, you lose your independence if your broken leg prevents you from driving yourself and you have to rely on friends and family members to drive you. This loss has value.

Other non-economic losses a car accident settlement can cover include pain, mental anguish, and disability.

Learn About Car Accident Settlements From ConsumerShield

A settlement allows you to resolve a car accident claim without going to trial. ConsumerShield can offer you further guidance on settlements and connect you with a lawyer who can help you pursue one. Contact us for a free case review today.