What kind of an effect can getting a speeding ticket have on your car insurance rates? Is it still possible to find a cheap auto insurance rate even after getting a speeding ticket (or tickets)?
Just imagine that it’s the perfect day outside, no clouds in the sky and the sun is out. All of a sudden you hear the sirens behind you, look in the rear-view mirror and see a police car signaling you to pull to the side. You were going 50 in a 35! Not fun! After the traffic violation is given to you, the first thought in your head other than the ticket itself your car insurance rates. It should worry you because depending on how much over the limit you were driving, your auto insurance premium can rise and of course nobody wants that to happen.
Usually after a first offense your auto insurance rates will not increase, and if they do increase then they wont go up that high. However, if the speeding offense is extreme, which means (in most states) that it is a four point infraction, then your rates could double for the next three years – even if it’s a first offense! After the first three years if you don’t get any other infractions then the auto insurance company will usually start to discount the yearly or monthly rate a little at a time.
It is important to know that certain car insurance companies treat speeding tickets and other traffic violations differently (Similar in part to AllState’s “Accident Forgiveness” program). While some can increase your rate dramatically, other insurance companies will not increase your auto insurance rate at all. This usually means that if you get a speeding ticket or some other traffic violation it can be a great time to compare auto insurance quotes from different companies to find a cheaper rate (Use our free quote finder at the top of the page to compare quotes from multiple insurance companies side by side – get started finding cheap car insurance now!) The reason for rising rates after a speeding ticket with most insurance companies is simple: The faster you go, the more you are likely to get in a car accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives data that shows that 1 out of 3 accidents in the United States is “speed related.”
If you are the head of the family and the policy owner or a teenager under your parents policy, the ticket can affect the rates paid by every single member of your family. Insurance companies however, don’t check driving records every year. Some only check them every two years or so and when one becomes a member. There are cases however, in which the insurance company will check your record continuously (this usually applies to high risk drivers and drivers that operate company owned cars).
There are many ways in which a traffic ticket can increase your rates by a large chunk of money. Below are some of the things an automobile insurance company will look at before making a decision on whether to raise your rates or not.
- Driving Record – If you have a clean driving record and the speeding ticket is not that bad they probably will only raise your rates a little and some companies might not even increase your rate at all.
- Relationship with the Insurance Company – Your relationship with the insurance company will determine the magnitude of the rise in premiums as well. If you have been a customer with the insurance company for a long time, they might not raise the yearly amount of money you pay for car insurance.
- State of Residence – Your state of residence is vital to insurance companies before deciding what to do with a person who just received a speeding violation. While some states have laws passed that prohibit auto insurance companies from raising rates after a first offense, others have laws that require those companies to charge a higher rate after a speeding ticket.
- Number of Miles per Hour Over the Speed Limit – In some cases drivers encounter police officers that will charge you with a speeding tickets for going 5 over the limit in a residential zone. This might not raise your rates because is only 5 miles. However, if a driver is going about 15 miles over the regulated speed limit, they can be charged with reckless driving, which is a major violation. Reckless driving can sometimes more than double your current rates and in some cases insurance providers can even drop you from the policy (Remember that auto insurance is regulated at the State level so these laws differ from state to state).
Whether you have a few speeding tickets on your driving record or you have a pristine driving record without one single ticket – you may be able to save $100’s or even $1,000’s off of your current auto insurance rate. Regardless of your driving history; the important thing is to compare auto insurance quotes from multiple insurers. Use our free auto insurance quote finder at the top of the page or on our home page to get free quotes from top companies side by side. Get started findingcheap auto insurance now!