Does My Car Insurance Carrier Get Notified If I Get A Speeding Ticket?

Posted on Jun 15, 2015
Does My Car Insurance Carrier Get Notified If I Get A Speeding Ticket

Among the factors that will determine how much a driver will have to pay for their car insurance, the driving record is one of the most critical. The difference between a driving record that is clean and one that is filled with citations could cost hundreds of dollars out of pocket each year.

Many times, driving records are checked by insurance companies to determine which rates to charge.  If your record has a few blemishes on it, this could be reflected in your bill. When it comes to speeding tickets, these could have an impact on any discounts you are currently enjoying on your auto insurance plan.

If your record is already blemished with violations from previous driving incidents, it could take several months to years to have them expire.  In some cases, they never go away. You can visit your local DMV to go over your driving record and determine where you might be able to improve it.

It could take only one ticket, depending on the violation, to boost the auto insurance premium rates of an average policyholder.  This could be as high as 22 percent, according to an article posted on Forbes regarding the analysis of almost 500,000 policy quotes made by Insurance.com.

Severity of the Violation Affects Rates

While adjustments made to premiums due to moving violations will vary between the insurance providers and the record of the driver, you can almost guarantee bigger rate increases when it comes to serious infractions.

For example:

  • You would be given a low-impact ticket for driving with a headlight that’s broken.
  • If you receive a citation for driving 10 miles over the posted speed limit, you could face a more moderate impact on your insurance rates.
  • Severe consequences to your rates can come from a DUI conviction.

Speeding Tickets

If you receive a ticket for speeding, the speed in which you were exceeding the limit will matter. A driver who speeds 15 miles or more over the speed limit can see a higher increased rate on their insurance than a driver who was only going 5 miles over. Since excessive speeding links to more auto accidents, in the eyes of the insurance provider, this would make the driver a bigger risk.

When You Will See Rate Increases

If you should get a rate increase due to a speeding ticket, it probably won’t be reflected on your policy until it is time for renewal. This could be once every six months or once a year, depending on the policy. If there is an event that would normally qualify for a lower insurance rate, you will then most likely see little to no change.

Drivers under the age of twenty-five are thought of as higher risk drivers. If you turn twenty-five before your policy is up for renewal, any savings that you might have received for turning to an age that is thought to be less risky is offset by the speeding ticket.

Will You Be Dropped From Your Insurance?

Although unlikely, in the event of more than one violation, your insurance provider could drop you as a customer by not renewing your policy. If your insurance company doesn’t renew your policy, you will have to find another insurance provider that works with high risk drivers.

Should your insurance rate get to the point where it becomes too expensive, you could raise your deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage.  By increasing your deductibles from $250 to $500, you could potentially get a 30 percent savings off your rates.

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at 201-227-1800 or through our contact form.

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