Your first thought, when you see the flashing lights of a cop car in the rearview mirror, is “Uh-oh!”
Your second thought: “How much is my insurance going to go up for this?”
Whether you’ve been late for that special occasion or possibly you just have serious lead foot, we all have been guilty of speeding. Out of the 195 million licensed drivers on the road, 41 million of them are getting ticketed every year on average, that means you have around a 20% chance of getting a ticket yourself. To make matters worse, Connecticut is among the top ten states in America with the most speeding tickets, so if you’re reading let’s just say that you’ve most likely gotten a ticket.
But let’s address the matter at hand, how much will your insurance increase after a speeding violation. But first, let’s see why it increases.
How much your auto insurance premiums will increase, if at all, after you receive a speeding ticket depends on several factors. The first is how much you were exceeding the speed limit. Drivers ticketed for speeding 15 miles or more over the speed limit receive higher rate increases. The next factor relates to repeat violations.
If you are receiving multiple speeding tickets, regardless of severity, you are probably going to see a rate increase. Finally, many states use a points system for moving violations and insurers also associate risk with these points. The more points you have, and the longer they are on your record, the higher your auto insurance rates.
Speeding tickets can not only result in increased rates, but there are some other consequences as well. You can lose out on safe driving discounts that you would have otherwise earned over time with your insurance company. Also, if you get enough moving violations, your insurance company might cancel your policy, and you’ll need to seek coverage through your state’s risk plan. This type of plan is usually more expensive than a standard policy.
Insurance rate increases by violation:
| Violation | % increase in your rate |
| Reckless driving | 22% |
| DUI 1st offense | 19% |
| Driving without a license/permit | 18% |
| Careless driving | 16% |
| Speeding: | 13% |
| 30 mph over the speed limit | 15% |
| 15 to 29 mph over the speed limit | 12% |
| 1 to 14 mph over the speed limit | 11% |
| Failure to stop | 15% |
| Improper turn | 14% |
| Improper passing | 14% |
| Tailgating (following too close) | 13% |
| Failure to yield | 9% |
| No car insurance | 6% |
| Seat belt infractions | 3% |
*Note that these percentages are estimates and can vary drastically per claim
How long will a ticket affect my rates?
The look-back period differs by state and by company.
You should expect at minimum to be rated on violations, accidents and suspensions for the last three years. Some companies go back to the date of the incident, and others go back to the day of conviction.
Many companies will look back five or even 10 years for major violations such as a DUI. For instance, in California insurers aren’t allowed to offer a good driver discount until 10 years have passed after a DUI violation.
And, just as a violation doesn’t raise your rates until your insurer sees the offense on your MVR, the surcharge won’t stop immediately when a violation falls off your record. You will have to wait until the next policy period when your insurer pulls your MVR.
For questions about how your auto insurance will be affected by a driving violation, please contact us at 203-481-8898
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Pawson Insurance | Legal Disclaimer |
Informational statements regarding insurance coverage are for general description purposes only. These statements do not amend, modify or supplement any insurance policy. Consult the actual policy or your agent for details regarding terms, conditions, coverage, exclusions, products, services and programs which may be available to you. Your eligibility for particular products and services is subject to the final determination of underwriting qualifications and acceptance by the insurance underwriting company providing such products or services. Statements on this website as to policies and coverages provide general information only. This information is not an offer to sell insurance.