UPDATED: APRIL 27, 2023 | 3 MIN READ
Receiving a traffic ticket is a stressful and expensive experience immediately and in the long term. Beyond the apparent price and inconvenience of the ticket itself, there is the matter of understanding how the ticket will raise your insurance rates and, thus, future financial responsibilities.
Data will naturally fluctuate from year to year. Still, it’s essential to look at possible patterns or trends to best know what to expect in years to come. To get you started, here are the basics on how much a ticket will raise your car insurance rates in 2022.
Different Types of Traffic Tickets
Tickets can be expected to remain on your insurance and raise your rates for about three years. This is what car insurance companies mean when they mention your driving history and how it impacts your car insurance premiums or deductibles. A clean driving record means lower rates, which sounds great until you finally receive a ticket.
The way a citation will impact your auto insurance rate depends on the type of citation you receive. Parking tickets, speeding tickets, and other traffic citations will all vary in cost, points on your license, and weight in the eyes of your insurance providers.
Parking Tickets
Fortunately, parking tickets are the least likely to impact your insurance premiums. Since they don’t go on your permanent driving record, you will not receive points. Insurance companies can’t use them to their advantage as they do other violations.
However, paying your parking fine when you receive it promptly is essential. If you let your ticket go unpaid and receive legal penalties, this can directly impact your insurance premiums.
Speeding Tickets
Speeding violations are amongst some of the most common traffic violations every year. They are also the most notorious for boosting insurance premiums.
However, the way this will impact your insurance will vary by state. The national average is 24%, but California drivers can see a staggering 50% increase, while Texas drivers may only see a 10% increase.
Other Common Tickets
Moving violations, DUIs, and running red lights are other standard traffic tickets that can impact your insurance rates. The specific impacts of each ticket type will vary by state. Still, you can expect massive spikes from DUIs (around 61% in Florida, for example) and a standard bump (7-28%) for red light violations.
Financial Impacts Over Time
While a ticket is also a notice of legal repercussions, the most notorious component of a traffic ticket is the associated fine and other financial burdens, including raising insurance rates. There are both short-term and long-term financial impacts of traffic infractions, regardless of the ticket type or severity.
Short-Term Ramifications
The most immediate financial consequence of a ticket is fine. Since tickets seem ordinary, it may seem like these fines are a nuisance more than a real burden. However, many tickets can cost several hundred dollars, depending on the specific violation committed and the state’s unique laws.
Your fine amount will vary depending on your state and the severity of your violation. This means stricter consequences for higher speeds. For example, the brackets for speeding ticket fines in Colorado are:
- 1-4 mph = $36
- 5-9 mph = $80
- 10-19 mph = $151
- 20-24 mph = $232
- 25+ mph = $100-300 and 10-90 days of jail time
In addition to the initial fine, you may have to purchase a driver’s course depending on the circumstances of your ticket. These will cost less than the ticket but will still add up in terms of time and money.
Finally, suppose you want to fight your ticket in court to reduce the risk of license suspension from points. In that case, you will incur the costs of making your court date and/or hiring legal representation to help fight your ticket.
Long-Term Costs
As discussed, a ticket will go on your driving record. Thus, you can expect your ticket to cause an increase in your insurance premiums for some time. Higher rates add up quickly. Even if the bump to your monthly premium seems insignificant, the overall cost after three years of this raised premium can hurt your budget.
The average monthly cost of full coverage for some major providers includes the following:
| Provider | Without a Speeding Infraction | With a Speeding Infraction |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $195 | $229 |
| Geico | $140 | $178 |
| Progressive | $156 | $201 |
| State Farm | $99 | $110 |
| Nationwide | $165 | $208 |
You can receive extreme consequences if your violation is more severe than a simple parking mishap or high-speed driving, such as a DUI. This includes $10,000 or more of fines that will leave you in debt and with a criminal record. Even if you don’t serve jail time, this is a cost that will follow you around for years, possibly even costing you employment and other financial opportunities.
Lowering Your Rates After a Ticket
Once you’ve received the ticket, you know you can expect your car insurance company to notice. Increased premiums won’t occur immediately. It will take a while before you receive the higher premiums on your insurance policy.
That said, not all hope is lost. There are ways to lower your rates after receiving a traffic ticket and return your monthly premiums to normal.
Wait it Out
The path of least resistance is simply waiting until your rates return to normal. Policies will typically specify how long tickets impact premiums. Once enough time has passed to put you outside that window, that ticket will no longer affect your rates.
This process takes time, however, and you will be paying higher premiums the entire time. Most policies factor in tickets issued in the past 3-5 years, so there may be better routes if the raised cost is substantial.
Take Classes
Some car insurance companies and policies will allow you to take a driver’s education class to lower your insurance premium after receiving a ticket. Many other similar programs reward safe driving moving forward as well.
Shop New Policies
Companies have different ways of evaluating their rates. It’s possible to find a company that will provide lower rates.
FAQs
What is one thing that will raise your car insurance rate?
You can expect tickets, especially speeding tickets, to raise your auto insurance premiums. This increase can last for years, but it’s important to check the details of your auto insurance plan to see if there are ways to bring your premium back down sooner.
What are the repercussions of a ticket?
Different tickets will result in different consequences (and degrees of severity). For example, speeding ticket fines will increase depending on how fast you are going over the speed limit.
Typically, the repercussions of a ticket will include a fine. Small parking tickets may run you around $30, whereas some serious speeding tickets will run you hundreds.
You can also often expect to receive points on your license, instruction to complete a defensive driving course, and rate increases on your insurance premiums. Rarely will you go to jail for a traffic violation unless it was particularly egregious, fail to pay fines, or show up to court dates.
How long does a ticket stay on your insurance in Michigan?
Under Michigan law, traffic violations will remain on your driving record for two years. That said, the chargeable period for a speeding ticket specifically could be three years or more. The variances will depend on your unique circumstances, auto insurance provider, and plan.
How much does a ticket increase my insurance rate in Colorado?
In Colorado, a speeding ticket will cause insurance rate increases of about 15%. Other ticket types will vary in impact.
How much will a ticket raise your insurance in 2023?
Auto insurance companies will incentivize cheaper insurance coverage for good drivers. Still, a single infraction can bump your premium immediately. According to experts, a ticket can be expected to raise your insurance rates between 7% and 28%. The specifics will, of course, depend on your insurance provider, the details of your plan, your personal demographics, and other unique circumstances.
Getting Help Finding the Right Auto Insurance
It’s frustrating to have the consequences of a ticket follow you for years after the incident. Insurance rate increases can really hurt your monthly budget. Unfortunately, this often happens in the form of drastically raised insurance premiums, even if you want to change your policy.
Insurance costs add up. Finding the right auto insurance for your circumstances can help alleviate the financial burden of higher premiums. Compare rates by receiving filling out our online request form. This can help you find the best policy for you and your wallet.
