How Much Does a Speeding Ticket Affect My Insurance Geico?
When it comes to traffic violations, few things can be as daunting as getting a speeding ticket. It can not only mean spending money on the ticket itself, but it could also increase your auto insurance premiums. Every auto insurance provider has its own policies and procedures regarding how they determine rates for drivers. Therefore, this post will focus on how much a speeding ticket affects your insurance with the provider Geico.Geico is one of America’s largest insurance providers and is known for its customer-first approach. However, if you get a speeding ticket while you’re insured with Geico, your insurance costs could increase. Below, we shall explore how much Geico will increase your premiums, why it happens, and how you can avoid paying higher rates.
How Much will my Premiums Increase?
The people at Geico know exactly how much of an effect a speeding ticket can have on insurance rates. According to Geico, the average rate increase for those with a speeding ticket ranges from $145 to $300. However, this amount depends on a few factors, which we will delve into below.The major factors that affect Geico’s rate increase after a speeding ticket include:
Location
If you get a speeding ticket in an area that Geico considers high-risk or has a lot of accidents, your premium increase will be higher. In contrast, if you get a ticket in an area with lower accident rates, the impact on your premiums will be less.
Speed
The extent to which you exceeded the speed limit will determine how much it will impact your rates. Geico has clear guidelines to determine the severity of penalties based on the amount by which you exceeded the limit. The higher the speed, the more it will contribute to rate increases.
Previous Violations
If you’ve had previous driving violations or accidents, it will be much more difficult to avoid steep premium increases when you get another ticket. This can even lead to a loss of your coverage, depending on the number of previous incidents.
Why Your Premiums Increase
Insurance providers charge higher rates for drivers with speeding tickets since they are considered to be careless and endangered others. Drivers who have gotten a ticket in the past are more likely to get into an accident in the future, raising the chances that insurers will have to pay out claims.Moreover, drivers with a speeding ticket on their record are seen as high-risk drivers. Insurance companies adjust rates to reflect the risk of claims being filed. As a result, getting a ticket will usually be reflected in your auto insurance premiums for roughly three years.
How to Avoid Premium Increases
There are a few strategies you can use to avoid paying higher insurance rates. Some of them are beyond your control, but others can be changed. Keep in mind that the following strategies can reduce your likelihood of being caught speeding, but they will not erase a ticket that you have already received.
Go to Court
If you have received a ticket that you believe is unjust, you can contest it in court. If you win, the ticket may not appear on your driving record, and you won’t have to worry about subsequent premium increases.
Take a Driving Course
Taking a safe driving course or traffic school course can help you remove points from your record and avoid premium increases.
Be a Safe Driver Going Forward
The simplest and most effective way to reduce the impact of a speeding ticket on your insurance rates is to drive safely, responsibly, and within the posted speed limits. Over time, your rate will be impacted less by previous violations if you maintain a clean driving record.
Conclusion
If you’ve received a speeding ticket while insured with Geico, your premiums will likely increase. However, this can vary depending on your location, how much you were speeding, and your previous driving history. You can reduce your chances of needing to pay higher premiums by having a clean driving record, taking a driving course, and being more cautious on the road. Regardless, driving within the speed limit and obeying traffic laws will ensure that you have a safer time behind the wheel, avoid tickets, and keep your insurance premiums in check.