What Kinds of Tickets Affect Your Insurance?
Getting a traffic ticket can be frustrating, and it can also have consequences beyond just the fine. In many cases, traffic tickets can impact your car insurance rates, sometimes leading to significant increases in premiums. But what kinds of tickets affect your insurance? In this blog post, we’ll discuss the different types of traffic violations that may impact your insurance rates.
Minor Traffic Violations
Minor traffic violations include things like speeding, failure to signal, and running a stop sign or red light. While these violations can be frustrating and can result in fines, they typically won’t impact your car insurance premiums too much. In fact, many insurance companies offer forgiveness for first-time offenses or minor violations. However, accumulating multiple minor traffic violations can lead to higher insurance rates.
Major Traffic Violations
Major traffic violations are more serious offenses that are more likely to impact your car insurance rates. Some examples include:
DUI/DWI
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a major traffic violation that can have serious consequences. Not only could you face fines and possible jail time, but you could also see a significant increase in your car insurance premiums. Depending on the circumstances, you may even be required to get an SR-22, which is a certificate of financial responsibility that proves you have insurance. An SR-22 can be costly to obtain and maintain.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is a serious offense that often involves driving at excessive speeds, weaving in and out of traffic, and engaging in other dangerous behaviors. If you’re convicted of reckless driving, you can expect to see a significant increase in your car insurance premiums.
Hit and Run
Leaving the scene of an accident, even if it’s just a fender bender, is a major traffic violation that can have significant consequences. In addition to fines and possible jail time, you may also see an increase in your car insurance premiums.
Driving Without Insurance
Driving without insurance is not only illegal in most states, but it can also have significant financial consequences. If you’re caught driving without insurance, you may face fines, points on your license, and even license suspension. Plus, your car insurance premiums are likely to increase significantly when you do get insurance.
How Long do Traffic Violations Affect Your Insurance?
Another thing to consider is how long traffic violations will affect your insurance. In most cases, violations will remain on your driving record for several years, typically three to five. During this time, you can expect to see higher car insurance premiums. However, the impact of the violation will decrease over time until it eventually falls off your record.
Conclusion
If you get a traffic ticket, it’s important to understand how it will impact your car insurance rates. While minor violations may not have a significant impact, major violations can result in significantly higher premiums. By driving safely and avoiding traffic violations, you can keep your car insurance rates low and avoid any unnecessary financial stress.