Cheap Auto Insurance With a Bad Driving Record (2023)
While the best car insurance company for you will depend on your personal circumstances, State Farm and Geico have some of the most affordable rates for those with bad driving records.
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Heidi Mertlich
Licensed Insurance Agent
Heidi works with top-rated insurance carriers to bring her clients the highest quality protection at the most competitive prices. She founded NoPhysicalTermLife.com, specializing in life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam. Heidi is a regular contributor to several insurance websites, including FinanceBuzz.com, Insurist.com, Finance101.com, and Forbes. As a parent herself, she under...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Nov 27, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Nov 27, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- At-fault accidents, traffic tickets, and DUIs will raise drivers’ auto insurance rates
- Drivers with bad driving records will need to spend more time shopping around for quotes to find cheaper rates
- Keeping a clean driving record in the future will help reduce your rates over time
Because your driving record is one of the main factors that insurance companies look at to assess your risk, any at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, or DUIs will raise your auto insurance rates and make it harder to find cheap auto insurance. If you’ve noticed a rate increase, the best thing you can do is shop around to see what the cheapest companies are based on your driving record.
To help you find savings on your car insurance with a bad driving record, we will go over what the cheapest car insurance companies are for bad drivers. Continue reading to learn more.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies for Bad Drivers
Some of the more affordable car insurance companies for bad drivers are companies like State Farm, although there may be cheaper companies depending on your driving offense. Some companies may charge more for a DUI than an at-fault accident, so comparing rates based on your driving offense is important. We’ve outlined which companies are the cheapest for different driving records below.
Cheapest Companies for At-Fault Accidents
An at-fault accident will always raise your auto insurance rates unless your insurance company offers accident forgiveness for your first offense. The amount your rates will increase also depends on the car insurance claim types, as a severe accident will raise your rates more than a mere fender bender. Companies like State Farm, Geico, and Travelers tend to have some of the cheapest rates on average, as you can see from the table of companies below.
Auto insurance rates are based on 45-year-old drivers with an accident vs. drivers with a clean record.
Insurance Company Rates with an Accident Rates with a Clean Record
American Family $166.67 $115.50
Farmers $198.58 $139.50
Liberty Mutual $236.67 $176.67
Allstate $237.33 $166.08
Average $176.92 $123.08
If you are looking for the cheapest car insurance with multiple accidents, you may want to avoid companies like Allstate, Progressive, or Liberty Mutual, as these companies tend to have more expensive driver rates.
Cheapest Companies for Traffic Tickets
Any moving violation will raise your auto insurance rates. Some examples are speeding, failure to yield, and reckless driving tickets. If you have a few traffic tickets on your record, it is wise to shop around and see if a different auto insurance company will offer a cheaper rate. Take a look at the table below to see which car insurance companies have the cheapest rates for drivers with traffic tickets.
Insurance Company One Ticket Clean Record
AAA $220 $180
Allstate $195 $166
American Family $131 $116
Farmers $176 $140
Geico $125 $95
Hartford $215 $175
Liberty Mutual $217 $177
Nationwide $175 $140
Progressive $160 $120
State Farm $138 $105
Travelers $205 $160
U.S. Average $152 $123
Companies like State Farm or Geico will have some of the cheaper rates for drivers with traffic tickets. On the other hand, you will see more expensive rates at companies like Allstate or Liberty Mutual.
Cheapest Companies for DUIs
A DUI often raises rates more than a traffic ticket or at-fault accident, so finding the best auto insurance for drivers with a DUI after being convicted is important. You can see the cheapest companies for drivers with a DUI below.
Insurance Company One Accident One DUI One Ticket Clean Record
AAA $220 $240 $220 $180
Allstate $225 $225 $195 $166
American Family $176 $176 $131 $116
Farmers $198 $198 $176 $140
Geico $132 $132 $125 $95
Hartford $230 $250 $215 $175
Liberty Mutual $234 $234 $217 $177
Nationwide $161 $161 $175 $140
Progressive $186 $186 $160 $120
State Farm $150 $102 $138 $105
Travelers $200 $139 $205 $160
U.S. Average $172 $173 $152 $123
While Geico is normally one of the cheapest companies after an at-fault accident or traffic ticket, it is no longer one of the cheapest companies on average if you have a DUI. Instead, you should look at companies like State Farm to see if you can get a cheaper rate.
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How a Bad Driving Record Affects Drivers’ Rates
A bad driving record is an indicator to insurance companies that you are more likely to participate in poor driving behaviors in the future, which could lead to crashes. And since your insurance company will pay out the claim, your company will raise your auto insurance rates to offset future predicted costs.
However, another factor affecting how much you pay is your state’s average rates and how long offenses stay on your record.
Average rates for major driving offenses vary by state. You may be charged hundreds of dollars more after an accident in some states compared to cheaper states.
How to Buy Car Insurance When You Have a Bad Driving Record
If you have a bad driving record, it is important to do all you can to lower your auto insurance rates. Shopping around for auto insurance quotes will help you see if you can find a cheaper rate elsewhere.
As well, if you have an especially bad driving record and are required by your state to have an SR-22 certificate that proves you have insurance as a high-risk driver, it may be harder to find an auto insurance company willing to insure you. If this is the case, you may have to purchase auto insurance through your state.
Because guaranteed auto insurance through your state is more expensive, this should be a last resort for high-risk drivers. You should exhaust all other car insurance companies before applying through your state.
The Final Word on Bad Driving Record Car Insurance
Because bad driving records raise your rates, the best thing you can do is look into the cheapest companies for your particular driving record. Just because a company is cheap for at-fault accidents doesn’t mean it will be cheap for DUIs or traffic tickets.
To get started on finding cheaper car insurance for bad driving records today, use our free quote comparison tool. It will help you find your area’s cheapest rates based on your driving record and coverage needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I have a terrible driving record?
If you have a terrible driving record and are denied coverage, you may have to apply through your state’s guaranteed auto insurance program for insurance. If you can find insurance companies willing to insure you, you should shop around and compare costs to see if you can find a cheaper rate.
How much will car insurance cost after an at-fault accident?
How much car insurance will cost after an at-fault accident depends upon your insurance company. Generally, your insurance rates can increase a few hundred dollars a year unless your auto insurance company offers accident forgiveness.
How much will car insurance cost after a traffic ticket?
It depends upon your auto insurance company and the level of severity of the traffic ticket. If you find your rates have increased significantly after a ticket, you should get quotes from a few different auto insurance providers to see if anyone else has a cheaper rate.
How many insurance claims can you make in a year?
If you are wondering how many insurance claims you can file in a year, the answer is that you can file as many claims as you need to. However, it is recommended that you should never file more than one claim a year, if possible, as multiple claims in a short period of time will drastically increase your auto insurance rates.
What is Progressive’s PIP claims address?
There isn’t a physical address to which you should send a claim to Progressive. Instead, you should file your PIP claim online or over the phone with an agent.
Can I still get auto insurance with a bad driving record?
Yes, you can generally still obtain auto insurance with a bad driving record. However, it may be more challenging to find affordable coverage, and insurance premiums are likely to be higher due to the increased risk associated with your driving history.
Are there insurance companies that specialize in providing coverage for drivers with a bad driving record?
Yes, there are insurance companies that specialize in providing coverage for drivers with a bad driving record. These companies often cater to high-risk drivers and may be more willing to offer coverage despite a problematic driving history. However, it’s important to note that premiums may still be higher compared to drivers with clean records.
How can I find affordable auto insurance with a bad driving record?
Finding affordable auto insurance with a bad driving record can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Some strategies to explore include shopping around and obtaining quotes from multiple insurance companies, considering higher deductibles to lower premiums, looking for available discounts, and improving your driving habits to demonstrate a commitment to safer driving over time.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Heidi Mertlich
Licensed Insurance Agent
Heidi works with top-rated insurance carriers to bring her clients the highest quality protection at the most competitive prices. She founded NoPhysicalTermLife.com, specializing in life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam. Heidi is a regular contributor to several insurance websites, including FinanceBuzz.com, Insurist.com, Finance101.com, and Forbes. As a parent herself, she under...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.