How a Speeding Ticket Affects Your Car Insurance Rates
Speeding tickets will affect your car insurance rates. Your annual auto insurance rates will generally raise a few hundred dollars, although it may be more or less depending upon your insurance company.
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UPDATED: Sep 13, 2022
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Table of Contents
- Speeding tickets will result in rate increases with your insurance company
- Generally, your rates will remain higher for three years, after which rates will decrease
- You can shop around and take advantage of discounts to reduce your rates after a speeding ticket
Do tickets affect insurance? Even at the best auto insurance companies, traffic tickets will almost always raise your rates, as it is a sign that you are more likely to participate in dangerous driving behaviors that will lead to an accident. Your rates will increase with just one ticket, and multiple tickets will raise rates substantially. Speeding is one of the more serious traffic tickets you can get, as speeding is one of the leading causes of crashes.
Read on to learn more about how speeding tickets will affect your rates, from the average amount your rates will increase to how long they will stay on your record.
Table of Contents
How Speeding Tickets Affect Your Auto Insurance Rates
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How much does a ticket raise your car insurance? The amount your speeding ticket will increase your rates depends upon multiple factors, such as the speed you were going, your past driving record, and your insurance company. However, you can expect your rates to increase by at least 10% for a speeding ticket.
Look at the table below to see how speeding tickets will raise rates at companies compared to rates for a driver with a clean driving record.
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Generally, rates will increase a few hundred a year for drivers with a ticket on their record. State Farm and USAA have some of the lowest rate increases for a ticket, whereas companies like Allstate and Farmers have some of the highest rate increases.
Speeding Ticket Rate Increases By State
Car insurance rate increases vary by state, with some states’ average rates being substantially higher than others. Furthermore, according to HG, insurance companies may have different policies than the states where the driver resides.
Here's a look at the average annual full coverage auto insurance rates by state.
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So how much does a speeding ticket raise insurance? Rate increases for a speeding ticket generally range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to almost a thousand dollars.
If your insurance company increases your rates by more than a few hundred dollars, you may wish to switch companies. Check out our list of the best auto insurance companies for drivers with speeding tickets to see what companies may have better rates for you.
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How Long Speeding Tickets Impact Drivers’ Rates
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Because speeding tickets can make rates unaffordable for some drivers, most people want to know when their rates will go back down to a reasonable price. Generally, in most cases, insurance companies will stop using the speeding ticket in your driving record to calculate rates in about three years.
Insurance companies will charge higher rates as long as the driving points you received for the speeding ticket remain on your driving record. This is because driving points show insurance companies you’ve received driving violations recently. Once the points are erased from your record, your rates will start to go down again.
Your rates may also not increase until your next policy renewal if you don’t immediately report the ticket to your insurance company. Are you wondering how insurance companies find out about tickets? Companies will check your driving record every policy renewal, so any new tickets since your last policy renewal will show up as points on your driving record.
Other Traffic Tickets That Increase Rates
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It is not just speeding tickets that will increase your rates. If you get other traffic tickets and a speeding ticket, you can expect huge raises in your insurance rates. Your insurance will raise rates depending on how many points you get with each ticket. Some violations are worse than others and will result in more points.
However, the answer to questions like “how much does two points affect insurance” will depend upon your insurance company and past driving history. So peek below at other common traffic violations that will raise your insurance rates.
Texting Tickets
Not all states allow insurance companies to use texting tickets to change rates. However, companies may use texting tickets to calculate insurance rates in states where texting tickets are considered moving violations.
Red Light Tickets
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Red light tickets, where a camera automatically takes a picture of your license plate and sends you a fine in the mail, don’t always mean higher rates. In some states, they aren’t counted as moving violations and therefore won’t raise your rates.
Failure to Stop/Yield Tickets
Failing to stop at a stop sign or failure to yield to oncoming traffic at a yield sign can result in a ticket. If your state treats these tickets as moving violations, you will see a rate increase. In addition, if you cause an accident because you failed to stop or yield, you will see rate increases regardless of your state.
DUI Tickets
DUI charges will result in rate increases, no matter what state you live in.
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In addition, some drivers with DUIs on their record will have to purchase high-risk insurance to drive, as insurance companies may refuse to sell regular insurance policies to them.
Out-Of-State Tickets
Whether your rates increase depends on whether the other state treats your ticket as a moving violation. If you get a red light ticket in another state that doesn’t add points to your record and is a non-moving violation, it won’t affect your auto insurance rates.
However, running a stop sign in another state where it's a moving violation will affect your auto insurance rates.
The Final Word on Speeding Tickets and Car Insurance Rates
Speeding tickets will usually always raise a driver’s car insurance rates substantially, as speeding is one of the leading causes of accidents and shows a driver participates in risky driving behaviors. But, generally, once the speeding ticket points are erased from your driving record, your rates will start to decrease.
If you received a speeding ticket and want to reduce your insurance rates, one of the best ways to do this is to shop around for cheaper quotes. Use our free quote comparison tool to find your area's best auto insurance rates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will getting multiple tickets impact drivers’ rates?
Yes, getting multiple tickets will raise rates more than if a driver only has one ticket on their record. For each ticket drivers get, the more their rates will rise.
How long will traffic tickets stay on a driver’s record?
Generally, your tickets will affect your insurance rates for three years. After that time, insurance companies will reduce your rates as long as you have maintained a clean driving record.
How can drivers reduce their auto insurance rates after a speeding ticket?
Your rates will decrease over time if you maintain a clean driving record. However, if you wish to know how to lower insurance rates after speeding tickets faster, one of the best ways is to shop around for quotes from different companies to see if one will offer you a cheaper rate.
You can also try to qualify for additional discounts at your current provider, such as participating in a safe driving program. Or you may choose to increase your insurance deductible, as long as the deductible is still an amount you can pay after an accident.
Will parking tickets increase my insurance rates?
Non-moving violations usually do not affect your insurance rates, so a parking ticket will likely not affect your insurance rates.
Will I need to tell my auto insurance company I got a speeding ticket?
You do not need to contact your insurance company to tell it you got a speeding ticket, but because it is on your record, your insurance company will find out at your next renewal and raise your rates. In addition, if you are applying to a new insurance company, you can’t lie about tickets on your record when you fill out the form.
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Written by
Rachel Bodine |
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Reviewed by
Daniel Walker
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