Does a red light ticket affect auto insurance rates?

You might wonder whether a red light ticket affects auto insurance rates after you receive one. On average, running a red light makes your insurance go up by around 24%. So, you may need help finding the cheapest auto insurance after getting a red light ticket.

Keep reading to learn if a red light camera ticket affects insurance rates the same as getting pulled over, how much a red light ticket causes your insurance rates to go up, and where to find companies with ticket forgiveness. Once you’re ready to compare red light ticket insurance rates, enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool above to get started today.

How a Red Light Ticket Affects Auto Insurance Rates

Usually, you’ll see insurance rates increase by around 24% after a red light ticket, alongside additional points on your driving record.

Do points affect auto insurance rates? Generally, your insurance rates will go up for each additional point added to your driving record. 

So, Florida auto insurance rates go from $152/mo to $197/mo after a red light ticket. Meanwhile, Texas auto insurance will increase from $140 monthly to $159 monthly if you run a red light.

You might also wonder if a first-time red light ticket affects insurance. Whether rates go up after your first red light ticket depends on several factors, such as the amount of points on your driving record. The more points you have on your driving record, the more likely your rates will increase.

Auto Insurance Companies Offering Red Light Ticket Forgivness

Many of the best auto insurance companies won’t raise your rates as much as other providers after a red light ticket. Check out the table below to compare average rates with a red light ticket vs. a clean record from the top companies:

As you can see, Geico and State Farm offer excellent ticket forgiveness since they don’t raise rates a lot after you run a red light. Some companies may even have first-offense forgiveness, where your first red light ticket might not count to your insurance company.

At the same time, your insurance company takes these offenses seriously because seemingly minor traffic violations, such as running a red light or failing to stop at a stop sign, result in thousands of accidents every year. Rather than take a risk, it’s best if you slow down at yellow lights.

Safe driving practices can prevent accidents from happening and keep your rates from going up. You should also learn how to get a good driver auto insurance discount once you’ve improved your driving.

While many companies allow you to view your auto insurance policy online, the only way to be sure about specific aspects of your policy is to call your insurance representative directly. Confer with your representative if you want to know how you would be penalized for running a red light.

Red Light Ticket Camera vs. Being Pulled Over by the Police

While it varies by state, getting caught by a red light camera may not be treated with the same severity as getting caught by a police officer. You may see less of a rate increase if you were caught by a camera rather than ticketed by an officer.

In states with programs like these, running a red light and getting caught by a camera may be treated as a traffic violation by both the police and your insurance company, which means your rates may not go up at all.

Laws and regulations for auto insurance vary from state to state, so it’s important to know your state’s.

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How to Get a Red Light Ticket Off Your Driving Record

After getting a red light ticket, you can contest it in court to avoid it affecting your insurance premiums. A judge will hear your case and possibly reduce the penalty with a lesser fee or fewer points added to your driving record. Occasionally, the officer who wrote the ticket may fail to show up for the hearing, resulting in your ticket getting thrown out.

You may also have the option of enrolling in a defensive driving course to reduce the number of points on your record. While the number of points you can take off your record varies by state, you will generally receive a two to four-point reduction. Note that you may need permission from a court to take these classes, so be aware of that before you enroll.

Read More: Why You Should Take a Defensive Driving Class

Points on your driving record will naturally be removed over time, generally at the rate of three points per year. If you can drop your points back to zero, you can keep a clean record by always observing safe driving.

It might take longer for the violation to be expunged from your insurance record. Most insurance companies require a waiting period of three to five years before the offense is removed.

Other Driving Offenses That Increase Your Car Insurance Rates

A red light ticket isn’t the only driving offense that affects auto insurance rates. Other infractions include:

• Failing to obey other traffic signs, such as yield and stop signs
• Illegally passing another vehicle
• Driving the wrong way
• Driving while under the influence
• Driving recklessly
• Making an illegal U-turn

Some violations generally don’t increase your rates, despite being illegal. Parking, distracted driving, and adult seat belt violations don’t typically result in a rate hike. The exception is if the violation results in an accident and an insurance claim.

More About How Red Light Tickets Impact Car Insurance Premiums

You may or may not experience an insurance increase after a red light ticket. Whether running a red light causes premiums to increase depends on several factors, such as the amount of points on your driving record, whether it was a first-time offense, if you have a company with ticket forgiveness, or if a red light camera caught you.

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Generally, State Farm and Geico have excellent ticket forgiveness since rates don’t go up as much as other companies after a red light ticket.

Read More:

• State Farm Auto Insurance Review
• Geico Auto Insurance Review

To get started on finding affordable car insurance after running a red light, enter your ZIP code below to start today.

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