You suddenly wake up with a start.
You realize you feel way too rested after tossing and turning all night. You look at your bedside table and realize your alarm never woke you. Late to work again!
You don’t want to get fired, so you grab your PKW and fly out the door. You floor the gas. Maybe if you’re lucky, you can make it to work before you’re too late.
You’re more than halfway there when you look in your rearview. Your heart sinks. Not this. Anything but this.
You are getting pulled over for speeding.
How does a ticket affect your insurance?
How a traffic ticket or a moving violation affects your insurance rate depends on a few different things, such as the reason for the ticket and timing.
A moving violation most likely won’t affect your insurance rate right away, and the reason for this has to do with your motor vehicle report or MVR. Insurance companies will pull your MVR to determine how big of a risk you will be to insure.
How does a traffic violation affect your insurance?
Most insurance companies only check your motor vehicle report (MVR) right before you purchase your policy, not every month (although some will check it after quoting you a rate, so make sure they have a copy of your MVR before agreeing to purchase anything).
If you’re trying to switch companies, or if it’s around renewal time, your MVR will definitely be taken into consideration when determining your rate. If you have a new ticket on your report, most likely your rate will be more expensive, although this depends on the offense. For more information, you can read our article about certain factors that cause your insurance rate to increase.
A ticket for speeding a few miles over the speed limit is going to carry less weight than a speeding ticket that qualifies as reckless endangerment, for example. One ticket might not make too big of an impact on your insurance rate, but if you have several, or if the cause of your ticket is severe (such as a DUI), then you are likely to see large rate increases. Overall, tickets are likely to make your rate increase eventually, but not immediately, and it all depends on the severity of the offense.
Why do traffic violations affect your insurance rate?
The reason tickets and traffic violations will increase your rate is due to the fact that a ticket will indicate to an insurance company that you are more of a risk.
An insurance company views a risk as a higher likelihood that an insured event will occur, therefore costing the company more money. The more tickets you get, the more likely your insurance company is going to see you as a high-risk driver…and more expensive for them to insure you.
What can I do?
In some cases, you may be able to have a ticket removed from your record. You can enroll in a defensive driving course or contest a ticket at court that you disagree with. Depending on the specifics of your scenario, the court may even rule in your favor.
Overall, the best way to prevent getting tickets is by driving well. Pay attention to what is going on all around your vehicle, not just in front of you. If you are a new driver, or not sure what kind of coverage you need, our article What You Should Know About Car Insurance is a good place to start.
Or you can contact one of our insurance experts with any questions you may have. Just call (800)892-4308 or click to get covered- whether you need auto insurance quotes online or coverage anywhere else! Representatives are available to answer questions during weekdays from 9a-9p EST, and weekends 10a-4p.
Effective Coverage also offers the nation’s only completely mobile platform to quote and purchase renters insurance right from your phone or tablet in just one minute. Get an online renters insurance quote today and protect your family.
Photo Credits: Marc-Olivier Jodoin Matt Popovich