Your driving history has a big affect on how much you pay for your car insurance premiums. When you apply for car insurance, the insurance company does a background check on you, which includes looking at your driving record. The higher risk you are, the higher your rates, just like the safer driver you are, the lower your rates will be.

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If you have a driving history that shows you have unsafe driving habits and poor judgment, the insurance company will either refuse to grant you coverage or will charge you much higher rates. It is important to avoid accidents and obey traffic laws if you want lower car insurance rates.

How do traffic tickets affect your insurance rates?

Traffic ticket violations vary from minor occurrences to major ones. You can get a ticket for not putting enough money in the parking meter or for parking illegally. You can also get tickets for speeding and for driving while intoxicated (DWI). These can all affect your car insurance rates in different ways.

Violations that are related to parking and other non-moving circumstances do not affect your premiums very much, if at all. Violations that are more serious, such as speeding, careless driving, running a red light, and those related to driving under the influence (DUI), can really jack up your premiums.

The number of tickets you receive and how serious they are also affects your premium rates. The more tickets that you have received, the higher your rates will be. Your rates will also rise more the faster you were going over the speed limit.

Will my rates automatically go up with my first ticket?

If you have never had a traffic ticket violation before and you get your first moving violation, your rates will not necessarily automatically increase. Every state and insurance company is different so it depends on where you live.

Certain states require that car insurance companies raise rates after a first-time offense, after a certain combination of offenses, or after specific severe violations. Other states forbid insurance companies to increase rates after the first speeding offense. Check with your state to see what its rules are in regards to traffic violations and raising rates.

How much of an increase will I see and how long does it last?

How much of an increase you will experience varies depending on a variety of factors. Your location, policy, driving history, age, and insurance carrier will all affect your rate increase differently.

Younger drivers will usually see a greater increase in their premiums, as they are seen as being a higher risk. For others, a single speeding infringement can double and even triple the amount you pay for your premium.

Most insurance companies will increase your rates for a period of three years after an at-fault accident or a serious violation conviction. If you don’t have any more accidents or offenses, your rates should start decreasing again after three years.

Keep in mind, however, that your insurance carrier keeps a history of all of your accidents and traffic violations. This information is used by them to decide whether they want to continue your coverage or not renew your policy.

How do accidents affect my insurance rates?

Accidents can greatly affect your car insurance premiums. Even being in just one accident can dramatically increase your rates, whether you were at fault or not. Car accidents cost insurance companies a lot of money, from car repairs to car replacement, and from any medical bills that result from injuries to the driver or passengers.

Because of the high cost to the insurance company, they pass on the cost to you by increasing your car insurance rates after you have been in an accident.

Besides avoiding traffic violations, how can I decrease my car insurance rates?

There are many things that can contribute to a lower insurance premium. Most car insurance companies offers discounts for things that keep you at a lower risk for submitting a claim. These include devices in your vehicle that help prevent theft, safety features such as anti-lock brakes and airbags, and taking a defensive driving class.

Since younger drivers have higher rates, they can keep their premiums lower by getting good grades and taking safety driving classes. Check with your insurance company to see what discounts it offers.

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