Auto Insurance Rates Can Increase After Driving Violations

Most drivers understand how citations for moving violations can affect their driving record. However, some drivers may not be aware of how these violations can affect their auto insurance rates. Insurers use driving records, along with credit scores, to determine the premiums drivers will pay for coverage. Drivers with fines, court appearances and license suspensions on their records could pay auto insurance rates at nearly double the rate of drivers with clean records.

Study Examines Auto Insurance Rates

A study by the consumer credit site Credit.com examined how different violations can affect a driver’s auto insurance rates. The study used the profile of a 35-year-old male driver with solid credit, his own home, and no accidents in the previous five years. The researchers then contacted various insurance providers to determine their auto insurance rates for drivers who fit the profile and had a clean driving record. When the researchers added different violations to the profile, they recorded the increase in premiums.

Minor Violations Lead to Steeper Auto Insurance Rates

The study found that drivers with even relatively minor violations saw steep increases in their auto insurance rates. The researchers found that drivers who received citations for littering saw an 11 percent increase in their auto insurance rates. The severity of these violations can vary from state to state. In some states, the failure to signal a turn qualifies as “reckless driving.” Drivers who commit basic moving violations can see their auto insurance rates increase from 20 to 60 percent, depending on their location.

Dangerous Driving Contributes to Higher Auto Insurance Rates

Driving behaviors that could endanger the driver or other motorists can lead to serious consequences, including higher auto insurance rates. Drivers who exceed the speed limit in a school zone often face fines at double the rate of an ordinary speeding ticket. Drivers with school zone violations can see their auto insurance rates increase by nearly 20 percent. Motorists who want to live out their “Fast and Furious” fantasies by street racing face some of the most severe penalties, including an average increase in their auto insurance premiums of nearly 75 percent.

Preventing Auto Insurance Rate Hikes

The best way to prevent incurring these increases in auto insurance rates is to avoid driving habits that could lead to unwanted attention from law enforcement officers. For drivers who already has some violations on their record, they can shop for auto insurance rates from various providers. Some insurers may be more forgiving of some violations than others. Some extenuating circumstances can include if the ticket was a first offense, if the offending behavior did not endanger the driver or other motorists, or if the driver has no recorded accidents.

Source: Credit.com

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