It is. While your neighbors to the north in Massachusetts are some of the very few Americans protected against this practice, most carriers in Connecticut do use your credit report to determine your “insurance score.” This is a calculation made using a variety of factors, including your credit score, to estimate your likelihood of getting into an accident and filing a claim.
Car insurance companies love insuring safe drivers with clean records, of course. So, to attract them, keep them, and incentivize other customers to be more careful, most offer good-driver discounts. There are numerous other potential discounts for Connecticut motorists too, such as:
- Accident-Free
- Claims-Free
- Teen Driver
- Multi-Car
- Distant Student
- Alternative Fuel
- Homeowner
- Defensive Driver
- Good Student
- Anti-Lock Brake
- Anti-Theft Device
- Multiple Line
- Passive Restraint
- Vehicle Safety
Connecticut is one of the few remaining states that has not approved the use of digital insurance cards. Make sure you keep a printed official proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times.
It’s illegal not to have coverage on any active vehicle registration. In Connecticut, you don’t have to be pulled over to be busted, either; insurance carriers are required by law to report lapsed policies. You’ll be fined $200 and given a brief period in which to acquire new coverage. Failure to do so results in a hearing at which your registration may be suspended, and you may even lose the ability to register any vehicle in the state again.
It’s against the law to drive in Connecticut at the following BAC percentages:
.08%+ at 21 years old or older
.04%+ for commercial vehicle drivers
.02%+ at under 21 years old
In Connecticut, you can be convicted of an OUI (operating under the influence) offense even without direct evidence of you BAC. If your ability to drive is deemed to be impaired, that’s all that’s required for a conviction. OUI applies not only to alcohol, but also to any recreational drug or other substance abused for its ability to intoxicate, prescription or over-the-counter medication, or supplement that impairs the driver’s physical, mental, or emotional state.
Like most states, Connecticut has an implied consent law, meaning that anyone with a state-issued driver’s license is presumed to have consented to a breath, urine, or blood test. You are, however, permitted to refuse a blood test, but must take one of the others instead. The first time you refuse to take a chemical test to determine your BAC, your license will be suspended for 6 months; the second time is a 1-year suspension and the third refusal is a 3-year suspension.
Connecticut’s OUI laws impose stiff penalties on people convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or another legal or illegal substance that impairs their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. The more convictions you have, the harsher the penalties.
Temporary installation (6 months for first-time offenders, 1 year for first-time offenders not of legal drinking age) of an ignition interlock device is mandatory in all OUI convictions.
First-time offenders also face a 45-day license suspension, or a 1-year suspension if they are under 21 years old, as well as up to 6 months of jail time and $500 to $1,000 in fines.
Completing a state-approved defensive driving course is one way to get a discount on your premium from many carriers in Connecticut. If you’re 60 or older and complete such a course, your insurance company is legally mandated to give you a discount of at least 5% on your monthly payment.
While Connecticut residents pay relatively high auto insurance rates on average, you’re not locked into paying too much every month. In fact, if you can pay upfront instead of monthly, you’ll get a better deal. Also, inquire about which discounts you qualify for, including the many addressed throughout this page. Improving your credit score will help as well, but the best way to lower your car insurance premium is to compare quotes.
Connecticut drivers are legally obliged to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in their policy. They must have minimum coverage of $20,000 bodily injury per person and $40,000 bodily injury per accident. This offers financial protection in the event of an accident with a driver who doesn’t have any or enough coverage, as well as in a hit-and-run situation.