Does Insurance Go Up Every Time You Get a Ticket?

Your insurance does not necessarily go up every time you get a ticket. However, if you commit a very serious moving violation — like driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol — or are a repeat offender for several smaller offenses, you can generally expect your car insurance costs to increase for several years.

Learn more about how traffic tickets affect insurance and how you can improve your driving record to lower costs by reading below.

On This Page

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  How Do Insurance Companies Assess Tickets?

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  What Types of Traffic Tickets Are There and How Do They Impact Insurance?

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  How Much Does Car Insurance Go Up After a Ticket?

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  Can You Lower Your Insurance Rates After Getting a Ticket?

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  How To Keep Your Driving Record Clean

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  FAQs

How Do Insurance Companies Assess Tickets?

Since traffic tickets are a part of your driving record, car insurance companies often take them into account when determining your risk of filing a claim and setting your insurance rates. For example, a speeding ticket could result in a hike in your monthly premiums that lasts for three to five years.^[1]

What Types of Traffic Tickets Are There and How Do They Impact Insurance?

See the table below for examples of driving offenses that commonly result in traffic citations and could lead to subsequent auto insurance rate increases.^[1]

The impact of a traffic ticket on your insurance will generally depend on the severity of your violation. For example, driving 5 mph over the speed limit will likely have less of an impact on your auto insurance prices than driving 25 mph over the speed limit. Likewise, you can expect your rates to go up much more after driving while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident or committing multiple traffic violations within the span of a few years than after following another vehicle too closely a single time.

Does Insurance Go Up Every Time You Get a Ticket?

Rate increase decisions can vary from insurer to insurer, so there is no guarantee that your car insurance premiums will go up after any single ticket. In general, you can expect your rates to go up after a moving violation, such as speeding or driving recklessly.

However, your car insurance costs may not go up after a non-moving violation, such as double parking or driving with an expired registration.^[1]

When deciding whether to raise your insurance premiums after a traffic ticket and, if so, by how much, car insurance companies may consider the following factors:^[2]

• Your driving record
• Whether you have received a ticket before and, if so, how long ago you received a ticket
• Your location
• The difference between your speed and the speed limit at the time of the traffic violation

How Much Does Car Insurance Go Up After a Ticket?

Across the United States, full coverage auto insurance premiums increase by an average of about 20% after a single speeding ticket, while DUI charges can lead to a far more substantial rate increase of around 90%.^[3][4] As a result, if you are currently paying $200 per month for car insurance, your monthly payment could potentially jump to anywhere from $240 to $380 after a ticket, depending on the severity of the offense.

Can You Lower Your Insurance Rates After Getting a Ticket?

After getting a traffic ticket, it may be beneficial to take steps like these to mitigate the increase in your auto insurance rates or potentially even lower your premiums outright:^[5]

1. Raise your deductible.
2. Ask your insurance carrier if you are eligible for any car insurance discounts.
3. Compare quotes from multiple different insurers, and switch carriers if you find a better deal on the coverage you need.
4. Practice safe driving habits going forward.
5. Sign up for a telematics program.
6. Take an approved accident prevention course.
7. Look into preferred payment options, such as going paperless or paying your car insurance premium for the entire year in one installment.
8. Improve your credit score (assuming you live in a state where insurers are allowed to use credit-based insurance scores when calculating rates).
9. Drive less frequently to qualify for a low-mileage discount, if possible.
10. Review your insurance policy to see if it would make sense to cut coverage.
11. Consider purchasing a less valuable car that will be cheaper to insure.
12. See if your teenage driver is eligible for a good student or student-away-from-school discount.
13. Bundle your auto insurance with another policy from the same insurance provider, such as homeowners insurance.

How To Keep Your Driving Record Clean

The best way to keep your driving record clean is to follow the rules of the road and drive safely so you can avoid accidents and other traffic violations that could negatively impact your driving record. Depending on where you live, you may be able to improve your record by taking a driver safety course or disputing a ticket in court to remove points or prevent points from being added to your license. Otherwise, you may simply need to wait a few years for your driving record to clear up on its own.