Why You Should Be A Safe Driver To Save Big On Car Insurance

Most drivers already know that when they get into an accident, their car insurance premium will increase drastically. However, did you know that any kind of roadside violation will also increase your insurance as well? This means any accident, speeding ticket, distracted driving ticket, and DUI will change how much you pay in insurance premiums. 

Avoiding any kind of violation lets your insurance provider know that you are not a risk. When you sign your car insurance contract, you agree with your insurance company that you will not get into any accidents or have any violations of any kind. Therefore, if you do have a violation, you are breaching your contract with your insurance provider. That’s why it’s important to always value safety over anything else while on the road.  

If you’re still struggling to find ways to save money on car insurance, check out our other blog on more insurance hacks, or call one of our Quote Purple partners to see what else you can do.

How Much Will Your Insurance Increase After a Violation?

There are lots of secret tips you can do to save money on car insurance. The best way to save money on car insurance is to be a safe driver. This means avoiding any kind of roadside violation at all costs. Here, you’ll find out just exactly how much more any of the following can cost you in insurance premiums:

• Speeding tickets
• No-fault and at-fault accidents
• Distracted driving tickets
• Reckless driving tickets
• Suspensions 
• DUIs and DWIs

Every state will have different regulations on the extent of each violation. Be sure to check your state’s laws to see how sevre each infraction is. If you’re not sure if you have one of these violations, you can always check your driving record.  

Will Violations Stay On My Record Forever?

Yes and no- roadside violations do remain on your record, but they stop affecting your insurance premium after a certain amount of time. This timeframe can change depending on how serious your violation was, where you live, and your contract. 

For instance, in Florida, alcohol-related violations can stay on your record for up to 75 years. This is a stark contrast to states like California who only have most DUI convictions remain on record for about 10 years. 

Depending on how small the violation may be, your state law may forgive the violation before your insurance premium is affected. Some states do have laws on how much an insurance company can affect your premium. However, most states will allow your insurance company to handle any and all violations to your record. Be sure to check your state laws to know how long an insurance company can hold your violation accountable for.   

When Will I See My Insurance Change?   

Any time you renew your insurance, your insurance company checks your driving record to see what kind of violations and points you’ve collected.

Before renewing or making any changes to your insurance, you should also check your driving record to see if there’s any violations you don’t know about. If you see violations you’ve never heard of, take the opportunity to reach out to your state’s DMV to see where it came from if it’s something you do not recognize. 

Do I Have To Claim All Tickets and Accidents?

When you apply for your auto insurance, you should inform your insurance company if you have a ticket on your record. If you’re already cited, you do not need to declare a speeding ticket. You should always be honest with your insurance company, but you do not need to go out of your way to inform your insurance of every minor ticket. Keep in mind that a speeding ticket will not affect a policy that’s already in effect. Your rates, however, can go down when your policy changes. 

When you are applying for car insurance or getting a quote, you will need to inform the insurer of any and all violations on your record. Every driver wants to save money on their car insurance, however, lying to do so is breaching any insurance contract. 

If you have a DUI and have not had your license suspended, you will see a dramatic increase in your insurance when you renew. After receiving a DUI, you’ll have to carry an SR-22 license for 1 to 5 years. When you apply for insurance with an SR-22, your insurance company will assess your roadside risk from there. Some insurers only look at your driving record’s last 3 years, but DUIs will remain on your record for life.