Kalyn Johnson

Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster for 10 Years

Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another...

Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster for 10 Years

Heidi Mertlich

Licensed Insurance Agent

Heidi works with top-rated insurance carriers to bring her clients the highest quality protection at the most competitive prices. She founded NoPhysicalTermLife.com, specializing in life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam. Heidi is a regular contributor to several insurance websites, including FinanceBuzz.com, Insurist.com, Finance101.com, and Forbes. As a parent herself, she under...

Licensed Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Jun 27, 2023

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UPDATED: Jun 27, 2023Fact Checked

Finding affordable car insurance is already something major for consumers so if you have gotten a speeding ticket, you may be very worried that your car insurance rates will increase. Depending on the type and severity of the ticket, however, you may not have anything to worry about. Some tickets actually do not raise your insurance rates at all; others can have a significant impact.

The key to determining whether a ticket will affect your rates often is to find out what your company’s threshold is for “points” on your license. Most states use some form of a point system, assigning drivers varying amounts of points for different infractions. The more severe the violation, the more points are assigned. When an insurance company “sweeps” a state’s records, it will find out how many points you have accumulated. However, if you are under a threshold amount, it is likely you will not see an increase in your rates. If you are over that threshold, you might be paying more.

Not all Tickets mean Higher Car Insurance Rates

Suppose that an insurance company does not raise rates for anything under three points on your license. You receive a speeding ticket which adds two points to your license. Your rates will not, at this point increase. However, if you receive another ticket with two more points on your license, your rates will go up. Points stay on your license for a certain amount of time depending on where you live. Check your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to see what your state’s policy is about points and note that tickets in other states may affect your car insurance. Some infractions add as much as six points to your license for one ticket.

You can try to negotiate with the court which handles the disposition of your ticket to “drop” the points from your license. If it is your first offense, many judges will remove the points from your license in exchange for you paying the fee immediately and pleading guilty. If the points do not appear on your record, then most car insurance companies will not know about your ticket and will not raise your rates.

For the most part, car insurance companies are more interested in getting business than worrying about every little point on a license for small speeding tickets. Of course, there are companies which will raise your rates for even a single point on your license. However, you are free to shop for insurance with other companies, and may get a better rate with a company with more lenient policies.

The Type of Ticket you get is Very Important

The type of ticket you get can also affect whether an insurance company raises your premiums. For example, driving at 40 in a 30 mile per hour zone will normally not raise your rates much if at all; however, if you are driving 40 in a school zone during school hours, this could be written up as “reckless driving.” Not only will you pay more for the ticket, but your car insurance company may raise your rates significantly as a result of this violation.

There are some tickets which are sure to raise your rates by their very nature. If you receive a ticket for following too closely, and the result is a rear-end collision, your rates will likely go up. If you receive a DUI conviction, your insurance may very well be cancelled; you will be forced to buy insurance which provides what is called an SR-22 filing to the state, and these policies are only offered by certain companies at very high rates.

Speeding tickets generally affect your insurance based on how fast you were going at the time you got the ticket. Anything less than ten or fifteen miles per hour over the speed limit is not considered dangerously fast, and has the least chance of affecting your insurance rates. Fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour over the limit may well cause you a rate increase. If you are traveling more than thirty miles an hour over the speed limit, not only will your insurance rates increase, but you may face action from your state, depending on what the law is regarding dangerously fast driving. Some states’ laws allow a judge to suspend your license if you drive recklessly fast.

Case Studies: Impact of Speeding Tickets on Car Insurance Rates

Case Study 1: Minor Speeding Ticket

In this case, John received a minor speeding ticket for driving 5 miles per hour over the speed limit. Since it was within the acceptable limit, his car insurance rates were not affected.

Case Study 2: Points Threshold

Sara received a speeding ticket that added 2 points to her license. However, her insurance company’s threshold for rate increases is 3 points. As a result, her rates remained unchanged.

Case Study 3: Negotiating with the Court

Michael received a speeding ticket, but it was his first offense. He decided to negotiate with the court and paid the fee immediately, pleading guilty. The points were dropped from his license, and his car insurance rates were not affected.

Case Study 4: Severity of the Ticket

Emily was caught driving 40 miles per hour in a school zone during school hours, which was considered “reckless driving.” As a result, she not only had to pay a higher ticket fee but her car insurance company also raised her rates significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of car insurance coverage?

There are several types of car insurance coverage, including liability insurance, collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, personal injury protection (PIP), and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

What is liability insurance?

Liability insurance covers the cost of damages or injuries that you may cause to others in an accident. It typically includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage.

What is collision insurance?

Collision insurance covers the cost of damages to your own vehicle in a collision with another vehicle or object

What is comprehensive insurance?

Comprehensive insurance covers the cost of damages to your vehicle that are not the result of a collision, such as theft, vandalism, or natural disasters.

What is personal injury protection (PIP)?

PIP is a type of insurance that covers medical expenses and lost wages for you and your passengers in the event of an accident, regardless of who is at fault.

What is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage?

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you in the event that you are in an accident with a driver who does not have insurance or who does not have enough insurance to cover the damages.

Do I need all of these types of coverage?

The types of coverage you need will depend on your individual circumstances and the requirements of your state. In most states, liability insurance is required by law, but other types of coverage may be optional.

How much coverage should I have?

The amount of coverage you need will depend on several factors, including the value of your vehicle, your assets, and your level of risk. It’s important to speak with an insurance agent or representative to determine the appropriate level of coverage for your needs.

How are car insurance premiums calculated?

Car insurance premiums are typically calculated based on factors such as your driving record, age, gender, location, and the type and amount of coverage you choose.

Can I customize my car insurance policy?

Yes, most insurance companies allow you to customize your policy to fit your individual needs. This may include choosing different types and amounts of coverage, selecting a higher or lower deductible, and adding additional features such as roadside assistance or rental car coverage.

What should I do if I have questions about my car insurance policy?

If you have questions about your car insurance policy, it’s important to contact your insurance company or agent for assistance. They can help you understand your coverage and make any necessary changes or updates to your policy.

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Kalyn Johnson

Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster for 10 Years

Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another...

Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster for 10 Years

Heidi Mertlich

Licensed Insurance Agent

Heidi works with top-rated insurance carriers to bring her clients the highest quality protection at the most competitive prices. She founded NoPhysicalTermLife.com, specializing in life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam. Heidi is a regular contributor to several insurance websites, including FinanceBuzz.com, Insurist.com, Finance101.com, and Forbes. As a parent herself, she under...

Licensed Insurance Agent

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything car insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by car insurance experts.