Updated
Fact Checked
Ashley Maready
You're zooming 15 miles over the speed limit when you hear the tell-tale wee-woo of sirens. Oops. It's the police, and they've got a little yellow ticket to hand you. Now you're on the hook to pay it. But you're smart, so you suspect this will impact your car insurance somehow.
Bingo. You're right on the money. Sometimes, a single speeding ticket affects your insurance rate in a bad way. It goes on your driving record, and insurers check your record regularly to determine your monthly rate.
How much does your premium go up? How long does your speeding ticket stay on your driving record? Let's go over how speeding tickets impact your insurance rates.
How much do speeding tickets impact your car insurance rates?
How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket? There are two main factors car insurance companies consider when they review someone's driving record.
1. How far over the speed limit were you going?
The harder you break the speed limit, the more likely insurance is to bump your rates. It's one thing to drive 50 mph down a 40-mph road. It's another to drive 65 down that same road, tearing up concrete like a four-wheeled rocket. If you fly into the stratosphere, your rates will follow.
Why do rates rise? Speeding tickets are considered a good predictor of future accidents. When you're going faster, it's more difficult to stop suddenly or react to vehicles or objects that suddenly appear in front of you. If you're more likely to get into an accident, you're a greater risk to insurers. Insurance companies charge you accordingly.
2. Is this your first speeding ticket violation?
First time caught speeding? Your insurance may not bump your rates. It depends on the insurer. Each company weighs a driver's record a little differently. Some dish out harsher penalties to drivers than others.
The more speeding tickets you earn, the more likely your insurer will raise your rates. Multiple tickets show insurers you're a repeat offender, therefore risky, and should be priced accordingly to cover accidents waiting to happen.
States assign points to drivers who commit traffic violations. This can also influence how much a single speeding ticket bumps rates. If speeding tickets cause you to rack up so many points that you're on the verge of losing your license, insurers may raise rates significantly, even if you weren't speeding much.
Compare average car insurance rates before and after a speeding ticket
The more you speed, the more insurance bumps your rates. Check out the most recent data from insurance.com that compares average rate bumps caused by speeding tickets.
| Speed (over the speed limit) | Rate hike |
|---|---|
| <30 mph | 20-22% |
| 30+ mph | 30% |
Data source: Insurance.com
Other things that insurers consider:
- Driving record
- Where you live (state)
Insurers check if you have multiple tickets on your record. If you've been charged recently (within the last three years or so), your rates could go up extra. Plus, insurers may charge you more for living in one state versus another. So where you live matters.
READ MORE: The Average Cost of Car Insurance
How long does a speeding ticket affect your insurance rates?
Speeding tickets typically stay on your driving record for three to five years.
A ticket affects rates as long as it remains on your driving record, and each state determines that time frame. Check with your state department of motor vehicles (DMV) for exact terms.
Speeding tickets become less impactful as they age. But you probably won't see your car insurance rate fall to pre-ticket levels until the ticket disappears from your record.
What to do if you get a speeding ticket
If you get a speeding ticket and you're concerned about your rates, do the following:
- Contest unfair charges. If your ticket was unfair, you can contest it in court. You may not win, but if you do, your insurance company won't hold the ticket against you.
- Think about a defensive driving course. Some states drop charges if drivers complete a defensive driving course. This may be online or in person. You must pay to take the course, but this fee would likely be less than what you'd pay in boosted car insurance premiums.
- Shop around for different insurance. Some insurance companies are more lenient on drivers with speeding tickets. If yours raises your rates considerably, you may want to switch to one of the best auto insurers for speeding tickets.
The number-one way to avoid speeding tickets is to drive safely. You can't be charged for crimes you don't commit -- especially if your safe driving is caught on camera. Drive safe, fight unfair charges, and shop around for car insurance that forgives minor speeding violations.
READ MORE: Compare Car insurance Rates
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FAQs
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The best way for a motorist to keep a speeding ticket from raising their car insurance rates is to avoid getting speeding tickets. Once a driver has one, every insurance company will be able to see it on their driving record. You may be able to keep rates low by taking a defensive driving course that drops charges on your record upon completion.
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Insurance companies have access to your driving record. This contains information on all traffic and moving violations you've incurred in the last three to five years (typically), depending on your state. Insurers review this information periodically to determine rates.
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Moving violations may increase insurance rates. Think speeding tickets, reckless driving, and DUIs. Non-moving violations, such as parking tickets, typically have zero impact on rates.
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Camera speeding tickets are typically treated like parking violations and don't appear on driving records. But this also varies by state. If your state reports these speeding tickets on driving records, they'll probably affect premiums.
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Car insurance rates can go up after your first speeding ticket. But how much they increase depends on your insurer, where you live, and how far over the speed limit you were going when you got the ticket. Some insurers forgive first-time violations.
Our Insurance Experts
Kailey Hagen has been writing about small businesses and finance for almost 10 years, with her work appearing on USA Today, CNN Money, Fox Business, and MSN Money. She specializes in personal and business bank accounts and software for small to medium-size businesses. She lives on what's almost a farm in northern Wisconsin with her husband and three dogs.
Cole Tretheway is a full-time personal finance writer whose articles have been featured on The Ascent and The Motley Fool. He has a degree in English with a Certificate in Professional and Technical Communication from California Polytechnic University, SLO.
Fact Checked
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.
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