Do Speeding Tickets Affect Insurance?

Your heart drops into the pit of your stomach. Red and blue lights flash in your rearview mirror. Your mind races with a million excuses.

The police officer comes to your window: “37 in a 25?”

The first question you’re probably asking yourself is, How much will this ticket set me back?

But you might also be wondering, If I get a ticket, is it going to make my car insurance go up?

We’ll tell you everything you need to know about how speeding tickets could impact your car insurance.

Do Speeding Tickets Affect Insurance?

Depending on the severity of the ticket, yes, speeding tickets can impact your car insurance rates. So that lead foot could hit your pocketbook in more ways than just the initial speeding ticket. Since speeding is directly tied to car accidents, insurers see it as a higher-risk activity, so they’ll increase your rates. But if it’s your first speeding ticket, you might not see any change to your insurance premium.

How Does a Speeding Ticket Affect My Insurance?

Speeding tickets can raise your insurance rates. Here’s how it works.

Speeding tickets are added to your driving record. And your driving record (good or bad) plays a big role in how much you’ll pay for car insurance (all the more reason to follow those speed limits).

Depending on how much you were channeling your inner Roadrunner, you might get points added to your driver’s license when you get a speeding ticket. But these aren’t good points, people. They’re like a record of traffic violations. Too many points can even result in your license being suspended or taken away.

Bottom line? The more speeding tickets you get, the worse your driving record. And the more you’ll shell out for insurance.

When Will a Speeding Ticket Show Up on My Insurance?

You likely won’t see a rate increase for a speeding ticket until your policy renews. At that point, your rate could go up for two reasons: 1) Because of your new and not-so-improved driving record and 2) Because you might lose your “good driver” discount.

If it goes up a lot, it might be time to shop around for new insurance. Some companies don’t factor in speeding tickets as much as others do.

And if your driving record is in really bad shape (like from a DUI), you might have a harder time getting insurance. You still have options though. Check out high-risk auto insurance to find out what’s available.

How Much Does Insurance Go Up After a Speeding Ticket?

How much your insurance will spike after a speeding ticket depends on a few things: where you live, where you were speeding, how fast you were going, and how much your insurer factors speeding into its rates.

The more tickets you have though—or if you were going a lot faster than the speed limit—the more you can expect your rates to jump.

How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay on Your Record?

Finally, some good news! Speeding tickets aren’t like a sword-in-the-stone thing—stuck forever inside your driving record.

Depending on your state, speeding tickets could be removed from your driving record in 3–5 years. So most insurers won’t see them on your record after that time period.

Can I Lower My Rates After a Speeding Ticket?

You do have some control in all this. If you were caught red-handed (or lead-footed?), check to see if you can get some points removed from your record by signing up for a defensive driving course. (And if you’re looking for other ways to save, check out these 11 tips to saving money on car insurance.)

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Another thing you can do? Slow down. Stop speeding and getting tickets. Multiple tickets are really where you’re going to see the biggest impact to your insurance. Keep a better eye out for those speed limit signs and maybe use a GPS app that will show you the speed limit right on your phone. Take some deep breaths, enjoy the ride, and remind yourself you’ll get there when you get there.

Check Your Coverage

It might feel like you’re already paying too much for car insurance. And now you’ve got a speeding ticket to worry about.

Now might be a good time to check your coverage and shop around if you haven’t looked in a while. Reach out to one of our local auto insurance agents who are part of the Endorsed Local Providers (ELPs) program. Our agents are some of the best in the nation and can help you find the right coverage at the best price.

They’re RamseyTrusted too. So you know you’re getting people who have the heart of a teacher and can explain your policy to you in plain English.

Connect with an auto insurance agent today!