Do speeding or parking tickets affect insurance rates?
A speeding ticket may raise your insurance rate, as can other moving violations like running a red light. If it's your first speeding ticket or violation, however, it may not affect your insurance at all. It depends on how your state and insurer treat the violation. Non-moving violations, such as a parking ticket, typically don't affect your insurance rate, but this can also vary by state and insurer.
Explore Progressive Answers' auto editorial guidelines to find out why you can trust the car insurance information you find here.
How do speeding tickets affect insurance?
If you get two or more speeding tickets in three years, you can likely count on an insurance rate increase. If you get your first and only speeding ticket during this period, however, you may not see an insurance increase at all. Whether you receive a rate increase will depend on several factors including your insurance company, driving record, insurance history, and in some states, how fast you were traveling when you were cited.
How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket?
The amount your insurance rate may go up after a speeding ticket will vary by insurer. And as mentioned above, you might not even see a rate increase after one speeding ticket due to the many different factors involved.
When will a speeding ticket show up on insurance?
Your insurance rate may go up due to a speeding ticket once your policy renews, since insurers typically review your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) at policy renewal. So if you get a speeding ticket with three months left on your existing six-month policy, you may see a rate bump in three months when your renewal policy is issued.
Pro tip:
If your insurer offers a discount for safe driving, you'll likely lose that discount after receiving a speeding ticket.
How long does a speeding ticket stay on your driving record?
Speeding tickets may drop off your driving record within 3-5 years, depending on how long your state keeps violations on its records. Note that most car insurance companies will also ask about any speeding tickets you've had over a similar timeframe when you get a quote.
Do other moving violations affect my insurance?
Any major or minor moving violation that appears on your driving record can increase your car insurance rate depending on how your state and insurer treat the violation. Most states add a certain number of points to your license every time you break a traffic law, though the number of points added per violation varies by state. For example, Arizona will add 3 points to your license for a speeding violation. If you accumulate 8 or more points in 12 months, the state may either require you to attend traffic school or suspend your license for up to a year.
While insurers don't directly factor points into your car insurance rate, your rate is likely to increase if you've accumulated a significant amount of points simply due to the number of violations on your record.
Let's look at some common traffic violations and how they can impact your insurance rate:
How does texting and driving affect insurance?
It depends on the law in your state. Some states forbid insurance companies from considering texting tickets for the purpose of setting rates. In states where it's not banned, insurers may treat them as minor moving violations, which means your rate could go up.
Does a red-light camera ticket affect insurance rates?
If you get one of those infamous red-light camera tickets in the mail, you may or may not see higher insurance rates. As with texting tickets, it depends on how your state treats them. Some states outright ban insurance companies from using red-light camera tickets when determining their rates; others treat them as minor moving violations, which may result in a rate increase.
Does failing to stop or yield impact insurance too?
If you're cited for not stopping at a stop sign or yielding to traffic when you're supposed to, you may or may not see a rate increase. As with red-light and texting tickets, it depends on how your insurer and state treat the violation. However, if you cause an accident because of your failure to stop or yield, then you'll likely see a rate increase.
Do out-of-state tickets affect insurance?
Yes, tickets you receive while driving out-of-state can drive up your insurance costs. However, the way the state or your insurer treats the violation could result in minimal or no changes to your rate. No matter what, the best thing to do if you get an out-of-state ticket is to pay the fine. Otherwise, you could be arrested the next time you pass through that state.
Learn how to handle out-of-state tickets.
Will a DUI increase my insurance cost?
Yes. A DUI conviction will likely increase your insurance premium as it makes you a riskier customer to insure. Some insurers won't even sell a policy to someone with a DUI. Learn more about DUIs and insurance.
How do parking tickets affect your insurance?
Since they're not moving violations, parking tickets don't typically affect your insurance, as most states don't report them on driving records. However, failure to pay a parking ticket could cost you more than a rate increase, as many states will refuse to renew your vehicle registration until you've paid it. Remember that if you drive without an active registration, you could be cited for driving illegally.
Do other non-moving violations affect insurance?
While any violation on your driving record can affect your insurance, non-moving violations usually won't affect your insurance rate. Non-moving violations are infractions unrelated to the act of driving, such as parking illegally, having a broken taillight, and an expired registration.
How can you lower your rate after a ticket?
Keep in mind that not all insurance companies treat tickets the same way when it comes to pricing. Get an auto insurance quote online or call 1-866-749-7436 to see how a ticket will affect your price with Progressive. You could also give Snapshot® a try — a mobile app or device that personalizes your rate based on your driving habits.*
Learn even more ways to lower your car insurance rate.
Looking for more information about auto insurance? Our car insurance resource center has you covered.
Quote car insurance online or give us a call
Learn more about car insurance policies.
