8 Things That Every DUI Offender That Needs Car Insurance Should Know

Are you a DUI offender that needs car insurance?

Or maybe you are trying to help a friend find insurance after they were recently convicted of a driving under the influence?

Fortunately for you, there are more top-rated insurance providers than ever before are offering quality policies to DUI offenders.

The high-risk status that comes with a DUI charge, however, could make finding that quality car insurance policy at a cheap rate a monumental task.

Note: Illustrated above are popular carriers offering coverage for those with a poor driving record or those requiring an SR-22 for a DUI. Each of the carriers have rates 60% higher than the standard monthly premium. In some instances the premiums more than doubled in price.

What a DUI on Your Record Means for Insurance Providers

A DUI mark on your DMV record can lead to an astronomical rate increase on your car insurance cost.

That increase could cause you to pay as much as six thousand dollars more each year for your auto insurance premium.

Your car insurance provider determines your monthly rate by determining how risky you are to insure.

While each provider may use a slightly different formula to calculate your rate, they generally use the same variety of factors.

These factors include:

• Your age

• The type of car you drive

• Where you live

• What driving violations you have on your record

• The number of driving infractions you have on your record

Note: Illustrated are 5 additional insurers offering coverage for those with a DUI. More than likely you will get non-standard coverage if you have to file an FR-44 or your insurer performs a record check and finds out about your DUI traffic violation. Each of the carriers are more than double in price for a monthly premium.

High Risk Driver Classification

There’s no doubt that a DUI offense will classify you as a high risk driver.

What that means for you largely depends on the mentioned factors.

Being classified as a high-risk driver could result in the one of the following consequences:

• Your rates will increase

• You will have to purchase the more expensive “high-risk” insurance

• Your existing car insurance policy will be cancelled completely.

The riskier you were to insure prior to your DUI conviction will be the largest determining factor as to which of the three consequences you are most likely to face from your current auto insurance carrier.

Note: Showing a chart with the annual premium increase for a major traffic violation such as a drunk driving helps illustrate the heavy financial burden DUI’s cost. As you can see for five reputable companies, such as State Farm or Progressive, the increase in coverage is more than double for each carrier. The insurer with the highest increase is Progressive, followed by Titan, then The General.

Why Was My Car Insurance Policy Cancelled?

Most car insurance carriers will raise your rates rather than cancel your policy completely.

With that said, there are times when a provider will decide that it is in their best interests to sever ties with you as a customer.

If you’re hit with a cancellation notice after your DUI conviction, you may be asking yourself, “why me?”

Well, there are a few things that could have caused your policy to be cancelled.

For first time DUI offenders, a policy cancellation pretty much means one thing: your driving record prior to the DUI conviction was abysmal at best.

Note: Illustrated above is the cost of non-standard coverage for drivers convicted of a DUI while causing an automobile accident. All of the insurers illustrated tripled in price for an annual premium. In the case of State Farm the price increase almost quadrupled. This is for drivers which are able to get coverage. Many carriers will drop such a driver. You would have to use a more specialized non-standard coverage carriers such as The General or Titan.

More than likely, you have already filed multiple accident claims or you have at least a few driving violations on your record.

You might also have your policy cancelled if you get convicted of a DUI before your 21st birthday.

Lastly, you may be hit with a policy cancellation notice if you’ve already been convicted of DUI in the past.

To sum it all up – if you were already considered a high risk driver prior to your recent DUI conviction, your insurance company has little reason to keep you around as a customer.

The Dreaded SR-22?

If you’ve done a little bit of research about the consequences of a DUI, then you’ve definitely seen the term SR-22 mentioned once or twice.

So what is an SR-22?

It is a form that most states will require you to fill out following a DUI charge.

It is used by the DMV to check to see if you have valid “high risk” coverage.

This form is also used for those that have had their license revoked for other serious infractions, though it’s most commonly associated with DUI offenses.

Most states require drivers that have recently had their license reinstated to have car insurance.

If you don’t have insurance, you’ll need to surrender your license.

Filing Fee by Provider

Below I have outlined the filing fee by carrier.

This is a small fee carriers charge for you requiring they do a little work.

If you live in state which requires an SR-22, the state is going to require you submit the form and give a copy to the local DMV.

What is High Risk Insurance and How Will It Affect My Rates?

Many car insurance companies offer DUI offenders high risk insurance.

Drivers are typically assigned to a different “risk pool” if auto insurance companies think they are more likely to be involved in an accident or stopped for a drunk driving infraction.

With a DUI conviction under your belt, there’s no doubt that you’ll be viewed as a driver assigned to a high risk pool – at least for a few years following the offense.

Once you’re classified as a high-risk driver, you can count on your car insurance rates to soar, and remain at an elevated level for years to come.

That means that you’ll pay thousands more every year for the better part of a decade.

Below I have created a table for you for the cost of nonstandard coverage for drivers in each state.

Please realize your quotes are going to vary base on driver profile or if you happened to be in this horrible situation.

The average premium price is included for each state.

Also, is a price increase for a speeding violations, suspended license, and a young driver.

If you want to search by state I have included a search bar to find it easily. 

Are All DUI Charges Created Equal?

Believe it or not, not all DUI charges are created equal in the eyes of an insurance provider.

Granted, any kind of DUI conviction will result in an increase in your auto insurance premium.

However, a 2nd or 3rd DUI offense will definitely result in harsher penalties than the first.

Furthermore, a DUI offense that is coupled with speeding or reckless driving can also lead to more severe penalties from your insurance company.

How Can I Lower My DUI Insurance Rate & Articles

While your premium will significantly increase with any kind of DUI conviction, there are some ways to reduce your rates and save yourself a few dollars.

By taking Defensive Driving, or other similar classes, you can typically knock down your insurance rate by a few percentage points.

In addition, you may want to ask your auto insurance company if they offer discounts for combined auto and home policies.

Finally, it is always recommended to compare rates with other companies that offer DUI auto insurance.

You can perform a comparison by using AutoInsureSavings advanced quote platform at the top of the page.

How Long Will a DUI Conviction Affect Me?

If you’ve been convicted of driving under the influence, the bad news is the offense will stay on your DMV record forever.

The good news is that it will usually only affect your auto insurance quotes for 5-7 years.

After 7 years, your rates should go back to normal, provided you avoid additional driving infractions or accidents.

What Can I Do Now?

If you’ve been convicted of a driving under the influence, the best thing that you can do for yourself is to keep yourself out of trouble.

Even though auto insurance is costly, you need to have it.

Driving without auto insurance after a DUI can leave to far more serious consequences.

It could lead to jail time, a criminal conviction, and you relying on public transportation. 

Furthermore, you definitely should compare DUI auto insurance rates from time-to-time to see if there is a better deal out there for you.

Lastly and most importantly, avoid drinking and driving at all costs – if you’re out having a few drinks, make sure you have the number for the local taxi company so you don’t need to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. 

Sources

Quadrant Information Services

https://dui.drivinglaws.org/resources/how-much-does-a-first-offense-dui-cost.htm

Greg Fowler

Managing Member of AutoInsureSavings LLC, Greg has been in the insurance industry for 12 years and enjoys rebuilding vehicles. His goal is to help drivers save on anything related to automobiles. Travel and enjoying the outdoors are some of his hobbies. The best way to reach him is at his Twitter or Facebook Profile.