One of the first questions drivers ask after receiving a speeding ticket is, “Does a speeding ticket affect your insurance?” The answer is yes: a speeding ticket can impact your insurance premiums.
Understanding how speeding tickets affect your car insurance is important for every driver. Whether you’re just starting out or have already logged hundreds and thousands of miles over the years, traffic violations can hit your wallet and your driving record hard.
Ever wonder how much insurance rates go up after a speeding ticket? Or how long does a speeding ticket affect your insurance? Or what tickets don’t affect insurance?
Keep reading as we tackle these common questions and more, along with tips on managing your car insurance costs and keeping your driving record in good shape.
What is a Speeding Ticket?
A speeding ticket is issued when a driver exceeds the speed limit set for a particular road or area. Speed limits are typically lower in residential areas, school zones, and urban/suburban areas to enhance safety for pedestrians and drivers. However, on highways, throughways, and interstates crisscrossing the country, the average speed limit ranges from 55 to 70 miles per hour. It’s easy to unintentionally — or intentionally — speed up on these stretches of road.
Every year, approximately 41 million speeding tickets are issued in the United States, which translates to about 112,000 tickets every day. In case you’re wondering, Ohio leads the nation with the most speeding tickets issued.
If you’re caught going faster than the posted speed limit, even by just a few miles per hour, you can be fined, get “points” on your driving record, and potentially end up paying higher car insurance premiums.
Moving vs. Non-moving Traffic Violations: What’s the Difference?
Traffic violations are broadly categorized into moving and non-moving violations.
- Moving violations—such as speeding, running a red light, or reckless driving—occur when a vehicle is in operation.
- Non-moving violations can include parking tickets, having a broken tail light, or not having proof of insurance.
Moving violations usually carry more severe penalties because they pose a direct risk to road safety. Non-moving violations typically do not affect your insurance rates. Insurance companies focus more on moving violations since they indicate risky driving behavior that could lead to accidents and claims.
Let’s Clear Up Some Misconceptions About Traffic Violations and Insurance
There are several questions we hear a lot about how traffic violations impact insurance. Here are a few common ones:
Does a parking violation affect insurance premiums?
Parking tickets are non-moving violations and do not typically affect your insurance.
Will one speeding ticket affect insurance rates?
While most speeding tickets do lead to higher premiums, the extent of the increase varies based on factors such as speed over the limit, whether it’s your first, and state laws. But yes, just one speeding ticket can make your car insurance rates go up!
If I pay a speeding ticket, will it still affect my insurance?
Paying the ticket means you admit guilt, which can lead to points on your driving record and potentially higher insurance premiums.
How Speeding Tickets Affect Your Insurance
A major factor in determining your insurance rate is your driving record, and that includes traffic violations like speeding tickets. Insurance companies view speeding tickets as indicators of risky behavior, which could potentially lead to accidents. As a result, they may increase your premiums to offset the perceived higher risk. The more tickets you have, the more likely your insurance rates will rise.
You might be wondering, “Does a first-time speeding ticket affect insurance?” The answer is yes—though the impact might be less severe compared to repeat offenses, even a first-time speeding ticket can affect your car insurance rates.
You might also be wondering when a speeding ticket will show up on insurance. There’s a little reprieve here, as the record of the ticket won’t be input into the DMV until a judgment has been made, so it won’t immediately impact your insurance rates. Instead, when it comes time to renew your policy, you can expect your monthly premiums to increase.
These rate increases can last for several years and could mean losing out on good driver or student discounts that you currently benefit from. Plus, if you have other moving violations, a single speeding ticket could be enough to make it tough to find car insurance from private companies moving forward. If nothing else, it’ll be more expensive.
Car insurance rate increases due to a speeding ticket can vary widely, depending on several factors.
- Who is your insurance provider, and what are their policies regarding moving violations in your state?
- What was the speed you were clocked at? Driving under 5 miles over the speed limit might not impact your rates, but exceeding it by 10 miles could.
- When was your last speeding ticket? Several violations over a short period may label you as a risky driver.
- Where did the incident take place? Speeding in a residential area or near a hospital or school zone might have a greater impact than on a country road or highway.
- How in the world did this happen? Some insurers may forgive a first offense, assuming it’s a one-time occurrence.
How Long Do Speeding Tickets Stay on Record for Insurance?
When you get a speeding ticket, it doesn’t immediately affect your insurance. Typically, the ticket shows up on your driving record after it’s processed by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Insurance companies usually check your driving record when it’s time to renew your policy, so any increase in premiums may not happen right away.
Usually, a speeding ticket stays on your driving record for three to five years, depending on state laws. Some may drop off sooner, while others can stay on your record permanently, though they have less impact on your insurance rates over time. After this period, if you keep a clean driving record, the effect on your premiums should decrease.
How Much Do Speeding Tickets Affect Insurance?
On average, a speeding ticket can result in a premium increase of 20-30%. More specifically, according to Marketwatch, a ticket for driving 16 to 20 miles per hour over the speed limit limit could raise your full-coverage car insurance premium by an average of 25%. However, some states, like New York, can see the average insurance rate increase by as much as 30% for single speeding tickets.
We applied that 25% increase to the current average cost for full coverage auto insurance by US state, according to Forbes, to show you the impact after just one speeding ticket on both yearly and monthly premiums. The final column shows how long that increase might last.
| State | Average Annual Cost for Full Coverage | Average Monthly Cost for Full Coverage | Potential Cost Increase After 1 Speeding Ticket | New Annual Full Coverage Cost | New Monthly Premium Full Coverage Cost | Minimum Duration of Impact |
| Alabama | $1,809 | $151 | $452 | $2,261 | $188 | 2 years |
| Alaska | $2,323 | $194 | $581 | $2,904 | $242 | 1 year |
| Arizona | $1,696 | $141 | $424 | $2,120 | $177 | 1 year |
| Arkansas | $2,061 | $172 | $515 | $2,576 | $215 | 3 years |
| California | $2,462 | $205 | $616 | $3,078 | $256 | 3 years, 3 months |
| Colorado | $2,489 | $207 | $622 | $3,111 | $259 | 2 years |
| Connecticut | $1,730 | $144 | $433 | $2,163 | $180 | 3 years |
| Delaware | $2,462 | $205 | $616 | $3,078 | $256 | 2 years |
| Florida | $4,326 | $361 | $1,082 | $5,408 | $451 | 5 years |
| Georgia | $2,181 | $182 | $545 | $2,726 | $227 | 2 years |
| Hawaii | $1,633 | $136 | $408 | $2,041 | $170 | 10 years |
| Idaho | $1,021 | $85 | $255 | $1,276 | $106 | 3 years |
| Illinois | $2,345 | $195 | $586 | $2,931 | $244 | Up to 5 years |
| Indiana | $1,454 | $121 | $364 | $1,818 | $151 | 2 years |
| Iowa | $1,238 | $103 | $310 | $1,548 | $129 | 5 years |
| Kansas | $1,693 | $141 | $423 | $2,116 | $176 | 3 years |
| Kentucky | $1,979 | $165 | $495 | $2,474 | $206 | 5 years |
| Louisiana | $3,629 | $302 | $907 | $4,536 | $378 | 3 years |
| Maine | $1,216 | $101 | $304 | $1,520 | $127 | 1 year |
| Maryland | $3,349 | $279 | $837 | $4,186 | $349 | 3 years |
| Massachusetts | $2,333 | $194 | $583 | $2,916 | $243 | 6 years |
| Michigan | $2,995 | $250 | $749 | $3,744 | $312 | 7 years |
| Minnesota | $2,360 | $197 | $590 | $2,950 | $246 | 5 to 10 years |
| Mississippi | $1,704 | $142 | $426 | $2,130 | $178 | 1 year |
| Missouri | $2,323 | $194 | $581 | $2,904 | $242 | 3 years |
| Montana | $1,770 | $148 | $443 | $2,213 | $184 | 3 years |
| Nebraska | $1,538 | $128 | $385 | $1,923 | $160 | 5 years |
| Nevada | $3,342 | $279 | $836 | $4,178 | $348 | 1 year |
| New Hampshire | $1,411 | $118 | $353 | $1,764 | $147 | 3 years |
| New Jersey | $2,240 | $187 | $560 | $2,800 | $233 | 5 years |
| New Mexico | $2,104 | $175 | $526 | $2,630 | $219 | 1 year |
| New York | $4,769 | $397 | $1,192 | $5,961 | $497 | 1.5 years |
| North Carolina | $1,307 | $109 | $327 | $1,634 | $136 | 3 years |
| North Dakota | $1,319 | $110 | $330 | $1,649 | $137 | 3 years |
| Ohio | $1,112 | $93 | $278 | $1,390 | $116 | 2 years |
| Oklahoma | $2,291 | $191 | $573 | $2,864 | $239 | 3 years |
| Oregon | $1,459 | $122 | $365 | $1,824 | $152 | 2 years |
| Pennsylvania | $3,600 | $300 | $900 | $4,500 | $375 | 1 year |
| Rhode Island | $2,715 | $226 | $679 | $3,394 | $283 | 3 years |
| South Carolina | $2,387 | $199 | $597 | $2,984 | $249 | 2 years |
| South Dakota | $1,821 | $152 | $455 | $2,276 | $190 | 3 years |
| Tennessee | $1,720 | $143 | $430 | $2,150 | $179 | 2 years |
| Texas | $2,938 | $245 | $735 | $3,673 | $306 | 3 years |
| Utah | $1,955 | $163 | $489 | $2,444 | $204 | 3 years |
| Vermont | $1,037 | $86 | $259 | $1,296 | $108 | 2 years |
| Virginia | $1,486 | $124 | $372 | $1,858 | $155 | 5 years |
| Washington | $1,829 | $152 | $457 | $2,286 | $191 | 5 years |
| West Virginia | $1,688 | $141 | $422 | $2,110 | $176 | 5 years |
| Wisconsin | $1,905 | $159 | $476 | $2,381 | $198 | 5 years |
| Wyoming | $1,341 | $112 | $335 | $1,676 | $140 | 1 year |
How to Minimize the Impact of a Speeding Ticket on Your Car Insurance Rates
While a speeding ticket can raise your insurance rates, there are ways to mitigate its impact:
- Defensive Driving Courses: Some states offer first-time offenders the option to attend a defensive driving course in exchange for ticket dismissal or point reduction. Some defensive driving classes require in-person attendance, but an increasing number are online.
- Plead Not Guilty and Fight the Ticket: If you believe the ticket was issued in error, you have the right to contest it in court. If successful, the ticket may be dismissed, and it won’t affect your insurance.
- Plead Guilty with a Deferral: In exchange for a guilty plea, the court might agree to delay entering this ticket into your record immediately. If you do not receive any additional traffic citations by the scheduled date, the court may dismiss the original traffic ticket.
How to Reduce Insurance Premiums Despite Getting A Speeding Ticket
There are also ways to try to reduce your overall car insurance premiums, even if they do go up after getting a speeding ticket.
- Shop around. Let Guided Solutions help you find the best car insurance deal. We can do the legwork to see if we can get you better coverage for less money, even with the impact of a speeding ticket.
- Raise your deductible. A higher car insurance deductible means you’ll pay more out of pocket before your insurance kicks in for a covered claim. But it also means a lower monthly premium.
- Ask about discounts. You might save money if you try bundling car insurance with homeowners insurance or if you drive less often because you work from home or go into the office less. Also, if you cover more than one car or are a student, you might be qualified for additional discounts.
- Discuss life changes. Some insurers offer lower rates for married couples or domestic partnerships. If you relocate to somewhere with lower accident and crime rates—even if it’s a more expensive neighborhood—you could get a lower rate.
- Take action. Don’t assume that your insurance company will lower your premiums once your moving violation is removed from your record. Start shopping for a better rate as soon as your driving history is clear.
- Rethink your ride. Protecting some cars costs more than others. Check our blog for a look at the most affordable car models to insure.
Full speed ahead to get you cheaper car insurance!
As an insurance broker, Guided Solutions specializes in helping drivers across America get the best car insurance rates possible.
We make it easy for you to evaluate insurance providers and choose the best policy for your particular situation — even if that situation involves a speeding ticket on your driving record.
Start today by calling Guided Solutions at (833) 791-4719 or request your free quotes now.
