Will that traffic ticket affect my car insurance rates? Yes! | Prince William Traffic Attorney
You just got pulled over and you are thinking – Will that traffic ticket affect my car insurance rates? The simple answer is, yes it will and you may be surprised at how much. Your driving record is as important as your credit report when it comes to saving money on your auto insurance. When it is time to renew your auto insurance policy, your car insurance company will request a copy of your driving record to see if you have been a naughty driver as getting tickets for moving violations considers you to be a higher risk and will raise your insurance rates accordingly. Every moving traffic violation has a point value and the more points you have on your driving record, the higher your car insurance rates will be. So, if you think that one traffic ticket will cost you just the fine, think again. And if you add more than one traffic ticket to your record in a short period of time, that build up of points and tickets can cost you considerably out of pocket and possibly the loss of your driver’s license.
Before you decide to lead foot it down I-66 or the Prince William Parkway, consider the total costs of getting caught for speeding. In addition to the fines and court costs, you may lose your good driver discount (up to 15%) and your car insurance rates would go up which would be locked in for several years. Yes, I said years. Even worse, your car insurance company could drop your coverage completely based on the charge of the ticket(s), the number of points you have accumulated, or how frequently you are getting the traffic tickets. If you work in an industry that provides you with a company car or you need a good driving record to keep your job such as a CDL license, then you may get in trouble with your employer. And if you build up too many points, the state may suspend your license.
The best thing you can do if you get a traffic ticket for serious violations such as speeding, reckless driving or DUI / DWI is to seek legal counsel to evaluate the situation and represent you in court. Some serious traffic violations are considered criminal charges. With this in mind, an attorney may be able to help you get the ticket dropped or have your fine or other penalties reduced. A traffic lawyer may also help you find ways to reduce the points on your driving record to help lower your insurance rates and in the worse case scenario get your driving privileges back.
If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving or DUI / DWI, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our guide Faced with Reckless Driving and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your reckless driving charge.
RESOURCES:
- CarInsurance.com – The $5,000 speeding ticket : The citation itself might not seem all that expensive, but the effect it can have on your auto insurance rates will surprise you.
- eHow – How Does Traffic Tickets Affect Insurance?
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Tags: driving record, DUI, DWI / DUI, insurance rates, Reckless Driving, speeding, ticket, traffic ticket
