How is my auto insurance affected by a DUI conviction?
Most state laws specify that only licensed drivers are eligible for auto insurance. So if your licensed has been revoked as a result of the DUI conviction, you’re temporarily ineligible for insurance.
Here’s something else you may not realize. If your spouse or someone you reside with has auto insurance, that person’s premiums may increase and here’s why. A DUI conviction makes you a high-risk driver. Since you live in the same household, you have access to the other person’s vehicle, and insurers want protection against that.
Meeting your state’s motor vehicle requirements is the only way you’ll get your driver’s license reinstated. One requirement is usually submission of Form SR-22. This form is completed by your insurer and acts as confirmation that you carry the state-required minimums for auto insurance. Upon your request, the insurer will forward the completed form to the appropriate state agency.
Auto insurers are required to offer liability coverage to drivers whose licenses have been reinstated. However, insurers do not have to offer Comprehensive and Collision coverage. No matter what you’re offered though, you should expect to pay higher rates than you did prior to a DUI conviction.
That’s because a DUI conviction adds a considerable number of points onto your driving record. Exactly how many points are added depends on the laws in your state. Those points remain on your record for several years, too. (Again, length is determined by your state’s laws).
Unfortunately, more points on your driving record mean higher costs for auto insurance. Although drivers would like to know the bottom line, it’s nearly impossible to predict the actual rate increase after a DUI conviction.
Rate calculations take into consideration a number of different factors including your driving history prior to the DUI conviction. Rates depend on the insurer’s policies, too. Although it’s a wide range, you can expect your auto insurance rates to increase from a low of $500 to a high of $2,000 or more. And that’s per year for the next 3 years, and possibly longer. Remember, with a DUI conviction, you’re no longer eligible for a Safe Driver discount.
The only way you’ll know the full impact of a DUI conviction on your auto insurance rates and your driving record is to speak with a representative from your insurance company.