Best car insurance companies after a texting ticket

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A texting ticket raises your car insurance by about 33% on average, or roughly $839 a year. The increase ranges from as little as 12% in Wyoming to as much as 56% in Vermont, depending on your state, your insurer, and how your record looks otherwise. Insurers treat texting while driving as a distracted-driving violation, which signals higher accident risk and a greater chance you’ll file a claim.

Premium increases aren’t fixed. Rates for the same ticket vary widely between companies—Travelers and GEICO average among the lowest at $2,798 and $2,917 a year—so comparing quotes from several insurers before you renew is the surest way to limit the damage.

How much does a texting ticket increase auto insurance premiums?

A texting ticket raises your premium by about 33% on average, which works out to roughly $839 more a year for the typical driver. The increase swings widely by state and insurer, from as little as 12% to as much as 56%, so two drivers with the same ticket can see very different bills.

The gap between the cheapest and most expensive insurer here is more than $2,500 a year for the same ticket — which is exactly why it pays to compare quotes rather than accept your current insurer’s increase.

The table below shows the average annual premium drivers actually pay after a texting ticket, so you can see how far the same violation stretches from one company to the next.

Cheapest insurance companies after a texting ticket

Among all the companies mentioned above, these stand out as the most affordable options for drivers with texting tickets.

• Travelers: $2,798 a year
• GEICO: $2,917 a year
• State Farm: $3,397 a year

Military members and their families may find even lower rates through USAA, which averages $1,952 a year.

Why do insurance companies charge more for texting while driving?

Insurance companies charge more for texting while driving because distracted driving raises the risk of accidents — and with it, the likelihood of a claim. Nine people in the United States are killed every day in crashes reported to involve a distracted driver, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Here’s why insurers price it this way:

• It takes your eyes off the road: Texting pulls your attention away from traffic lights, pedestrians, and other vehicles, making accidents more likely.
• It raises the odds of a claim: Drivers who text while driving are statistically more likely to cause accidents that result in property damage, injuries, or worse.
• It increases insurers’ costs: To offset that added risk, insurers may raise your premium, increase your deductible, or both.

How much does texting while driving increase the cost of insurance by state?

A texting ticket raises rates most in Vermont, at 56%, followed by California at 54% and Indiana at 53%. Wyoming sees the smallest increase at just 12%. In dollar terms, the jump ranges from about $240 to over $1,800 a year.

A high percentage doesn’t always mean a high dollar cost. California’s 54% increase adds $1,864 a year because base rates there are already high, while Vermont’s 56% adds only $935. To know what a ticket will actually cost you, look at the dollar increase rather than the percentage.

A ticket doesn’t always reach your premium, either. Because states charge insurers a fee to pull your motor vehicle record, many carriers don’t check it every year, so a single ticket can slip by. The exception is states that assign license points—New York adds five points for texting, and hitting 11 within 18 months can mean a suspension, which raises your costs further.

The table below shows the average increase in every state, ranked highest to lowest.

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Does a texting ticket always raise your insurance?

A texting ticket doesn’t always raise your insurance. Because states charge insurers a fee for every motor vehicle record (MVR) pulled, many carriers don’t check your record every year, so a single ticket can go unnoticed and never reach your premium.

“Because states charge a fee for every motor vehicle record (MVR) pulled, many insurance carriers don’t pull MVRs yearly,” says John Espenschied with Insurance Brokers Group.

Where it’s more likely to catch up with you is in states that assign license points. A texting ticket adds five points to your license in New York, and accumulating 11 points within 18 months can lead to a suspension — which drives your insurance costs up even further. If a ticket stacks on top of other violations, the risk of both a rate hike and a suspension climbs.

State laws for texting and driving

Texting and driving is illegal for all drivers in 48 states, and most states also add points to your license for a violation. Since insurers pull your driving record when setting your rate, those points are often what triggers the premium increase. Some states go further and restrict hand-held phone calls too — California only allows hands-free calling, while New York bans hand-held device use entirely.

Here’s how texting and cell phone laws break down by state:

How can you lower car insurance premiums after a texting ticket?

You can lower your car insurance after a texting ticket by comparing quotes, taking a defensive driving course, and avoiding future violations. Staying with your insurer and asking about discounts can also help bring your rate back down over time.

A few ways to keep your costs low:

• Compare quotes from multiple insurers. Rates for the same ticket can vary by thousands of dollars, so shopping around is one of the fastest ways to save.
• Take a defensive driving course. Some insurers offer a discount for completing one, even after a violation.
• Avoid future violations. A clean record going forward is the best way to bring your rate back down over time.
• Maintain continuous coverage. A gap in coverage can raise your rates even further, so don’t let your policy lapse while you’re shopping around.
• Ask about discounts. You may still qualify for safe-driver, bundling, or loyalty discounts depending on your insurer.
• Reassess your rate at renewal. Some insurers stop factoring in a ticket after a certain period, so it’s worth checking your rate each time your policy renews.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Distracted Driving.” Accessed July 2026.
• Insurance Information Institute. “Cellphone use laws by state.” Accessed July 2026.
• NewYork State Department of Motor Vehicles. “Cell phone use & texting.” Accessed July 2026.
• Oregon.gov. “Distracted Driving.” Accessed July 2026.
• Colorado General Assembly. “Distracted Driving and Cell Phone Use.” Accessed July 2026.

Methodology

Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2026. Rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with no violations on their record, carrying a full coverage policy with limits of 100/300/100 and a $500 collision/comprehensive deductible, driving a Honda Accord LX. 

Drivers were assumed to have a good insurance score, a 12-mile commute, and 10,000 annual miles driven. We compared 65,756,440 insurance quotes from 195 companies across 73 company groups, spanning 51 states, 29,159 cities, and 34,595 ZIP codes. The national average premium under this profile is $2,578.

For texting tickets, rates are based on the profile of a 40-year-old male driver carrying a full coverage policy with limits of 100/300/100. We compared 50,00,736 insurance quotes from 27 company groups across 548 cities and 1,467 ZIP codes in the U.S.

Alisha Ambre

 

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Alisha Ambre holds a Bachelor of Arts with honours in English Literature and Media Studies. She focuses on crafting clear, engaging content that makes complex information feel practical and approachable for everyday readers. When she’s not writing, she’s likely on the volleyball court or immersed in a good video game.