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When it comes to car insurance, getting a texting ticket has a negative impact on your premiums. Some insurers may view texting while driving as a sign of distracted driving and you might see a rate hike. 

However, not all car insurance companies treat texting tickets the same way. Some car insurance companies provide lower premiums for drivers with texting tickets.

Here’s a list of the best cheap car insurance companies for drivers with a texting ticket, based on Insure.com analysis.

  • Erie
  • Geico
  • Auto-Owners 
  • State Farm
  • Nationwide

Read on to learn more about which companies offer the most competitive rates to drivers with texting tickets. 

Does texting while driving affect insurance?

Texting behind the wheel is not only illegal in most states, but it is also very dangerous. Additionally, getting a ticket for texting while driving can impact your auto insurance rates. Auto insurance companies view drivers who engage in distracted driving behaviors, such as texting behind the wheel, as higher risk and may raise your rates accordingly.

While laws related to texting when driving violations can vary by state, such offenses add points to your driving record, which in turn increases your car insurance premium. 

A texting ticket on your record can increase your car insurance premiums by 25% on average, based on Insure.com analysis. However, the specific impact on your insurance rates will depend on your car insurance company’s policies and the severity of the offense. 

How much does texting while driving ticket increase auto insurance premiums?

The impact of texting while driving tickets on your car insurance rates can vary depending on the state laws and your car insurance company. It may be as high as 45% or as low as 8%, based on Insure.com data.

While many variables influence how much your rate goes up after a texting ticket, Insure.com found that the average driver will see the following increases after a texting-and-driving violation.

Company Average rate after texting ticket
USAA$1,491
Erie$1,514
Geico$1,741
Auto-Owners$1,752
State Farm$1,896
Nationwide$1,947
American Family$2,139
Travelers$2,616
Progressive$2,767
Mercury$2,926
Auto Club Entreprises$2,950
Allstate$2,955
Kemper$3,257
Farmers$3,866

Best car insurance companies for people with a texting ticket

Erie Insurance is the best car insurance company for drivers with a texting ticket. It’s average premium after a texting ticket is $1,514 a year. It’s the most affordable auto insurance company among the carriers analyzed by Insure.com. 

Geico and Auto-Owners are also relatively affordable, with average annual premiums of $1,741 and $1,752 respectively. 

Insurance companies consider drivers with a texting ticket to be high-risk and charge them higher insurance costs. It is important to look for an affordable insurance provider that offers adequate coverage for drivers with a texting ticket.

Company Average rate after texting ticket
USAA*$1,491
Erie$1,514
Geico$1,741
Auto-Owners$1,752
State Farm$1,896
Nationwide$1,947
American Family$2,139

*USAA offers the cheapest car insurance for drivers with a texting ticket. But it’s only available for the military, veterans and their families. 

To find the best car insurance company, drivers should compare rates from multiple carriers and choose the one that offers comprehensive coverage at the most affordable price.

Learn more about the best car insurance companies of 2023

How do insurance companies treat texting tickets?

When it comes to distracted driving, texting is often treated differently than talking on the phone. Texting behind the wheel usually results in a ticket and may eventually impact your insurance premium, especially if it puts points on your license.

You may have to pay hefty penalties for texting while driving. Colorado will ding you $1,000 and put four points on your license. Oregon’s fines run up to $1,000 for a first offense and go to $2,000 if you are caught again. New York will send you a bill for $250 for the second offense and add five points to your license.

Insurers also differ in how they look at tickets for texting while driving. Some insurers overlook a texting ticket, while others will increase your car insurance costs.

Some companies may track the tickets so that they can look at the loss data and then, based on the data, decide how to handle them. On the other hand, when texting tickets show up on an MVR (Motor Vehicle Record), many insurers treat them as a minor moving violation.

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

While it will vary by a number of factors, insurance rates go up around $396 a year, on average, after a texting ticket. 

California leads the nation with a 45% increase after a texting ticket, while New Jersey placed a distant second with a 43% jump. The increase in premiums varies dramatically across states, but if you do end up with a texting ticket on your record, don’t start panicking immediately, it may not impact your rates.

“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.

If your insurer doesn’t pull an MVR regularly, it will never know about your texting ticket, and your rates will stay the same. In a few states, it’s illegal for car insurance companies to bump up your rate for a texting ticket. In Idaho and North Carolina, state law prohibits insurers from raising rates based on texting violations.

In states where points are assigned to your license, you may find your license suspended if a texting citation puts you over the top. In New York, for example, a texting ticket puts five points on your license, and if you hit 11 points in 18 months, you can say goodbye to your license for a bit, raising your insurance premium.

Here’s how much more you can expect to pay in each state for texting while driving, ranked from highest rate increase to lowest:

State Average rate  Rate after texting %increase $increase
California$2,206$3,20045%$994
New Jersey$2,228$3,19243%$964
North Carolina$1,396$1,94239%$545
Washington$1,325$1,82538%$501
Indiana$1,279$1,70233%$422
Arizona$1,665$2,19232%$527
Illinois$1,368$1,80232%$434
Oregon$1,461$1,93232%$471
Louisiana$3,121$4,08031%$959
Wisconsin$1,587$2,08331%$495
Arkansas$1,475$1,89328%$418
Iowa$1,241$1,57027%$329
Ohio$1,110$1,41327%$303
Michigan$4,013$5,04426%$1,031
Rhode Island$1,793$2,25026%$458
Maryland$1,981$2,47925%$499
Maine$1,072$1,33825%$266
Nevada$2,371$2,95325%$582
Mississippi$1,407$1,74624%$339
Oklahoma$1,836$2,28024%$444
South Carolina$1,804$2,24524%$441
Virginia$1,230$1,52824%$298
Florida$2,927$3,60123%$674
Massachusetts$1,760$2,17023%$410
New Hampshire$949$1,16923%$220
Montana$1,766$2,14622%$380
Tennessee$1,308$1,59122%$283
Texas$1,969$2,40822%$439
Georgia$ 1,597$1,92721%$331
Kansas$1,488$1,80521%$318
Kentucky$1,857$2,23921%$382
Minnesota$1,699$2,04921%$349
Utah$ 1,582$1,91321%$331
Vermont$1,081$1,30621%$225
Missouri$2,403$2,88220%$479
Alaska$1,286$1,53119%$245
Alabama$1,503$1,78619%$283
Colorado$1,970$ 2,34519%$375
Idaho$1,015$1,20319%$188
West Virginia$1,413$1,67919%$266
New Mexico$1,686$1,99218%$306
South Dakota$1,585$1,87018%$285
Delaware$1,730$2,00916%$278
North Dakota$1,239$1,43616%$198
Hawaii$1,309$1,50115%$193
Washington D.C.$1,909$2,16313%$254
Nebraska$1,861$2,07411%$213
Pennsylvania$1,297$1,43711%$140
Connecticut$1,461$1,61310%$152
New York$1,822$1,9738%$151
Wyoming$1,812$1,9518%$139

Why do insurance companies charge more for texting while driving?

Insurance companies charge more for texting while driving because distracted driving increases the risk of accidents and, therefore, the likelihood of drivers filing insurance claims. Nine people in the United States die every day in crashes that involve a distracted driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Texting while driving is a dangerous behavior that takes a driver’s attention away from the road, which can cause them to miss things such as traffic lights, pedestrians, and other vehicles. As a result, drivers who text while driving are more likely to get into accidents, which can cause property damage, injuries, and even fatalities.

To cover the increased risk of accidents caused by texting while driving, insurance companies may charge higher premiums or increase deductibles for policyholders who engage in this behavior.

What are the state laws for cell phone use while driving?

When it comes to the use of cell phones while driving, 48 states have laws banning texting for all drivers. Some states also restrict the use of electronic devices to make phone calls. For instance, in California, drivers can only make calls using a hands-free device. While in New York, all drivers are prohibited from using hand-held electronic devices, including making phone calls.

Below are the state laws for cell phone use while driving.

State Texting and driving ban Hand-held phone conversations ban License points
AlabamaAll driversNo2 Points on License
AlaskaAll driversNoNo
ArizonaAll driversAll driversNo
ArkansasAll driversDrivers 18 or older but younger than 21; school and highway work zonesNo
CaliforniaAll driversAll driversNo
ColoradoAll driversNo4 Points
ConnecticutAll driversAll driversNo
DelawareAll driversAll driversNo
D.C.All driversAll driversNo
FloridaAll driversDrivers in school and work zones3 Points for Second Offense, 2 more Points for School Zone, 6 for Accident
GeorgiaAll driversAll drivers1 Points
HawaiiAll driversAll driversNo
IdahoAll driversAll driversNo
IllinoisAll driversAll driversNo
IndianaAll driversAll driversNo
IowaAll driversNoNo
KansasAll driversNoNo
KentuckyAll driversNo3 Points
LouisianaAll driversDrivers in signed school zones; with respect to novice driversNo
MaineAll driversAll driversNo
MarylandAll driversAll drivers1 Point & 3 if Accident
MassachusettsAll driversAll driversNo
MichiganAll driversNoNo
MinnesotaAll driversAll driversNo
MississippiAll driversNoNo
Missouri*Drivers 21 and youngerNoNo
MontanaNoNoNo
NebraskaAll driversNo3 Points
NevadaAll driversAll drivers4 Points for Second Offense
New HampshireAll driversAll driversNo
New JerseyAll driversAll drivers3 points for Third Offense
New MexicoAll driversNoNo
New YorkAll driversAll drivers5 Points
North CarolinaAll driversNoNo
North DakotaAll driversNoNo
OhioAll driversNoNo
OklahomaAll driversLearner’s permit and intermediate license holdersNo
OregonAll driversAll driversNo
PennsylvaniaAll driversNoNo
Rhode IslandAll driversAll driversNo
South CarolinaAll driversNoNo
South DakotaAll driversNoNo
TennesseeAll driversAll driversNo
TexasAll driversDrivers in school crossing zones and on public school property during the time the reduced speed limit appliesNo
UtahAll driversNoNo
VermontAll driversAll drivers4 points for school construction zones, 5 points for second offense
VirginiaAll driversAll drivers3 points
WashingtonAll driversAll driversNo
West VirginiaAll driversAll drivers3 points for Third Offense
WisconsinAll driversDrivers in highway construction areas4 points
WyomingAll driversNoNo

Frequently asked questions

How long will a texting ticket stay on my record?

How long a ticket for texting while driving stays on your driving record varies by state but usually ranges from three to five years.

Do cell phone tickets affect insurance?

Cell phone tickets can affect insurance premiums as they are considered a violation of traffic laws and indicate unsafe driving behavior. Insurance companies may view drivers receiving a cell phone ticket as a higher risk, leading to increased premiums.

Does distracted driving increase insurance rates?

Using a mobile phone while driving can result in a ticket for distracted driving, which may cause an increase in your insurance premium. However, the impact on your rates may vary based on your state and insurance provider. In certain states, insurance companies are barred from considering texting and driving violations when setting rates. It’s best to avoid using your phone when driving a vehicle to ensure your safety and that of others on the road.

How can I get a cell phone ticket dismissed?

You can get a cell phone ticket dismissed by arguing your case in court before a judge or writing a letter to prove your innocence. Hire an attorney to assist you with the negotiation or to represent you in court. If nothing works, you can request the prosecutor to reduce the fine amount or points on your license.

Methodology

Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to field rates for drivers with texting tickets on their driving records. The insurance rates are based on the profile of a 40-year-old male driver carrying a full coverage policy with limits 100/300/100. 

To analyze the rates, we have compared 50,00,736 insurance quotes of 27 company groups across 548 cities and 1,467 ZIP codes in the U.S.

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Distracted Driving.” Accessed May 2023.

Insurance Information Institute. “Cellphone use laws by state.” Accessed May 2023.

NewYork State Department of Motor Vehicles. “Cell phone use & texting.” Accessed May 2023.

Oregon.gov “Distracted Driving.” Accessed May 2023.

Colorado General Assembly. “Distracted Driving and Cell Phone Use.” Accessed May 2023.

– Mark Vallet contributed to this story.

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Shivani Gite
Contributing Writer

 
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Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions.