How much does car insurance go up after a violation?

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Car insurance goes up an average of 38% after a speeding ticket, 60% after an at-fault accident, and 92% after a DUI. The exact increase depends on the violation type, your insurer, your state, and your driving history. Most violations affect your rates for 3 to 5 years, while DUIs can raise premiums for 5 to 10 years or longer.

Insurers raise rates after violations because they view drivers with infractions as higher-risk to insure. They review your driving record when you buy a policy and again at renewal — that renewal is typically when you’ll see the increase.

Average car insurance cost after violations

Receiving a DUI can cause a hefty increase in car insurance premiums, with an average of 92%. An at-fault accident increases rates by an average of 60%, and poor credit increases rates 113% in states that allow credit to be used as a rating factor.

When setting or changing premiums, car insurance carriers take many factors into consideration, including an individual’s driving record. The chart below shows the average annual premium for drivers with and without major moving violations.

How much does a speeding ticket increase insurance?

A speeding ticket increases car insurance rates by an average of 38% — from $2,578 to $3,568 per year for full coverage. The increase ranges from 20% at USAA to 68% at Nationwide.

There are no hard-and-fast rules on whether one speeding ticket will make your rates rise. If your insurer offers a safe-driver discount, that discount may be taken away after a single ticket — even if your base rate doesn’t change much.

See rate increases for speeding tickets by company in the table below.

Car insurance rate increase after a speeding ticket by state

Hawaii has the highest average insurance increase after a speeding ticket, with premiums rising 97%. Michigan, California, New Jersey, and Texas also see some of the largest rate hikes after speeding violations.

How much your insurance increases depends on several factors, including how fast you were driving, where the violation occurred, and your insurer’s pricing rules. Tickets for driving far above the speed limit or speeding in school and construction zones often lead to larger premium increases. 

How much does your insurance increase after an accident?

An at-fault accident can significantly increase car insurance rates. Based on our analysis, premiums rise anywhere from 26% at State Farm to 82% at Farmers after an accident — an average of 60% across the industry.

“Consumers should shop around and ask about accident rate impacts and forgiveness policies before they buy.”

See how rates change by insurer in the table below.

How much do car insurance rates increase after an accident by state?

Michigan has the highest average rate increase after an at-fault accident, with premiums rising 98%. Texas, California, New Jersey, and Georgia also see some of the largest post-accident increases. Drivers in Wyoming, Rhode Island, and Hawaii experience some of the smallest premium hikes.

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How much does your insurance increase after a DUI?

A DUI can dramatically raise your car insurance rates. According to our analysis, drivers pay an average of 92% more for coverage after a DUI conviction — and in some states, premiums nearly triple. Some insurers refuse to renew policies after a DUI altogether.

“Even though policies and premiums vary widely, most companies charge higher premiums for a DUI infraction or a DUI-related crash,” Brine says.

See how much insurance rates increase after a DUI from major insurers in the table below.

Car insurance rate increase after a DUI, by state

A DUI citation will increase insurance rates significantly — plus you’ll pay a hefty fine and potentially face license suspension. The largest increases are in North Carolina (330%), Hawaii (241%), Connecticut (208%), California (190%), and Michigan (182%). Some insurance carriers won’t sell a policy at all to someone with a DUI on their record.

How long do violations stay on your insurance record?

Traffic violations and accidents can affect car insurance rates for several years. The exact timeframe depends on the insurer, the state, and the severity of the violation. More serious offenses, such as a DUI, often lead to higher premiums for a longer period.

Insurance companies usually review driving records when issuing a new policy or renewing an existing one. If violations appear during that review, insurers may increase rates because the driver is considered a higher risk.

Some states also require drivers with serious violations to file an SR-22 or FR-44 form to prove they carry the minimum required auto insurance coverage.

How much does your credit score affect your insurance premium?

Poor credit raises car insurance rates by an average of 113%. Some states, however, do not allow the use of credit scores to set car insurance premiums — including California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan.

“For example, California prohibits credit information from being considered in auto insurance premiums. Washington and Oregon allow credit information to be used, but limit what information can be considered within a score. There are rates for an insured with an excellent credit-based insurance score that are half of the premium for an insured with a less-favorable score, but that’s not believed to be standard,” Brine says.

Poor credit rate increase by company

Poor credit rate increase by state

Michigan shows the largest increase in premiums for drivers with poor credit, with rates rising 194% on average. Wyoming has one of the smallest increases at 62%, while Idaho’s increase is 52% — partly because state law limits how heavily insurers can weigh credit information compared to other rating factors.

In the table below, see car insurance rates with poor credit by state.

What our expert says

Q: What should drivers do if they have an accident on their driving record?

Kenton BrinePresident of the NW Insurance Council.

“Some insurance companies have ‘accident forgiveness’ policies that protect from a premium increase after their first claim against the policy. Consumers should shop around and ask about accident rate impacts and forgiveness policies before they buy.”

Resources & Methodology

Methodology

Insurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to analyze car insurance rates using sample driver profiles for a 40-year-old male and female driving a Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score.

For baseline rates, 65,756,440 quotes from 195 insurers across 34,595 ZIP codes nationwide were analyzed. Rates were based on a full coverage policy with limits of 100/300/100 and a $500 collision and comprehensive deductible. The sample driver had no violations on record and drove 10,000 miles annually, including a 12-mile commute.

To calculate rate increases after violations and poor credit, 95,071,152 quotes from 138 insurers across 1,468 ZIP codes were analyzed using the same driver profile and coverage levels.

Premiums were analyzed after:

• At-fault property damage accidents over and under $2,000
• At-fault bodily injury accidents
• Poor credit
• First-offense DUI/DWI
• Speeding 30+ MPH over the limit
• Speeding tickets 1-10 MPH and 11-29 MPH over the limit

These are sample rates, and actual premiums may vary by driver, insurer and location.