A traffic violation can be expensive, not just in terms of fines and court costs, but also in the form of increased insurance rates. The degree to which a traffic violation will affect your insurance rates depends on the nature and the severity of the offense, as well as your overall driving history. Serious offenses, like driving under the influence or evading responsibility, can substantially increase insurance rates and could even lead to cancellation of your insurance policy.
If you were charged with a Connecticut traffic violation, The Lebedevitch Law Firm, LLC, can help you avoid having points on your license and other consequences of a traffic violation. Contact our law firm today to schedule an appointment to discuss your circumstances and learn how we can assist you.
If your driving record is clean and the traffic violation is relatively minor, your insurance rates may not go up at all. For more severe traffic violations, or if you have prior moving violations, a traffic violation could affect your insurance rates, sometimes severely.
Factors that insurance companies take into account when evaluating a driver’s insurance rates include:
In most cases, your car insurance rates will not increase after your first ticket, or it has been more than three years since your last citation for a moving violation.
The severity of the traffic offense will affect how much the traffic violation impacts your insurance. A minor moving violation, like a ticket for going less than 10 mph over the posted speed limit (not in a school zone), will have a relatively minor effect on your insurance rates. More serious offenses, like a DUI, hit-and-run, or reckless driving, will have a greater impact on your insurance premiums. Some insurance carriers will almost double your insurance rates. In the most severe cases, the insurance company might even cancel your policy.
If your insurance rates will go up after a traffic violation, you will likely see the increase when your policy renews. For example, suppose you receive a traffic ticket when you have three months left on your existing insurance policy. You might expect to see an increase in your insurance rates in three months, when your policy is up for renewal.
If you receive a traffic violation, it will remain on your driving record for three to five years, depending on the severity of the offense.
Tickets you receive while travelling out-of-state will generally affect your insurance rates the same way a ticket would if you received one in your state of residence. Most states participate in the Driver’s License Compact. This agreement means your home state’s Department of Motor Vehicles will be notified of the ticket, even if it happened somewhere else. Once your home state is notified of the violation, it will appear on your driving record and your insurance company will see it.
Parking tickets and other non-moving violations generally do not affect your insurance rates, as they have little to do with your driving ability. However, a ticket for a non-moving violation could affect your insurance rates if you fail to address it. For example, failure to pay several parking tickets or refusing to address a ticket for a broken taillight could result in increased insurance rates. While a single non-moving violation is unlikely to affect your insurance rates, your insurance company may view repeated non-moving violations as a sign of risky behavior and they could increase your insurance rates accordingly.
Not all insurance companies treat traffic violations the same way. If your insurance rates increase after a traffic violation, consider comparing rates from other insurance companies to find a more favorable rate.
You may also consider fighting the ticket. You may be able to avoid increased insurance rates if you can keep the traffic violation off your record by having the charge reduced to a non-moving violation. An experienced traffic violation attorney can help you minimize the impact of a traffic violation on your insurance rates.
Connecticut traffic violation attorney Stephen Lebedevitch can help you avoid having points on your license and other consequences of a traffic violation. Individuals charged with traffic violations should be aware not just of the consequences of the charge itself, but also of its subsequent impact and repercussions. The Lebedevitch Law Firm can resolve many traffic violations by having them reduced to a verbal warning, a fine, or a non-moving violation.
The Lebedevitch Law Firm is based in Fairfield, Connecticut, and represents people charged with traffic violations in Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Darien, Rowayton, Fairfield, Trumbull, Westport, Wilton, Weston, Danbury, New Haven, Bethany, Woodbridge, Milford, Stratford, Bridgeport, and throughout the State of Connecticut.
Contact The Lebedevitch Law Firm today to schedule an appointment to discuss your situation and how we can assist you.
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