Smart Auto Insurance Blog

According to the article “The Effects of a DUI on Car Insurance Quotes” by insuranceagents.com, auto insurance quotes can skyrocket after a Driving Under the Influence violation is on your record.

Not only will a DUI on your record cause your auto insurance quotes to increase, but your license may be suspended and your current auto insurance policy may be cancelled, leaving you in a tough spot to find new auto insurance fast. 

There is a zero tolerance for drinking and driving in the United States because of how terribly dangerous it is to the driver, passengers and other people driving on the road.  Not only are you putting lives at risk if you drink and drive, but you are setting yourself up for a potentially very expensive road as well as possible jail time.

Everyone knows that driving while intoxicated is extremely dangerous and against the law, but what many may not realize is that it’s very expensive as well.  According to the article “Driving Under the Influence is Expensive As Well As Dangerous” by the Kalamazoo Gazette Staff found on mlive.com, drinking and driving violations are the most expensive of all traffic violations.

According to insurance.com, DUIs can shoot auto insurance rates up by as much as 38%.  Their RateWatch Data shows that the lowest rate quoted to someone with a DUI was $2148 in 2009 across the country.  That is about $435 more than a driver who does not have a DUI. 

Not only are you putting your life at risk as well as other people on the road if you drive drunk, but you will most likely have your license suspended if you are caught and you will have to file a SR22 Insurance form, which is a certificate submitted to the Secretary of State proving that you have liability insurance.

According to the article “Data Shows Auto Insurance Rates Rise for DWI Convinctions” by Lavonne Kuykendall on CNN Money’s site, auto insurance rates in general are on the rise. 

Information obtained by insurance.com shows that auto insurance rates for male drivers with a DWI or DUI convinction are rising faster.  DWI rates usually stay in effect for 5 years after a DWI conviction.

In 2009, male drivers who had a DWI conviction paid auto insurance which was about 24% more per year than did men without any violations.  This is up from a 22% difference in 2008.  The rate of increase for someone with a DWI has remained the same for women since 2008, at about 28% higher than the rate for women without any violations.