How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay On Your Insurance?

If you’ve recently gotten a speeding ticket, you might be wondering how long the offense will impact your car insurance and whether or not you’re going to have to pay more for coverage. Here’s what you can expect.  

It varies by state, but a speeding ticket can generally appear on your driving record for anywhere between one and six years. Since your driving record doesn’t directly translate to your insurance record, insurance companies will typically ask you about any tickets you may have received in this time frame, too. As more time goes by, the effect of a speeding ticket on insurance will usually have less of an impact.

When a car insurance company issues you a policy, they check your motor vehicle report with your state to inspect your driving behavior and history. Accidents, violations, and license points appear on this report — which is somewhat similar to a comprehensive loss underwriting exchange report.

So, speeding tickets are on there, and your insurance company will see them. Most states use a points system when it comes to driving infractions. If you accumulate too many points, you could lose your license.

Getting a speeding ticket could result in a fine, and a ticket will appear on your record even after you pay it. Keep in mind, though, that if you continually pick up tickets or other major infractions, auto insurance companies will view you as a higher risk, and it will be difficult to get affordable coverage.

At that point in time, you may only qualify for high-risk car insurance. Being classified as a high-risk driver means you’ll likely pay more for car insurance than the average person. Having a track record of at-fault accidents or reckless driving could cause an insurance company to deem you high risk. Filing an SR-22 will certainly make you high-risk, too.

You don’t necessarily have to have done something wrong on the road to be considered high-risk, though. Allowing your coverage to lapse would raise red flags for insurers. Also, being a very young driver or very old driver could make you a high risk. New drivers and elderly drivers are the most likely to get into accidents.

Your car insurance will likely go up after a speeding ticket, but to what extent depends on your provider and the severity of the offense. Your rate could increase anywhere between 15%  and 40%. Some providers are more forgiving than others, and while a speeding ticket will last longer on your record in some places, its effect on your insurance typically decreases over time. 

Every carrier has a different policy regarding traffic tickets and what impact they have on your premium. For instance, your first speeding ticket may not affect your rate at all if you’ve been a good driver and customer for many years without any past mistakes or auto claims.

If you were issued a speeding ticket for going more than 15 miles per hour over the limit, the chances of your insurance going up are higher compared to tickets issued at a slower speed. Additionally, if you’ve gotten multiple infractions, or your citation involved reckless or dangerous behavior, insurance companies could see you as more of a liability in the future.

In most cases, you won’t see an increase in your insurance rates until your policy is up for renewal. So, if you renewed your policy in February and got a speeding ticket in March, you won’t feel the effect on your auto insurance until next February, given your policy is good for one year. 

It’s important to note that a rate increase usually only applies to moving violations. Parking tickets shouldn’t raise your rate. Also, if you received a speeding ticket in a different state than where you live, it won’t always affect your car insurance. Maintaining motor vehicle records is a state government responsibility, and not every state shares information such as speeding tickets with other states.

There are some ways you may be able to remove a ticket from your record, thus minimizing its effect on your auto insurance. Many states may allow you to take safe driving courses or attend traffic school, which could reduce your fine or prevent you from gaining points against your license.

If you feel the speeding ticket was unfairly issued, you could contest it in court. The ticket won’t appear on your record if you win the case. You may also be able to ask for a deferral to delay the ticket showing up on your record, too. In some cases, you may not be able to remove a speeding ticket from your record. You’ll have to wait until it expires. 

Generally, the more serious the infraction, the longer it stays on your record, and the longer it could affect your insurance. For instance, a speeding ticket for going 30 miles per hour over the speed limit should raise your rate more than a speeding ticket for going 10 miles per hour over. 

Garnering a lot of speeding tickets of any type will certainly raise your rate, though. And while your insurer is unlikely to cancel your policy in the middle of the term if you accumulate too many, they may decide not to renew it.

Luckily, you can get and compare auto insurance quotes from different companies at any time. Clovered allows you to compare policies from different providers entirely online. All you’ll need is some basic information about yourself, your driving history, and your vehicle, and you’ve got everything you need to see quotes from some of the nation’s top auto insurance providers.

So, if you’re unhappy with your provider’s rate increase after a speeding ticket, or your insurer informs you they will not renew your policy, Clovered can help you find the coverage you need at a price that works.