Car Insurance Rate Increases with a Speeding Ticket
Getting a single speeding ticket will raise your car insurance rate by 23%, on average.
Tickets stay on your driving record for around three years. How much a ticket will affect your insurance rates can be influenced by other factors, like your driving record, how fast you were going and which company insures your car.
Do speeding tickets affect insurance?
One speeding ticket raises full coverage car insurance rates by $35 per month, on average.
A speeding ticket will raise your car insurance rates in almost every situation. How much your rate goes up varies by your insurance company, where you live and your driving history.
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State Farm raises rates the least among major auto insurance companies for a first speeding ticket — 11% or about $11 per month.
Monthly cost of full coverage insurance with a speeding ticket
Some insurance companies don't increase car insurance rates after a single ticket. Others charge drivers with a ticket more than twice as much as those with a clean record.
It's important to shop around for car insurance after a ticket to make sure you're getting the best possible rate. The ticket won't impact your rates until you renew coverage, so it's best to compare quotes when your policy is close to its expiration.
How one speeding ticket affects your insurance rates, by state
California drivers see the largest increase in insurance rates after a single speeding ticket. People in Texas have the smallest increase in the country.
Where you live can have a big effect on your car insurance rates after a speeding ticket. Car insurance rates in California go up by 50% after one speeding ticket, while Texas drivers only see a 10% increase, on average.
Monthly full coverage car insurance rates before and after a speeding ticket
State | Clean record | Speeding ticket | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $139 | $166 | 20% |
| Alaska | $117 | $136 | 16% |
| Arizona | $160 | $209 | 31% |
| Arkansas | $138 | $168 | 22% |
| California | $146 | $219 | 50% |
How multiple tickets can raise your auto insurance rates
Number of tickets | Rate increase |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20% |
| 2 | 67% |
| 3 | 111% |
Getting more speeding tickets will generally increase the impact on your insurance rates.
For example, a single ticket increases rates with Geico by more than 20%, while the second raises them by 38% more.
Drivers with two or three speeding tickets pay between 67% and 111% more than a driver with no tickets.
How to lower insurance after a speeding ticket
The best way to lower your car insurance rates after a speeding ticket is to compare quotes from multiple companies. There are some other options that can help, but you should always check with your insurance company to see what steps you can take to reduce your rate.
In some situations, a defensive driving course will result in a ticket being dismissed.
This isn't the case in all states. Other options can include various tactics in court, including contesting the ticket or asking the judge for opportunities to keep a ticket off your record.
Some states tie violations to points on a driver's license, and those points can impact how much insurance rates go up. In North Carolina, for instance, the correlation is put in writing as part of the Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP) system.
Insurance companies can also set rates by driving record instead of license points. That means efforts to reduce points — for example, a defensive driving course — might not have any impact on your insurance rates.
How long do speeding tickets affect insurance?
A single speeding ticket will generally increase your insurance rates for between three and four years.
On average, car insurance rates go up by 25% for the first two years after your ticket, then your insurance company will either reduce your rates to normal or reduce your penalty for the third year.
Allstate is the only company we found that charges higher rates for a driver with a 4-year-old speeding ticket.
Monthly cost of full coverage car insurance after one ticket
Time since ticket | Monthly cost | Rate increase |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | $66 | 25% |
| 1 year | $66 | 25% |
| 2 years | $66 | 25% |
| 3 years | $55 | 5% |
| No recent ticket | $53 | — |
Different states have different laws regarding how long a ticket can stay on your driving record. In California, it will only stay on your record for 39 months. In contrast, a citation will stay on your record in Virginia for five years.
Frequently asked questions
How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket?
One speeding ticket will increase your insurance rates by $35 per month, on average. However, the exact amount will vary based on your driving history, where you live and your insurer's rules.
How can I bring my rates down after a ticket?
The best ways to reduce your insurance bill after a ticket are to shop around for a cheaper insurance company or take a driver education class if your insurer allows it. Otherwise, your rates will return to normal over time.
What is the cheapest car insurance company after a speeding ticket?
State Farm has the lowest rate increase after a ticket of any major insurance company, at just 11% on average. Drivers with a recent ticket can also find cheap rates from Farm Bureau, Amica and Auto-Owners.
Does a first-time speeding ticket affect insurance?
Yes, a single speeding ticket will increase your insurance rates by around 23%. However, multiple tickets cause rates to increase much more — drivers with two tickets pay 67% more, and those with three tickets can expect to pay twice as much as people with a clean record.
How long does a speeding ticket affect your insurance?
Most drivers can expect their rates to go up for three to four years after a speeding ticket. Your penalty usually decreases in the third year, and most insurance companies return your rates to normal by the fourth year.
Will a speeding ticket for 5-over affect your insurance rates?
A speeding ticket just over the limit will not only affect your car insurance but will raise rates almost as much as a more serious ticket. The price of a full coverage policy with a ticket for driving 5 miles per hour over the limit is only 3.1% lower than the price with a ticket for driving 11 to 15 miles per hour over the limit.
Methodology
To compare the effects of a single speeding ticket on car insurance rates, we gathered quotes from every ZIP code nationally. Rates are for a 30-year-old man with good credit who drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
Quotes are based on a full coverage policy with the following limits:
Coverage | Limit |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
To study rates for a speeding ticket at 5 mph over the limit, rates for drivers with multiple tickets and the length of time a speeding ticket affects car insurance rates, we collected car insurance quotes from every ZIP code in Alabama, Ohio and Illinois.
The analysis used Quadrant Information Services to compile the insurance rate data, which was publicly sourced from insurer filings. Rates should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quote may be different, even if you match the profile used.