Effect of a Traffic Ticket on a Person’s Insurance – Guest Post

Effect of a Traffic Ticket on a Person’s Insurance

 

A driver’s insurance is not doubt affected by a parking violation and a parking ticket. It depends on the frequency of tickets, the speed at which the vehicle is driven on, and many other factors. The best way is to inquire the insurance company directly regarding the things that may affect your insurance. The most common traffic violations include not observing a signal, over speeding, and reckless driving.

Different insurance agencies have different insurance policies in different states. If there are a lot of points added to a driver’s license, the person may lose their insurance policy. Many penalties are increased number of premiums every month for covering the cost such as SR-22 for drivers who are at high risk. Many insurance companies will not consider such drivers because they have a high risk of getting a ticket.

Short Term Effects on Insurance

If there are no other factors affecting the driver the insurance company may provide a pass on the first or second speeding ticket. Sometimes this also happens because the companies do not see the driving record of a person right away. As soon as they recognize that and the company is aware the premium is increased as soon as possible. The premium is increased during the renewal period instead of the monthly payments. A person may also see an increase in the charges if they want other insurance if there is a recent ticket for speeding on their driving record.

Multiple Speeding Tickets

If the duration between two speeding tickets is very short it will significantly affect the insurance negatively. For example, more than two speeding tickets in a year, or even worse if during months or weeks. Whether or not to keep the person with the carrier will be decided by the insurance agency depending on the number and duration between the tickets in his driving record. When it seems that that the driver is at risk too much then the insurance policy is cancelled. To get an insurance from another company an SR-22 will be attached to their coverage.

The Insurance Company

Because the driver is at a greater risk of having traffic related offenses the premiums significantly increase after speeding tickets. The driver could be caught up in a very dangerous situation if they have multiple tickets. Many studies have shown that drivers who have an existing ticket are at a higher risk of colliding with obstacles and other vehicles on road and participate in wrecks. When insurance companies are in a smaller town, the drivers mostly are aware of the employees so they can reach out to them and take suggestions on how to keep lower rates. These suggestions include slower driving, not stacking parking tickets for more than a year and keep meeting the deadlines of the violations. A better record will allow many companies to give a lower premium rates as they can trust them better. In larger cities where insurance companies and drivers are not very familiar the drivers have to do the research themselves. The internet often has information regarding these so make sure you have a reliable internet package like the ones available at 1st Energy.

Pursuing Action and the Lawyer

A driver may have little choice when a speeding ticket is significantly higher than the premium rates of insurance coverage. In this case they have to options, either to fight the ticket or to minimize bringing vehicle out on the road. This will help in decreasing the number of tickets in their records in the future. For any disputes regarding monthly payments, a person will have to contact the carrier, if the fighting citation is a success. They may also feel the need to hire a lawyer in case it becomes a legal matter. However, it is better that you consult a professional before you decide to hire a lawyer. A lawyer can then best determine what kind of a solution is required.

Age

Age plays a major role on the severity of punishment after a traffic violation. Most often older drivers receive a stricter penalty than younger drivers. This is why many 70 year olds get penalized more than 20 year olds. However, even in younger people minor violations and reckless driving often has to be differentiated and the penalty for minor violations is considerably less than reckless and careless driving. Since this affects the premiums of the drivers, an older driver will have a greater increase in their premiums than younger drivers.

Final thoughts

Several factors are considered before the insurance rates are decided for a vehicle. The most important factor being the driver’s driving record. Every year the insurance gets renewed and an account of driving history is checked before renewal. A higher insurance rate will be chosen for a bad driving history. It is based on the logic that more number of speeding tickets translate into a greater risk of getting into traffic related accidents. So, insurance companies make sure they charge higher premiums from high risk drivers. It is best to avoid speeding tickets however, if you still do get one it is better to take steps to avoid them in the future. You can do this by taking a defense driving course. Most insurance companies perceive this as the driver’s commitment to driving safe in the future and so they may not increase a huge amount of premium. You may want to look at other different insurance companies for better rates. You may find out that some insurance companies are more lenient in their approach than others and you can choose the one that suits you. Last but not the least, drive carefully to keep yourself and others around you safe.

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