A common concern after receiving a traffic ticket is whether the violation will cause your auto insurance rates to increase. The answer depends on several factors, including the type of violation, your driving history, and your insurance company’s rating rules.
Not every New York traffic ticket will necessarily result in a higher premium. However, certain traffic convictions can affect what you pay for insurance, making it important to understand the potential consequences before deciding how to handle a ticket.
If you’ve received a traffic ticket, an experienced New York traffic ticket attorney can review the charge and explain your options.
Do All Traffic Tickets Cause an Insurance Increase?
Not every traffic ticket will automatically cause your auto insurance premium to increase. New York law limits when an insurer may impose a surcharge based solely on a traffic violation. However, certain convictions may affect your insurance rates, including:
- Speeding in excess of 15 mph over the speed limit
- Three or more speeding or reckless driving convictions, or a combination of the two
- Driving without a valid driver’s license
- Street racing
- Leaving the scene of an automobile accident
- Driving while intoxicated or impaired by alcohol or drugs
- Reckless driving or speeding that causes injury or death
- Evading law enforcement
- Two or more moving violations
A speeding conviction may affect your insurance premium, depending on the circumstances and your insurer’s rating rules. Factors that may be considered include:
- How serious the speeding offense is, with higher speeds translating to higher premiums
- Your driving record, including previous speeding or other traffic convictions
- The terms of your insurance policy or the insurer’s internal business standards
The effect of a traffic conviction on your insurance can vary depending on the violation, your driving history, and your insurer’s rating rules. Because insurance companies evaluate risk differently, the impact on premiums will not necessarily be the same for every driver.
Do Non-Moving Violations Affect Insurance Rates?
Non-moving violations generally do not affect insurance rates in the same way that certain moving violations can. However, the effect of a violation can depend on the specific circumstances and your insurer’s rating rules.
If you have questions about how a New York traffic violation could affect your driving record or insurance, speak with an experienced New York traffic ticket attorney.
How Long Will the Ticket Affect My Rates?
A common question that drivers ask is how long a traffic ticket will stay on their record for insurance purposes (not necessarily for purposes of driving points). Typically, the ticket will cause a higher rate for about three years. After this, the ticket should fall off your record and not impact your rate, so monitor your record and speak with an attorney if your rates stay high.
How Our Traffic Ticket Law Firm Can Help
Being convicted of, or admitting to, a traffic infraction can have serious financial repercussions long after the court deals with the ticket. No matter what sort of infraction you’ve been accused of, remember that you have the right to defend yourself. Our law firm can help by:
- Challenging the evidence against you: If the evidence is unreliable or was illegally obtained, it may be excluded from court.
- Disputing the police officer’s testimony: Just because a law enforcement officer testifies against you does not mean it’s true, and other witnesses or evidence may contradict the officer.
- Arguing for a dismissal: You might be able to contest the ticket and have it thrown out of court entirely under certain circumstances.
- Negotiating a plea bargain: Pleading guilty to a less serious offense may still cause your insurance to go up, but the hike could be substantially less.
- Exploring alternatives: You might be able to take a defensive driving course, which can save you from higher insurance rates.
Are you facing the prospect of higher insurance rates after receiving a ticket? Reach out to The New York Traffic Ticket Lawyers. You can call or contact us online now.
