How Speeding Tickets Affect Your Car Insurance Premiums
To minimize the sting of higher rates, see if you can get credit for taking a remedial driving course.
My 27-year-old daughter, who lives in Maryland, just received a speeding ticket. How much will her car insurance premiums increase, and for how long? —E.G., Parkville, Md.
Rates increase by an average of 21% after you get a ticket for going 1 to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit and by 28% for exceeding the limit by 16 to 30 mph, according to a study by InsuranceQuotes.com. But the increases vary widely based on the driver’s speed, insurer and state; in Maryland, the average increase is 18% for driving 16 to 30 mph over the limit. (For estimates of increases in other states, see InsuranceQuotes.com.) The surcharge can affect premiums for up to three to six years, depending on the state. In Maryland, it’s up to three years.
The rate may not change for a while. Most insurers don’t review a motorist’s record every time the policy is renewed, says Mike McCartin, an independent insurance agent in College Park, Md. Some insurers forgive the first ticket for longtime customers.
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Your daughter may be able to minimize the increase by taking a safe-driver course. Have her ask her state insurance department about the rules.
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