Excessive Speeding Ticket: Impact on Insurance Premiums
An excessive speeding ticket can have a significant impact on your auto insurance premiums. Insurance companies use your driving record as one of the main factors in determining your risk level and the cost of your insurance policy. Lets explore how an excessive speeding ticket can affect your insurance rates and what you can do to minimize the impact.
How Excessive Speeding Affects Insurance Rates
When you receive an excessive speeding ticket, it is considered a serious traffic violation and will likely have a more significant impact on your insurance premiums than a standard speeding ticket. Insurance companies view drivers with excessive speeding tickets as higher-risk clients, as they are more likely to be involved in accidents or engage in dangerous driving behaviors.
The specific impact of an excessive speeding ticket on your insurance rates will depend on several factors, including:
- Your driving history: If you have a history of traffic violations or accidents, an excessive speeding ticket may lead to even higher insurance premiums.
- The severity of the offense: The more severe the excessive speeding violation (e.g., driving at extremely high speeds), the more significant the impact on your insurance rates.
- Your insurance provider’s policies: Different insurance companies have different policies regarding how they handle excessive speeding tickets and other traffic violations. Some companies may impose a more significant rate increase than others.
Minimizing the Impact of an Excessive Speeding Ticket
While an excessive speeding ticket can have a negative effect on your insurance rates, there are some steps you can take to help minimize the impact:
- Fight the ticket: Hiring a traffic attorney to help you fight the excessive speeding ticket can potentially result in reduced charges or even the dismissal of the ticket. This can help minimize the impact on your insurance rates.
- Attend traffic school or a defensive driving course: If you are eligible and the court approves, attending a traffic school or defensive driving course may help remove or reduce points on your driving record. This can, in turn, help lower your insurance premiums.
- Maintain a clean driving record: Avoiding additional traffic violations and maintaining a clean driving record can help demonstrate to your insurance company that you are a responsible driver, which may eventually lead to lower insurance rates.
- Shop around for insurance: If your insurance rates increase significantly after an excessive speeding ticket, it may be worthwhile to shop around and compare quotes from different insurance providers. Some companies may offer more competitive rates for drivers with traffic violations on their records.
An excessive speeding ticket can have a considerable impact on your auto insurance premiums. However, by taking steps to minimize the impact, such as fighting the ticket, attending traffic school, and maintaining a clean driving record, you can help keep your insurance rates more manageable.
If you are facing an excessive speeding ticket, consider hiring a knowledgeable traffic attorney, such as The Harding Firm, to help you navigate the legal process and potentially reduce the penalties you face. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn how we can help you.