No one wants to get stopped by the police. It could lead to a costly ticket, and tickets might mean more than fines. By getting a ticket, you put your insurance rates at risk. You might face higher insurance costs after you commit such an offense. What can you expect if you get a ticket?
For many drivers, the penalties associated with traffic tickets are temporary in nature. Still, if they impact your insurance, you might still face financial ramifications. Do what you can to minimize these risks.
Why Tickets Drive Up Insurance Rates
Insurers generally set premiums based on the risks customers pose to the company. If you have high driving risks, you have a higher chance of filing a claim. That's a cost risk to the insurers. They might have to charge you to make up the difference.
Often, a person's driving record is a good indicator of their likelihood of filing a claim. Your insurer will often look at your record when determining your policy prices. If they see that you have gotten a ticket, they might decide to raise your premiums. That's because the presence of that ticket will state that you were found to have violated a traffic law. You therefore have a higher risk of filing a policy claim in the future. Don't let this happen to you.
Protecting Your Rates in the Future
The good news is, if you get a ticket, it might only be a temporary insurance inconvenience. Many tickets will drop off your record within a couple of years. After that point, your insurance rates might drop once again.
Still, some tickets and violations remain on your record much longer, even permanently. In these cases, the chances of paying higher costs for your insurance will often increase.
There's a strong incentive not to get a ticket. If you go ticket-free, you'll have one less bad mark on your record. This means your insurance rates can be protected in both the present and the future. Though you might not see an increase now, you might see ramifications when you buy in the future. So, drive carefully at all times, obey the rules of the road and do not speed.
If you get a ticket, however, there still might be ways to preserve your insurance rates going forward. Some insurers don't penalize you for a first-time ticket. Others will allow you to take a safe driving course to hone your skills behind the wheel. You might qualify for policy discounts by doing so.
Do your best not to get a ticket. However, don't hesitate to contact your Cloverleaf Insurance agent if you ever have questions about your coverage penalties.
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