- Do speeding tickets affect insurance?
- What are driver’s license points?
- How much does car insurance go up for a speeding ticket in every state?
- Cheapest car insurance company for speeding tickets
- What to do if you receive a speeding ticket
- Frequently asked questions: How do speeding tickets affect your insurance
- The verdict on how much insurance rates go up after a speeding ticket
EXPERT REVIEWED
by
Laura Longero
Speeding is one of the riskiest behaviors that drivers engage in on a regular basis. It is a top contributor to crashes along America’s roadways and killed 9,478 people in 2019, according to the NHTSA. If you get a speeding ticket, be prepared to pay much higher auto insurance rates.
- Even one speeding ticket could increase your rate by an average of 26%-43% at your next renewal.
- Two speeding tickets could increase your rate by 58% at your next renewal.
- Hawaii insurance rates could go up 90% for driving 11-29 mph over the limit. Connecticut and Pennsylvania, however, only raise rates by about 16%.
- You can expect to pay anywhere from $238 to $2,003 more per year if you were cited for speeding 11-29 mph over the limit.
Do speeding tickets affect insurance?
How much more you’ll pay for car insurance after a speeding ticket depends on a variety of factors, such as how fast you were driving, your state, your insurance company and your driving record.
Many people ask if a speeding ticket affects their insurance. But what they really should be asking is: How much will a speeding ticket increase my insurance rates?
You can expect to pay anywhere from $238 to $2,003 more per year if you were cited for speeding 11-29 mph over the limit, according to a 2022 CarInsurance.com study.
What are driver’s license points?
Every time you get a speeding ticket, points are added to your driver’s license. But these points aren’t the good kind. Instead, points on your driver’s license are strikes against your driving record and can result in license suspension or revocation.
The number of points assigned per speeding ticket varies by state and infraction.
There are nine states that do not currently use a driver’s license point system. They are:
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Washington
- Wyoming
The number of points on your driver’s license is not what determines your insurance rate increase, for most insurers. Insurance companies are more interested in your driving history, in general, including the number and type of violations.
Read about the Insurance Points Vs License Points – How do 3 points affect insurance?
How much does car insurance go up for a speeding ticket in every state?
A 2022 rate analysis by CarInsurance.com found the states that are the most expensive for speeding tickets in terms of how much more you pay for coverage after a violation.
These are the states where speeding 11 to 29 mph over the limit will result in the highest increases in premiums – from Louisiana with an increase of $2,003 at No. 1 to Washington with an increase of $750 at No. 10.
Here are the states listed in order:
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- Hawaii
- California
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Wisconsin
- Nevada
- Washington
Below you’ll see the increase in rates by state, both as a percentage hike and the dollar amount, on average.
Enter your state in the search field below to find out how much more you can expect to pay.
| State | % Increase 11 to 29 mph over | $ Increase | % Increase 30+ mph over | $ Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 36% | $461 | 36% | $461 |
| Alabama | 33% | $520 | 60% | $955 |
| Arkansas | 54% | $885 | 71% | $1,172 |
| Arizona | 39% | $668 | 45% | $767 |
| California | 42% | $920 | 42% | $920 |
| Colorado | 25% | $527 | 47% | $990 |
| Connecticut | 16% | $246 | 31% | $469 |
| District of Columbia | 24% | $454 | 35% | $674 |
| Delaware | 30% | $541 | 60% | $1,066 |
| Florida | 29% | $872 | 53% | $1,584 |
| Georgia | 36% | $613 | 51% | $873 |
| Hawaii | 90% | $1,184 | 90% | $1,184 |
| Iowa | 30% | $374 | 36% | $444 |
| Idaho | 23% | $248 | 33% | $356 |
| Illinois | 33% | $511 | 55% | $862 |
| Indiana | 44% | $601 | 67% | $907 |
| Kansas | 25% | $396 | 25% | $386 |
| Kentucky | 34% | $711 | 63% | $1,312 |
| Louisiana | 64% | $2,003 | 66% | $2,057 |
| Massachusetts | 27% | $472 | 27% | $472 |
| Maryland | 32% | $705 | 52% | $1,123 |
| Maine | 32% | $342 | 32% | $342 |
| Michigan | 39% | $1,517 | 47% | $1,831 |
| Minnesota | 36% | $633 | 39% | $694 |
| Missouri | 27% | $715 | 30% | $803 |
| Mississippi | 28% | $434 | 34% | $523 |
| Montana | 28% | $484 | 28% | $484 |
| North Carolina | 47% | $673 | 47% | $673 |
| North Dakota | 22% | $301 | 28% | $378 |
| Nebraska | 21% | $407 | 57% | $1,093 |
| New Hampshire | 31% | $314 | 41% | $421 |
| New Jersey | 58% | $1,300 | 67% | $1,495 |
| New Mexico | 24% | $399 | 35% | $578 |
| Nevada | 32% | $777 | 32% | $777 |
| New York | 25% | $451 | 25% | $451 |
| Ohio | 36% | $412 | 52% | $591 |
| Oklahoma | 29% | $567 | 32% | $625 |
| Oregon | 35% | $525 | 42% | $623 |
| Pennsylvania | 16% | $238 | 22% | $335 |
| Rhode Island | 31% | $587 | 48% | $917 |
| South Carolina | 25% | $451 | 29% | $532 |
| South Dakota | 41% | $654 | 46% | $734 |
| Tennessee | 39% | $530 | 58% | $795 |
| Texas | 24% | $486 | 26% | $526 |
| Utah | 30% | $485 | 29% | $473 |
| Virginia | 38% | $505 | 61% | $803 |
| Vermont | 22% | $261 | 41% | $486 |
| Washington | 50% | $750 | 56% | $834 |
| Wisconsin | 45% | $815 | 67% | $1,212 |
| West Virginia | 36% | $525 | 50% | $732 |
| Wyoming | 30% | $572 | 51% | $959 |
Cheapest car insurance company for speeding tickets
The exact increase you see for speeding will depend on your state’s laws, how fast you were driving, your driving record and your insurance company. In part, that’s because car insurance companies treat traffic tickets differently — they each assess risk using their own formula.
So, how much your insurance goes up after a speeding ticket with Progressive will look different than if your insurer is Geico.
ExampleFor example, CarInsurance.com data below shows how much rates increase, on average, among six top insurers for a ticket speeding 11 to 29 miles over the limit:
- Geico – 74%
- Travelers – 47%
- Auto-Owners – 39%
- Progressive – 37%
- Farmers – 32%
- Nationwide – 31%
| Company | Clean/Base | Speeding ticket 11-29 MPH over limit | $ Difference | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,352 | $2,356 | $1,004 | 74% |
| Travelers | $1,882 | $2,760 | $878 | 47% |
| Auto-Owners | $1,651 | $2,299 | $648 | 39% |
| Progressive | $1,933 | $2,657 | $724 | 37% |
| Farmers | $2,740 | $3,629 | $889 | 32% |
| Nationwide | $1,523 | $1,995 | $472 | 31% |
| American Family | $1,738 | $2,237 | $499 | 29% |
| State Farm | $1,672 | $2,020 | $348 | 21% |
| USAA | $1,272 | $1,525 | $253 | 20% |
| Allstate | $2,513 | $2,971 | $458 | 18% |
It’s important to remember that you may also lose a safe-driver discount in addition to paying higher rates if you get a speeding ticket.
Here is an example of how this might look:
- According to 2022 data, the average car insurance policy in Californiacosts $2,207 a year.
- If you have a clean driving record, most California companies offer a discount. That discount is typically a 25% savings ($552 per year). So, using these averages, a driver with a clean driving record is paying $1,655 a year for car insurance.
- One speeding ticket could remove that discount and result in an increase of your non-discount rate of 42% to increase your premium $920 per year. That is a rate of $3,127 per year.
What to do if you receive a speeding ticket
Even one speeding ticket will raise your insurance, but the speed differential between the speed limit and what you were driving makes a difference, as evidenced in the table below:
| Driving Record | Avg. Annual Rates |
|---|---|
| Clean record/base rate | $1,986 |
| Speeding ticket 1-10 mph over the limit | $2,500 |
| Speeding ticket 11-29 mph over the limit | $2,657 |
| Speeding ticket 30+ mph over the limit | $2,848 |
When will my rate go up? Should I shop for a new policy after a ticket?
The most important thing to do after you get a speeding ticket and you see an insurance increase is to shop around to make sure you have the best rate when it comes time to renew your policy.
Also, consider taking a defensive driving course, which might save you a bit of money. Discounts might not be applicable after you get a speeding ticket – you’ll lose your good driver discount – but a ticket doesn’t stay on your driving record forever.
And if you’re really in a pinch, consider increasing your deductible if you must. But remember, if you increase your deductible, you want to be sure you have the savings to cover it in case of an accident.
On the other side, you can opt for an accident forgiveness policy, which will be more expensive but will forgive your first accident without a rate increase.
Multiple speeding tickets can double your car insurance increase
If you get numerous speeding tickets within three years, you may be classified as a high-risk driver and therefore pay much higher rates than if you were cited just once for exceeding the limit.
For instance, you’ll pay an average of 58% more after two speeding tickets (going 11 mph over the speed limit or more), which is a difference of more than $1,100, according to 2022 data.
Busted for speeding: Should you lawyer up?
A 2020 CarInsurance.com survey found that some speeding excuses drivers give police officers to prevent tickets are more successful than others. Among them, claiming you didn’t realize you were speeding.
If your excuse didn’t work, and you want to fight the ticket, the survey also provides information on how much drivers spent on traffic lawyers to help appeal their case and if they felt it was worthwhile.
Frequently asked questions: How do speeding tickets affect your insurance
Does one speeding ticket increase insurance?
In general, yes, one speeding ticket will affect insurance. But how much will insurance go up for a speeding ticket? You should expect an increase of 26% to 43% at your next renewal. However, there are some insurance companies that do not increase insurance rates after one ticket – depending on how fast you were going.
Does a first-time speeding ticket affect insurance?
In most cases, a first-time speeding ticket will increase your insurance costs. But a handful of insurance companies might offer you a reprieve on a first-time offense – the rates for a speeding ticket 11-29 mph over the speed limit experience the smallest increase at Allstate, USAA, State Farm and American Family.
How much will two points affect my insurance?
There is a correlation between driver’s license points and insurance rates. A speeding ticket adds points to your license and increases insurance rates.
Keep in mind that insurance companies determine rate increases based on your driving history, including the number and type of violations, not on the number of points. Though a high number of driver’s license points is indicative of poor driving history, the number of points does not determine a rate increase.
So, whether you earned three, four, or six points on your license, the violations that will lead to an increase in your rates are based upon their nature rather than the assigned points.
How much does insurance go up after a ticket for a teenager?
When a teenager gets a ticket, that adds to the risk of the driver that’s perceived by insurance companies. Like other drivers on the road, teenage drivers who receive a ticket should expect their insurance rates to increase.
Do I have to tell my insurance company about a speeding ticket?
Though you should not be deceitful if asked, you are not required to report a speeding ticket to your insurance company. Keep in mind that prior to each renewal, your insurance company will check your driving history through your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If a speeding ticket is on your driving record, your insurer will see it.
How do insurance companies find out about speeding tickets?
During your insurance renewal period, the insurer will do a variety of reviews to determine your new rate. One thing they check is your driving record, which is how they would discover speeding tickets or other traffic violations that could warrant an increase in rates.
The verdict on how much insurance rates go up after a speeding ticket
Car insurance companies use your perceived risk as a driver to determine your insurance rates. Drivers with speeding tickets and other traffic violations are considered higher risk and more likely to file claims.
With most insurers, you should expect your car insurance rates to increase after a speeding ticket at your next renewal. If you live in Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Hawaii or California, you can expect increases of 64% to 90% after a speeding ticket.
In addition to the rate increase resulting from a speeding ticket, you may also lose safe driving discounts which will increase your rate even more. The speeding ticket will show up for around three years, which means that one lapse in judgment on the road can result in years of increased premiums.
As your renewal approaches, be prepared to shop around. Any insurer who gives you a car insurance quote will be aware of your speeding ticket, but they may offer a lower rate than your current provider.
– Michelle Megna contributed to this story.
Methodology
CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to field rates from up to six major insurers in 1467 ZIP codes for a 40-year-old male driver of a 2021 Honda Accord LX with good credit and full coverage and $500 deductible; increases shown are an average from the base rate in 2022.
The editors found the percentage and amount of increase for 11-29 mph over the speed limit as well as the percentage and amount for 30+ mph over the speed limit.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA. “Risky Driving: Speeding.” Accessed May 2022.
- NOLO. “Driver’s License Point Systems.” Accessed May 2022.