- January 5, 2022
- DUI
The main purpose of car insurance is to save and protect you financially when you are behind the wheels. Practically every state requires you to have it, but it depends upon several factors, including your driving record.
A DUI will undoubtedly increase the rate for auto insurance significantly, as it can place you in the group of a high-risk driver. It will also become impossible to get a prominent insurance company willing to insure you. Any standard insurance company will most likely terminate your existing insurance policy as well, just after your DUI is revealed.
Being convicted for driving under influence (DUI) can also cause your insurance rates to rise drastically. The police in South Carolina are continuously on the lookout for drunk drivers.
Those who perform poorly on the testing performed for DUI detection might face arrest and severe DUI charges. After pleading guilty or getting sentenced in court, you will also face fines, jail time, and the suspension of your driving license. There will also be some other penalties outside of the courtroom.
That’s why it is an ideal move to promptly ask for assistance from an exceptional DUI defense attorney to professionally handle the situation.
Effects of DUI on Car Insurance Premiums
Whenever they are devising quotes for your insurance premium, the insurance companies will consider various factors ranging from your age and sex to your driving history. All of these will influence how much you have to pay.
People having imperfections in their driving records may have to deal with increased premium rates. It is usually thought that these people are at a higher risk of repeating the same mistake and making bad decisions in the future.
Thus, if you get charged for DUI it can affect your driving record.
Compromised driving may force you to experience a drastic increase in your insurance rates.
According to the data received by the insurance companies, the standard amount for premium raise is almost 40% after a DUI conviction in South Carolina. That is hundreds of dollars more every year until the DUI offense is removed from your driving record.
How Long Does a DUI Stay on Your Insurance?
A DUI isn’t technically affecting your insurance policy but your overall driving record, which is used by all of the insurance companies to set standards to decide whether to accept a customer for the insurance privileges or not.
A DUI can stay on your driving record for almost two to five years or possibly much longer than this.
There is also an extent to which a company can look back at your driving record.
This allows them to come up with personalized rates for your vehicle or add a surcharge to the monthly premium for an existing insurance policy.
They can also refuse to offer any services to a person with DUI.
How Can You Lower Car Insurance Rates After a DUI?
The elevated insurance rates can be difficult to pay off, but nothing to worry about. You can lower the rates of insurance by following these simple steps:
Ask for Discounts
You may lose a good driver discount offered by insurance companies to a person with a flawless driving record. But you can still enjoy other discounts offered by paying in full, insuring multiple vehicles, or bundling auto and homeowners policies.
You can ask your insurance agent to determine the discount offers you are eligible for at the best possible rates.
Show That You’re a Safe Driver
Another way is to build back the trust of insurance companies that you broke due to the DUI charge. Show that it was only a one-time incident and keep your record incredibly clean of any traffic violations, especially another DUI.
It will take time but will result in being moved back to a lower-risk tier. You could also try out usage-based insurance. It will observe your driving styles, like speeding and braking, and if you score perfectly you might receive decent discounts.
Shop Around
You should shop after going through, plus comparing quotes and services from multiple insurance companies. After your current company raises your rates due to the DUI, compare that premium to others to find the cheapest rates.
You can ask at every regeneration about additional discounts you may qualify for and consider usage-based programs if you haven’t tried one out yet.
These tips can help lower the insurance rates until the DUI charge is taken off. Even though your surcharge may last a definite amount of time, some companies keep the charge steady while others decrease it over time.
What Is an SR-22?
If you anytime get convicted of a DUI, the court or the state will require you to obtain SR-22 car insurance. An SR-22 is not an insurance policy but a document. The insurance companies offer this document to confirm that a driver has certain car insurance coverages in place.
States could require this after a major driving offense, like a DUI, because they find you a high-risk driver and want evidence that you have the mandatory minimum car insurance coverages in place.
Discuss Your Case With Us
DUI charges can cause a drastic increase in your existing car insurance policies and also keep you from getting another one until the charge is removed from your record. The Charleston DUI Guy team can help wrap up the case as soon as possible, and remove the charge in no time.
At Charleston DUI, we don’t judge, we represent!
