Cheap Car Insurance for a Bad Driving Record
Key takeaways
- A bad driving record can saddle you with high car insurance rates or worse.
- State Farm has the cheapest insurance rates for drivers with a speeding ticket or an at-fault accident.
- Progressive has the cheapest rates after a DUI.
Cheapest car insurance for bad drivers
Cheap car insurance after a speeding ticket: State Farm
USAA is cheaper than State Farm after a ticket and other incidents on a bad driving record. However, only the military community and their families can get car insurance from USAA.
Cheap auto insurance with a speeding ticket
| Company | Annual rate | LendingTree score | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | State Farm | $1,755 |  |
 | Travelers | $2,319 | |
 | American Family | $2,414 |  |
 | Progressive | $2,728 | |
 | Geico | $2,763 |  |
 | Nationwide | $3,178 |  |
 | Allstate | $3,513 | |
 | Farmers | $4,589 | |
 | USAA* | $1,603 | |
*USAA only available to active duty military, veterans and their families.
Full-coverage auto insurance costs an average of $2,591 a year after a speeding ticket, or $216 a month. This is 23% higher than the clean-record average of $175 a month. Other moving violations can also make your auto insurance rate go up.
Best car insurance rates after an at-fault accident: State Farm
An at-fault accident raises the average price of car insurance by 50% to $262 a month. An accident typically only impacts your insurance rate if you cause it, but there are exceptions.
Car insurance rates with an at-fault accident
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,846 |
| Travelers | $2,524 |
| Progressive | $3,102 |
| American Family | $3,191 |
| Geico | $3,634 |
| Nationwide | $3,853 |
| Allstate | $4,709 |
| Farmers | $5,535 |
| USAA* | $1,809 |
Cheapest car insurance with a DUI: Progressive
The average cost of car insurance with a DUI is $324 a month. This is 85% higher than the rate for a good driving record.
DUI car insurance rates
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $2,656 |
| Travelers | $2,737 |
| American Family | $3,368 |
| State Farm | $3,901 |
| Allstate | $4,680 |
| Geico | $5,067 |
| Farmers | $5,307 |
| Nationwide | $5,332 |
| USAA* | $2,576 |
How a bad driving record affects your car insurance
You’ll usually pay higher car insurance rates for three to five years with a bad driving record. The exact duration varies by state and company. In some states, severe incidents like a DUI affect your rates for longer than a ticket or accident do.
A particularly bad driving record can make it harder to get car insurance. Some companies won’t insure you after a severe incident or if you have too many incidents of any kind.
How to get car insurance for a bad driving record
It’s especially important to shop around for car insurance if you have a bad driving record.
Some companies will charge you less for car insurance than others for a bad driving record. Plus, other factors Your age, location and vehicle are among the most common car insurance rate factors. In most states, your credit also factors into your rate. besides your driving record go into your insurance rate. And each company uses a different system to set rates. This means one company may give you a much cheaper rate than the others do.
Comparing car insurance quotes from multiple companies helps you find the cheapest rate for your situation.
Car insurance for a really bad driving record
What is nonstandard insurance?
Nonstandard car insurance is for drivers with especially bad driving records. Several companies specialize in it, and they may be your only choice if you have too many speeding tickets, a DUI or a reckless driving conviction. Bristol West, Dairyland and The General are among the better-known companies for nonstandard car insurance.
What is assigned-risk insurance?
Assigned-risk car insurance is for drivers rejected by standard and nonstandard companies. Most states offer assigned-risk insurance, and it usually comes with high rates for minimal coverage.
How does SR-22 insurance work?
You may need SR-22 car insurance to reinstate your drivers license after an offense like a DUI. An SR-22 is a form certifying that you have enough car insurance to drive legally in your state.
In most states, your insurance company files the certificate for you when you purchase your policy. Most car insurance companies insure drivers with an SR-22 requirement, but some don’t. It’s good to be upfront about your SR-22 requirement when you request quotes.
How to get cheaper car insurance for a bad driving record
Why take a defensive driving class?
Taking a defensive driving course can often keep a non-major violation off your driving record. This, in turn, can protect you from an insurance rate increase. The policies on this vary by state. The choices usually include live and online courses.
Are safe driving apps worth it?
The discounts for using your insurance company’s safe driving app can be worth it if you drive safely. These apps typically monitor your driving for unsafe activities like speeding, hard braking and distracted driving.
You usually get a discount just for signing up. If you avoid unsafe driving, you get more discounts when you renew. The savings can be huge. For example, State Farm offers a discount of up to 30% for using its Drive Safe & Save app.
Can a different car lower my insurance rate?
Changing cars can sometimes help you get a lower insurance rate. High-performance cars and luxury vehicles typically cost more to insure Crash risks make some high-performance cars more expensive to insure than standard vehicles. Insurance rates for luxury cars are often affected by their higher-than-average repair costs. than standard models. Older cars with low resale values often need less insurance If you have an older car with a low resale value, you may not need collision or comprehensive coverage. than a newer model.
Switching to an older, run-of-the-mill car may not sound like fun. But the amount you save on car insurance may be worth it for a bad driving record. Get an insurance quote for the car you plan to buy before you switch to make sure you’ll save.