How to find car insurance with a bad driving record

While bad driver insurance will cost more than standard drivers insurance, it is possible to get affordable auto insurance even with a bad driving record. If you’re looking for bad driving insurance, do a little quote comparison and take advantage of all possible ways to cut costs. Run the numbers, and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Once you’ve found affordable auto insurance, work hard to make that bad driving record a thing of the past. Be careful to obey traffic rules and keep your car in good working order. Once your violations are no longer on your record, which usually takes three years, you will likely qualify for lower rates.

How a bad driving record affects your insurance rates

The difference between your insurance rates and a standard driver’s rates depends on the types of violations on your driving record. Traffic tickets generally stay on a record for three years, but it could be longer depending on your insurer and your state. Any at-fault accidents will increase your premiums – even minor accidents will result in higher payments. A speeding conviction can mean paying thousands more in premiums, depending on where you live. Reckless driving violations could potentially double its cousin in some areas.

Arguably the most serious charge, and the one that raises insurance premiums the most, is a DUI conviction. Your state may require that a DUI stay on your record for a decade or more.

How Insurers View Traffic Violations

Any of these violations can place you in the high risk driver category. The good news is that insurance companies vary in the weight they give any violation (based in part on state law). If you have a history of traffic tickets (or failure to appear in traffic court), some insurers may charge much lower premiums for these violations than other insurers. This makes selecting the right auto insurance company especially important. Shop for affordable auto insurance with your individual driving violations or past accidents as a priority.

Always know the status of your traffic violations. Once the violation is removed from your driving record, contact your insurance company immediately and make sure they are no longer considering that violation when setting your rate.

How to keep auto insurance affordable

While drivers with bad records can expect to pay more for insurance, there are many ways to lower your premiums while you wait for the violations to be cleared.

reduce coverage

If you own your car, which means you’re not leasing or paying for it, and if it makes sense for your auto insurance needs, consider cutting costs by cutting your comprehensive and collision coverage. However, this is typically not an option for renters or those with auto loans, as lenders typically require full coverage insurance. Cutting collision and comprehensive coverage can be a way to reduce auto insurance expenses if your vehicle is older and has high mileage.

Change your vehicle

If you have a newer vehicle with low miles on it, you can save money by trading in that vehicle for a smaller, less expensive vehicle that is cheaper to insure and maintain.

Increase your deductible

Raising your deductible can also help keep your insurance premium low, even if you have a bad driving record. You will have to pay more out of pocket with a higher deductible if there is an accident, but Yeah stay collision free, you’ll save money on your insurance.

However, a high deductible is not the best option for everyone. If you can’t pay more out of pocket if your car needs repairs, stick with the lower deductible. You don’t want to get into a situation where the car is unusable because repairs are too expensive. Use the award-winning General’s® mobile app to decide the right deductible for your needs.

Increase your credit score

A good credit score helps you in many ways. You can qualify for lower interest rates on all types of loans and pay fewer credit card fees. Improving your credit score will also lower your car insurance premiums! Drivers with bad credit are considered by insurers to be much riskier than those with higher scores, and those with lower scores end up paying more money for insurance coverage.

How to raise your credit score? It’s important to pay all your bills on time, every time. Pay off credit card debt balances and avoid opening new credit card accounts. Credit reporting agencies rely heavily on credit utilization ratios (CRUs) when it comes to qualifying. A CRU is the amount of credit you have versus the amount you use. For example, if you have a credit card with a $5,000 limit and you owe $2,500, your CRU is 50 percent. Insurers like to see a CRU around 30 percent.

Check your credit score online and find out what factors are keeping you from getting a better score. When you know exactly which issues are responsible for keeping your score low, you can start fixing them.

Compare auto insurance quotes

The best way to find bad driver insurance is to shop around. If you know what cost-cutting steps to take, you may find that your high-risk auto insurance doesn’t cost much more than a standard policy.

Get a minimum of three auto insurance quotes for comparison purposes. Always provide correct information when requesting quotes online, as the insurance company will check your driving record and learn if you are not being honest. If you omit information, the quotes you receive will not be valid.

Usually, all three quotes are in the same ballpark. There are differences, but if one company is much cheaper than the other two, find out why before you buy coverage. It is important to compare apples to apples. Understand the type of coverage you need as an individual and what the policy offers.

How to keep auto insurance affordable

As we know, life happens. That’s why there are so many drivers looking to balance cheap auto insurance with a bad driving record. One way to keep rates affordable is by paying out-of-pocket for certain minor collisions. Most insurance companies require drivers to report all accidents involving other vehicles and failure to do so may result in loss of coverage.

However, there are circumstances in which it may make more sense to pay for damages yourself without reporting the accident and avoid worrying about your premiums increasing. If you hit an object on your property, like a mailbox or a tree, take your car to a repair shop and get a quote. Look online to see how much such a collision would increase insurance premiums in your state on average. Estimate your repair costs minus your deductible and estimate how much, if any, your premiums will increase. You’ll be able to quickly determine if paying for repairs yourself is the most economical option.

Please note that this alternative is only possible when you damage your car on your property and whatever you hit belongs to you as well. In other words, there is no other party involved. If you are in a similar crash but hit your neighbor’s mailbox, you should report the accident to your insurer if your policy requires it, since another party, your neighbor, is now involved. Check your policy to find out what your insurer requires in case you have an accident.

bad driver insurance

Not all companies offer insurance for bad drivers. That’s why you should go with a company that specializes in high-risk driver coverage. Since 1965, The General® has provided affordable auto insurance for bad driving records. Our reputation for helping people with bad driving records get covered is second to none.

At The General®, in most states, we can present your SR22 certificate while helping you shop for an affordable auto insurance policy. Since this filing fee is included in your insurance quote, there are no hidden charges. Just be sure to let us know you need an SR-22 filing when you go online to get your free quote.

We offer our high-risk customers the same flexible payment options as standard drivers. You can pay with a debit or credit card or cash, and when it comes to auto insurance, we want to make the whole process as quick, easy, and affordable as possible, and we do. Get an auto insurance quote in less than two minutes and ride with The General today.