Can Insurance Companies See Your Traffic Violations?

Getting a traffic ticket can be frustrating, costly, and time consuming. But one of the biggest concerns for drivers is how it will affect their auto insurance premiums. After all, insurance rates are based on risk, and violations demonstrate risky driving behaviors.

So how exactly do insurance companies detect tickets and traffic violations to determine your rates? Can they immediately see any citation that hits your driving record? Or is there a delay that provides drivers with some leeway?

In this comprehensive guide, we will cover:

• How insurance companies monitor tickets and violations
• The typical reporting timelines
• How long tickets stay on your record
• Strategies to keep tickets off your record
• When premiums are most likely to increase
• How different violations affect car insurance rates
• Options after your rate increases due to a ticket

How Do Insurance Companies Detect Traffic Violations?

Insurers don’t automatically receive real-time updates every time you get a ticket. There is often a lag between when you are cited and when it shows up in their systems.

Here’s how the process works:

• You receive a traffic citation
• You either pay the ticket or contest it in court
• If it’s not dismissed, the violation is forwarded to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• It’s added to your official driving record
• Insurance companies periodically pull and review your motor vehicle record (MVR) from the DMV

So insurers rely on your MVR report to identify new tickets and violations. They don’t have direct access to this information until it’s recorded by the DMV and shows up on your driving history.

How Frequently Do Insurance Companies Check Your Record?

Most insurers pull MVR reports at least once a year, prior to your policy renewal date. Some may check more frequently for high-risk drivers.

So if you get a ticket, your insurer likely won’t know about it until they rerun your MVR when your current policy term is close to expiring.

This effectively creates a gap between when you receive the citation and when your insurance company detects it.

Knowing this lag time allows strategic drivers to take action to prevent premium hikes.

How Long Do Tickets Stay on Your Driving Record?

The amount of time a traffic violation remains on your MVR depends on the state:

• 3 years – Arizona, California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington
• 4 years – Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, South Carolina
• 5 years – Hawaii, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Texas
• 6 years – Kansas
• 7 years – Colorado
• 8 years – Georgia
• 10 years – Wyoming
• 11 years – New York
• Forever – Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia

So while a ticket drops off your insurance record after 3-5 years in most states, it can linger on your MVR for much longer depending on where you live.

How to Keep a Ticket Off Your Driving Record

If your goal is to prevent your insurer from seeing a new citation on your record, here are some potential strategies:

• Fight the ticket in court – If the ticket is dismissed, it won’t go on your MVR.

• Request traffic school – Many states allow you to take a defensive driving course to remove a minor ticket from your record.

• Expungement – In some cases, you may be able to pursue expungement of the violation from your record after a period of clean driving.

• Change insurers – Switch companies after the policy renews but before they pull your updated MVR.

• Delay renewal – Postpone your renewal date until after the ticket drops off your record.

When Are Insurance Rates Most Likely to Increase?

If a traffic citation does make it onto your MVR, your insurance premiums will probably go up at your next renewal.

Insurers view tickets as predictive of future risk. Drivers with violations are statistically more likely to file claims.

To accurately price your new level of risk, insurers will recalculate your rate when your current policy term expires. That’s when you’ll notice the rate hike.

Some providers may increase your premium mid-term if a particularly serious infraction like a DUI appears on your record. But minor tickets usually won’t impact your rate until renewal.

How Much Does a Ticket Increase Your Insurance Rate?

The exact premium increase depends on the severity of the violation, your state, driving history, age, and insurer. But here are some averages:

• Speeding ticket – 15% increase
• Reckless driving – 22% increase
• DUI – 96% increase
• At-fault accident – 47% increase
• Running a red light – 10% increase
• Using a cell phone while driving – 21% increase

Rates typically go up more based on the seriousness of the offense. For example, insurers view DUIs and reckless driving as much higher risk than a minor 5 mph over speeding ticket.

Options if Your Insurance Rates Go Up Due to a Ticket

If your premiums increase significantly due to a new traffic citation, here are some options that could potentially save you money:

• Shop for cheaper quotes – Rates vary among insurers, so compare options.

• Raise your deductible – This reduces premiums but increases out-of-pocket costs when you file a claim.

• Drop comprehensive/collision coverage – Just carry legally mandated liability coverage.

• Ask about discounts – See if you qualify for any new discounts to offset the rate hike.

• Improve your credit – Insurers charge more for poor credit, so boost your score if possible.

• Take a defensive driving course – Some insurers provide a discount for completing an approved course.

• Limit mileage – Drive fewer miles per year to possibly lower your premium.

The Bottom Line

Insurance companies aren’t instantly alerted when you receive a traffic ticket. They periodically review your MVR report to identify new citations and violations.

Strategic drivers can use this lag time to prevent minor offenses from impacting their rates. But if a ticket does make it onto your record, shopping around for quotes and looking into discounts are your best options to offset the inevitable premium increase.

Maintaining a clean driving record for 3-5 years is key to dropping your insurance rates back down over time. Drive safely, obey traffic laws, and reduce your risk profile.