Have You Been Labeled as a High Risk Driver? Sorry, Your Auto Insurance Just Got More Expensive!
High risk drivers are generally charged higher rates for their car insurance. They might even find it hard to get insured. That’s because they are perceived as “trouble” and “not profitable customers” by insurers. This is not so hard to understand. If you knew a potential client would bring you more harm than good, would you be willing to welcome him to do business together? I wouldn’t. Neither would insurance companies.
Who is a high risk driver?
- Here are a few things that will qualify you as high risk for most insurance companies:
- DUI or DWI convictions
- High number of accidents over a certain period of time (this number will vary from state to state)
- Multiple infractions such as speeding or not wearing a seat belt
- Impaired drivers (medical conditions that affect driving abilities)
- New drivers
- Senior drivers (some insurance companies consider people over 55 years old as seniors)
There are factors which you can’t influence. If you’re a first time driver, you can’t change that. Most insurance companies will consider you as “high-risk” and ask you to pay more until you get experienced enough to get rid of this label. Again, if you’re visually impaired but still able to drive, it’s not in your power to improve your sight. You’ll have to live with it and try to find the lowest auto insurance quotes for your condition.
Probably the worst case scenario is the one in which you’ve been caught driving under the influence of alcohol. This is known as DUI and it is serious crime in all states. Not only you’ll get your license suspended, you’ll also have to take a lot of money out of your wallet to pay the fine and the attorney who’s going to assist you in court. Besides, insuring your car could also become a challenge. You’ll need to get an SR22, which is a vehicle liability insurance document issued by DMV and which proves that you have the minimum liability coverage for the respective state. For example, in Alaska the SR-22 insurance policy is required for five years from the ending date on your first offense. For the second offense, this interval will be of 10 years and for the third offense you’ll need the SR-22 for 20 years. Other states may have different laws, so you have to check with the DMV in the state where you have your car registered to see how things are for you.
Can high risk drivers still insure their car for cheap?
This could be an issue. You won’t get your insurance as cheap as an ordinary driver. Insurance companies don’t like drivers who disregard the law or those who show aggressive driving behavior. By the way, you could get away with cheaper insurance if you took defensive driving classes.
What you can do, at least, is compare quotes and choose the cheapest. You can save several hundred dollars this way.
admin @ May 23, 2011