Can traffic tickets raise your insurance rates?

When Californian residents like you get a traffic ticket, you may be wondering what sort of long-term impact it might have, if any. For example, do your car insurance rates rise any time you get any traffic ticket?

IDriveSafely.com takes a look at how insurance rates can be affected by traffic tickets. They point out that every insurance company has its own algorithm for judging drivers. Something that one company could consider a moderate risk might be something another company considers relatively benign. They take these factors and use them to paint a picture of you on a whole. Unfortunately, traffic tickets do not make for a reliable-looking portrait.

Of course, some traffic tickets will have a greater impact on your insurance than others. For example, speeding above 30 miles faster than the speed limit can result in an average insurance increase of 30 percent. Texting while driving can result in increases of 23 percent. Even seatbelt infractions can cause your rates to raise by 3 percent, which can be almost $50 additional dollars per charge.

DUI offenses are some of the most harshly punished, with a first offense alone resulting in increases of up to around 80 percent. Reckless driving or highway racing can also cause spikes of up to 70 percent or higher.

Depending on what traffic ticket you are facing, you may want to contact an attorney to learn about your options for fighting it. If the offense is serious enough, you could end up facing crippling increases in the amount of insurance costs you cover.