How a speeding ticket impacts your insurance in Kansas
“There’s no place like home” is a phrase commonly associated with Kansas — but don’t be in such a rush to get home that you land yourself a speeding ticket. Not only will you most likely have to pay a fine, but your insurance company could also deem you a high-risk driver and substantially raise your premiums. Whether you already have a speeding ticket on your record or are worried about what might happen if you get one in future, it is always helpful to be aware of the consequences that might follow a speeding ticket in Kansas.
How much is a speeding ticket in Kansas?
Let’s say the speed limit on the Yellow Brick Road is 40 mph. A speeding ticket could cost you anywhere from $45 to more than $300, depending on how excessively you were speeding over the posted limit. The fine schedule for a speeding ticket in Kansas is as follows:
- 1-10 mph: $45
- 11-20 mph: $45 plus $6 per mph over 10 mph
- 21-30 mph: $105 plus $9 per mph over 20 mph
- 31+ mph: $195 plus $15 per mph over 30 mph
- Fines double in construction or school zones
So, if you received a speeding ticket for going 55 mph, you would owe a $75 fine under Kansas law, plus potential fees. However, getting fined is just the beginning of the financial repercussions for speeding. You may also see a substantial increase in your car insurance rates following a speeding ticket in KS.
According to Quadrant Information Services as of April 2024, Kansas drivers with clean driving records pay on average $2,489 for full coverage per year and $582 for minimum coverage per year. After receiving one speeding ticket, Kansas drivers can expect their average annual costs to rise to $2,959 for full coverage and $706 for minimum coverage, respectively representing a 19 and 21 percent spike. Car insurance companies believe speeders are more likely to file an accident claim, so they are compelled to raise rates to offset this risk.
Considering a speeding ticket will stay on your driving record for three years in Kansas, this increase to your insurance premium can be quite costly over the long term. It’s also worth noting that if you receive three speeding tickets (or other minor moving violations) within 12 months, your license may be suspended.
The cheapest car insurance for Kansas drivers with a speeding ticket
Some insurance providers are more lenient about speeding tickets than others. If your current provider’s rates are too steep following a speeding ticket, shopping around for a better price may result in more affordable options for you. To get you started, we compiled a list of providers offering the cheapest average rates in Kansas after a speeding ticket conviction.
Company | Avg. full coverage rate before speeding ticket | Avg. full coverage rate after speeding ticket | % diff. from state average after speeding ticket |
---|---|---|---|
Encompass | $1,638 | $1,881 | -36% |
USAA | $1,666 | $2,045 | -31% |
American Family | $2,045 | $2,102 | -29% |
Shelter | $1,861 | $2,369 | -20% |
Farmers Union | $1,879 | $2,570 | -13% |
What to do after a speeding ticket in Kansas
Unfortunately, you can’t magically erase a speeding ticket from your driving record by clicking your red slippers together. While your rates can eventually improve over time, there are ways to potentially expedite the process. Depending on your specific situation, the following methods may be used to get cheap insurance after a speeding ticket in Kansas.
Go to court
Depending on the circumstances of your speeding violation, appearing in court may be optional or mandatory in Kansas. Once you’re there, you obviously have the choice to plead guilty or not guilty.
Pleading guilty may qualify you for a court-approved defensive driving course, especially if this is only your first speeding ticket. You’ll still likely have to pay your speeding ticket fine, but if you complete the course, the judge may dismiss the ticket from your driving record. By cleaning your driving record, you should be able to avoid a hike to your car insurance rate.
You can also plead not guilty if you feel you’ve been wrongfully convicted of speeding. Before doing this, you may want to consider comparing the costs of court fees and hiring an attorney with the costs of a speeding ticket fine and potential insurance rate increases.
Commit to safe driving
Whether fair or not, car insurance companies assume you are more likely to file a claim after receiving a speeding ticket. However, if you’re confident that your speeding ticket was a one-off, you can prove to your provider that you are a safe driver by signing up for their telematics program.
Telematics programs track your driving habits, allowing your provider to reduce your insurance rate based on your ability to avoid dangerous situations and responsibly follow the rules of the road. But it’s important to note that telematics programs can also work in reverse, meaning your rates could actually go up even more if you continue to display poor driving habits.
Adjust your insurance policy
As stated earlier, it’s generally a good strategy to see if you can save money by switching your insurance provider after a speeding ticket in Kansas. However, you could also lower your costs by adjusting your current insurance policy.
Raising your deductible or cutting down on optional coverage can save you some money on your insurance premium. That said, it’s essential to stay within your means. You generally don’t want to tweak your insurance policy so much that it leaves you financially vulnerable in the event of an accident.
Frequently asked questions
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The best car insurance companies typically combine excellent customer service, affordable rates and discounts, a variety of coverage options, and favorable third-party ratings. If you do not find coverage from regular insurance companies, you could also try comparing quotes from insurers that specialize in high-risk insurance. Even though rates may be higher with fewer endorsements, these companies are sometimes the only option for drivers with several or severe driving incidents on their record.
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Switching to a cheaper insurance company, cutting down coverage options, raising your deductible and bundling policies are some of the ways you may be able to save on insurance after a speeding ticket in Kansas. You could also save by requesting quotes from several insurance providers at policy renewal time since factors that affect your premium may have changed. After the speeding violation falls off your driving record, you should be able to enjoy more discounts and lower rates again — as long as you have maintained an otherwise clean driving record.
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A speeding ticket is a moving violation that stays on your record for three years in Kansas. During this time, you may experience inflated insurance costs. Because of this, it may be worthwhile to check if you are eligible to clear the violation from your record by completing a court-approved defensive driving course. However, if you are ineligible, you may want to compare rates from several insurance providers to see if you can find more affordable coverage while you wait for the violation to fall off your record.
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze April 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base) and single speeding ticket.