How a speeding ticket impacts your insurance in Michigan
Each county in Michigan has slightly different policies for how much you’ll owe for a speeding ticket, which is similar to insurance providers. Your premium rate is almost surely going to go up after a speeding ticket. It’s just a matter of how strict or lenient your particular insurance company is toward speeders. To put it in perspective, on average, Michigan drivers may see their annual insurance costs go up by roughly 20% after being ticketed for speeding. However, Bankrate is here to show you a few strategies to save on insurance costs in Michigan while you work towards cleaning your driving record of a speeding ticket.
How much is a speeding ticket in Michigan?
Michigan’s car insurance laws can be complex, and that is reflected in how speeding tickets are charged. The cost of a speeding ticket in Michigan varies depending on the severity of the infraction, the type of road and the county where the ticket is issued. For comparison, here’s how a few Michigan counties may charge you for a general speeding ticket:
| MPH over speed limit | Muskegon County | Oakland County | Branch County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 mph | $130 | $120 | $115 |
| 6-10 mph | $140 | $130 | $125 |
| 11-15 mph | $155 | $140 | $135 |
| 16+ mph | $180 | n/a | n/a |
| 16-25 mph | n/a | $160 | n/a |
| 26+ mph | n/a | $210 | n/a |
One cost that drivers often forget about is the potential hike to your insurance after receiving a speeding ticket. Insurers view speeding as a risky driving behavior, prompting them to offset the increased risk with higher premiums.
According to Quadrant Information Services, as of April 2024, Michigan drivers with clean driving records pay on average $2,963 for full coverage per year and $999 for minimum coverage per year. After receiving one speeding ticket, Michigan drivers may see their average annual costs rise to $3,581 for full coverage and $1,199 for minimum coverage, respectively representing a 21 and 20 percent increase. Over the long term, the total bill for having a heavy foot usually ends up being much more than the MI speeding ticket cost itself.
Each Michigan speeding ticket also comes with driver’s license points. A general speeding ticket in Michigan will result in two driver’s license points, but the number of points varies depending on how fast the driver was going and what the police officer deems appropriate. For instance, a Michigan speeding ticket for going 1 to 5 mph over the speed limit is typically one point, but going 16 to 25 mph over could mean four points on your license. If you receive 12 points within a two-year period, you’ll be required to take a driver assessment reexamination and pay a $125 fee to get your license reinstated.
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Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249)
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
The cheapest car insurance for Michigan drivers with a speeding ticket
Most nationally recognized insurance providers, like State Farm or Geico, will almost certainly raise your car insurance rates after a speeding ticket. However, some providers that are more regional or that specialize in high-risk auto insurance may be a little more forgiving. To get you started, here are some of the cheapest car insurance providers for Michigan drivers to consider switching to while they have a speeding ticket on their driving record.
| Company | Avg. full coverage rate before speeding ticket | Avg. full coverage rate after speeding ticket | % diff. from state average after speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings Mutual | $1,298 | $1,309 | 1% |
| Wolverine Mutual | $2,156 | $2,167 | 1% |
| USAA | $1,725 | $2,220 | 29% |
| Pioneer State | $2,338 | $2,353 | 1% |
| Auto-Owners | $2,225 | $2,598 | 17% |
What to do after a speeding ticket in Michigan
Based on annual averages, Michigan drivers with clean driving records pay more for full coverage insurance ($2,963) than drivers nationally with a speeding ticket ($2,802). In other words, car insurance in Michigan is already costly. Adding a speeding ticket to the equation only makes a bad situation worse.
While the situation may seem bleak after the Michigan police officer hands you a speeding ticket, there are certain actions you can take to conduct a bit of damage control on your financial situation.
Go to court
Depending on local law, appearing in court for your speeding ticket may be optional or required. However, once there, you have a few options.
If you genuinely feel like the speeding ticket was unjust, you can hire legal counsel specialized in traffic law to help you win the case. That said, it is important to weigh the financial costs of hiring a lawyer and appearing in court with the cost of your ticket and inflated insurance costs.
Another option is to plead guilty. If this is your first speeding ticket and it isn’t too severe, the judge may decide to reduce your fine or dismiss the ticket altogether. The judge may also make you eligible for a Basic Driver Improvement Course, which, upon completion, could potentially remove the points from your record.
Commit to safe driving
Many insurance providers give you the opportunity to earn your safe driving reputation back by enrolling in their telematics program. These programs track your daily safe driving habits and transmit the data back to your provider. It may take some time, but this can be an effective way to slowly bring your rates back down, even while the speeding ticket remains on your record.
Adjust your insurance policy
In Michigan, points for speeding typically stay on your driving record for two years. You’ll likely see your rates go up during this probational period, but you can make some adjustments to your insurance policy to counterbalance this.
For example, you could lower your premiums by raising your deductible or dropping optional coverage from your policy. However, these actions do increase your financial responsibility in the event of an accident, so make sure to stay within your comfort zone.
You could also ask your provider what car insurance discounts may be available to you that are not inherently connected to your driving record, such as policy bundling, paperless billing and paying in full.
Frequently asked questions
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The best car insurance company will vary with or without a speeding ticket. Everyone has a different set of needs and wants when buying coverage, and premiums will fluctuate based on your individual rating factors. Understanding your circumstances and then getting several quotes from different companies might help you find an option that suits your needs and budget. If you’d like advice on selecting coverage types and choosing appropriate policy limits, experts recommend speaking with an insurance agent.
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In Michigan, a speeding ticket will typically stay on your record for two years. If your current insurance provider decides to raise your rates during this time, it may be good idea to switch. Bankrate’s research found that local insurance providers, like Hastings Mutual, Wolverine Mutual and Pioneer State, increased the rates for Michigan drivers the least while having a speeding ticket on their record.
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You can always compare quotes from multiple providers to see who can offer you the most affordable premium. However, there are other ways you can attempt to lower your car insurance after a speeding ticket in Michigan. One way is to enroll in policy discounts that you may have not had before, like paperless billing, insurance bundling or a telematics program. You also could lower your premium in the short term by raising your deductible or dropping optional coverage, but these strategies do increase your financial risk if you were to be involved in an accident. It’s generally best to have a conversation with your insurance agent about these types of decisions before making any changes.
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.
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