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How do speeding tickets impact insurance?
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Key takeaways
- A speeding ticket will typically show up on your insurance at your first policy renewal following the conviction and stay on your record for three to five years.
- The average insurance surcharge following a single speeding ticket is 22 percent more for an average annual cost of $3,278.
- Comparing rates after a speeding ticket could help you find rates as low as $2,173 from top-rated carriers.
When will a speeding ticket show up on insurance?
A speeding ticket will show up on your auto insurance when your policy renews following a speeding ticket conviction. On average, drivers with a single speeding ticket conviction pay 22 percent more for full coverage at their next policy renewal.
Keep in mind that your speeding ticket will generally only impact the cost of insurance if you're convicted of the offense and it shows up as a moving violation on your motor vehicle record. If you're able to avoid conviction or have the ticket brought down to a non-moving violation, you may be able to prevent an insurance rate increase.
While you may think driving a little over the speed limit won’t hurt anyone, insurers take risky driving behaviors seriously. Accidents involving speeding tend to have higher claim payouts and higher fatality rates. So, while you didn’t have an accident this time, speeding tickets signal to carriers that you may be less attentive or even reckless behind the wheel. Since they know this behavior can cost them down the line, insurance companies will surcharge your policy for each speeding ticket you receive and even non-renew your coverage if you surpass their risk threshold.Shannon Martin, Bankrate insurance analyst
How much insurance could go up after a speeding ticket in your state
The cost of car insurance after a speeding ticket varies considerably from state to state, based on state laws, risk factors and other variables.
What if I was going 20 mph over?
Speeding tickets aren't all created equal. The average insurance increases shown above are for drivers who had a single speeding ticket, but repeated tickets — or a single ticket for speeding well above the legal limit — could have a greater impact on your insurance.
Insurance companies use driving violations as a measure of driver risk. A single conviction for driving 5 to 10 mph over the speed limit presents a different picture of risk than a driving record that shows three speeding convictions in the past year or one with even a single instance of driving 20 to 25 mph over the limit.
How long does a speeding ticket affect your insurance
When tickets fall off insurance can vary depending on your location and insurer. While every state and carrier handles speeding tickets a little differently, you can typically expect a speeding ticket to impact your insurance rates for between three and five years following your first policy renewal after conviction.
How to save on car insurance after a speeding ticket
Once you've received a speeding ticket, you have a few options. First, you can choose to pay or fight the ticket. If you're not able to keep the ticket off of your driving record, you can expect to see a higher premium at your next car insurance renewal — but smart shopping and savings tactics can help you minimize its impact.
- Try to keep the ticket off of your driving record: If your speeding ticket isn't added to your official driving record — or if it's shown as a non-moving violation — you may be able to avoid an insurance increase. Appearing in court or hiring a traffic lawyer could help you reduce your ticket's impact on your insurance premiums.
- Shop around for a better rate: Not all insurance companies penalize speeding tickets to the same degree. If you see your insurance go up after a speeding ticket, consider comparing rates from other providers to find a rate that's more favorable to your current situation.
- Practice safe driving habits: Car accidents can happen to anyone, but speeding is typically within your control as a driver. Using telematics tools, intelligent speeding assistance (ISA) technology or defensive driving tactics could help you reduce your odds of speeding and receiving future tickets.
If you fight your ticket, you have a chance to avoid points on your license, fees with the DMV, the possibility of losing your privilege to drive and your insurance company increasing your rates as a result of being a liability to them. If you plead guilty, you give up your chance to protect your record.James Medows, founder of 845-TICKETS
How real drivers handled car insurance after a speeding ticket
To get insight into strategies different drivers use to handle — or avoid — a potential premium increase after a speeding ticket, we explored advice on Reddit from anonymous users who managed to minimize their ticket's impact on insurance.
Reddit user review
*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.
The cheapest car insurance companies after a speeding ticket
If you've been convicted of speeding and seen your insurance premium increase as a result, you may not need to resign yourself to three or more years of elevated rates. Because every insurance company uses a different rating algorithm to set the price of insurance and calculate surcharges, you may be able to save money by requesting car insurance quotes from a different carrier.
We analyzed average premium data for drivers with a single speeding ticket from Quadrant Information Services. From that list of carriers, we identified five major auto insurance companies with the lowest average rates after a speeding ticket conviction. Keep in mind that these are average rates for a driver with a single conviction; drivers with multiple tickets may receive higher quotes, and you may be eligible for lower rates from a smaller regional carrier. Additionally, other factors can impact your cost for car insurance and raise or lower your rates.
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|---|---|---|
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$2,173
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$570
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$2,479
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$809
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$2,472
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$710
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$2,593
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$695
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$2,775
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$951
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Frequently asked questions
Methodology
Rates
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze July 2025 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 for our base profile are based on the following characteristics and full coverage limits with bundling and paperless billing discounts applied:
Bodily injury liability
$100,000 per person$300,000 per accident
Property damage liability
$50,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection
$100,000 per accidentUninsured motorist bodily injury
$100,000 per person$300,000 per accident
Collision deductible
$500Comprehensive deductible
$500To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. Your quotes will differ.
If otherwise specified, the base profile has been modified with the following driver characteristics:
Other profiles
