How long does it take for an insurance company to find out about a speeding ticket?
Last Updated on April 18, 2019
Speeding tickets can be sometimes nearly as fast as you. Sticking to the rules pays off when it comes to insurance. Image: Flickr.
Your insurance company won’t find out about your traffic ticket until you’ve submitted to the charges. Many people will automatically pay the fine because they realize that they were, in fact, speeding and just got caught. Others will contest the charges and try to get a ticket dismissed or charges lessened.
Once you’ve paid your fine, the ticket will go on your driving record, which is handled by the DMV in your particular state. The amount of time before insurance company finds out about your ticket will vary state to state and even in individual circumstances. Your driving record is available to your insurance company at any time, and insurance companies will periodically scan DMV records to see if insurance rates need to be adjusted.
How much your rates will be adjusted depends on the ticket. If you’ve never had a speeding ticket before, your insurance company may have mercy and give you a freebie. On the other hand, if you received a DUI, your insurance company could drop your policy completely.
Keep in mind that certain charges will disappear after a certain amount of time spent on your driving record. Once they’re cleared off your driving record, your insurance company can no longer charge you for those tickets. So, while an insurance company that rarely checks your driving record may seem like a good idea when you get a ticket, it may not be work as well when that same ticket has disappeared.
The best way to save money on your car insurance is to drive safely. Multiple tickets are a surefire way to raise your premiums and the question isn’t about if your insurance company finds out about them, it’s when. Sooner or later, you’ll have to pay for the mistakes that you make on the road. Drive safely to avoid tickets and high insurance premiums.
