Reader’s Question:

Hello, I’m Hannah of San Antonio, Texas. I got a ticket from a policeman for drunk driving two years ago and not have gotten any since then. Will I be rated a low risk driver now? If not, how long will it take before I am taken off the list? I will be renewing my car insurance in three weeks.

Hannah

San Antonio, TX

Hi, Hannah. So, now you know the effects of police reports to your insurance premiums. It hurts our pockets a little bit, doesn’t it? In the auto insurance industry, normally, it takes 3 to 5 years from the date of violation before you’re written of the list. Drunk driving offenses are looked on very seriously by auto insurance companies. Having a record of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol just makes you a very high risk driver. The reason for this is because most fatal accidents result from… you guessed it… the driver was either smashed from alcohol or high on drugs.

Automobile insurers want to be sure that you’re cleaning yourself up, and that’s why you are given 3 to 5 years to establish a good driving record. Depending on the severity of the accident, if no fatalities were incurred, then you can try to plead to your insurer for 3 years, instead of 5, to place you back to a good driver status. You can also earn additional good driving points if you attend seminars from your local Department of Motor Vehicle offices in San Antonio, Texas. No more tickets since then? Good. Keep up the good work.

Tags: auto insurance, drunk driving insurance, DUI insurance

Reader’s Question:

Just a theoretical question. What if a family member drives my car, this family member is not listed in my policy, and then he has an accident? Will he or she be covered by my insurance policy? Janice of Kenosha, WI.

Janice

Kenosha, WI

Janice, this is when the importance of thorough reading comes in. It’s not fun reading them, but read the fine prints anyway. Auto insurance companies have mastered the art of writing fine prints, and we should learn to master the skill of reading it. There really is no general answer to that question. Some auto insurance company would only cover the ones listed in the policy, the ones you acknowledged, while others would automatically insure immediate family member.

There are auto insurance companies that would cover any one that you, the primary insured, allow to drive the car. To avoid scenarios like this, it is best to make sure that you include the usual drivers of your car in your policy. If possible, include your buddy that usually drives you home when it’s not safe for you to drive. You need to check with your auto insurance company and be sure about the details, check the inclusions and the exclusions, etc.

If you inform your insurance company that a member of your household, for example, will not drive the car, they will have you exclude that person. Let this remain a theoretical question. Be very mindful of your insurance policy and always be safe in Kenosha, WI.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance premium, Car Insurance Company, car insurance rate

Reader’s Question:

What will happen to the insurance coverage for a vehicle if the insured and the owner of the car has his drivers license revoked? Can the car owner have someone else operate the vehicle? I live in North Miami FL.

John

North Miami, FL

The insurance carriers vary when it comes to their rules and guidelines regarding what happens with your car insurance policy once your drivers license is revoked or suspended. So I would really suggest that you speak with your car insurance carrier to check if they are terminating your car insurance policy while your drivers license is not valid.

If your car insurance is not going to cover you during this time period and nobody in your your household is on the car insurance policy to operate the car in North Miami Florida, some insurance carriers do permit for somebody else to operate and get insurance for the car although they do not have insurable interest on the vehicle.

Some insurance carriers permits this type of car insurance coverage so to check if it will work for you, you may start now obtaining an auto insurance quote.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance quotes, car insurance rate

Reader’s Question:

How many years do I have to maintain SR22 insurance in Washington State for a DUI offense? This is my first violation.

Ariel

Enumclaw Plateau, WA

The usual time that a motorist is required to carry an SR-22 is three years in the state of Washington. The reason that you are required to obtain the SR-22 may change the length of time you are required to maintain it though.

You can be required by the state of Washington to obtain an SR22 for different reasons from a driver’s license suspension reinstatement due to a DWI/DUI, accident without proof of car insurance or a second or subsequent violation of leaving a child unattended in a running car, etc.

The process you need to take to reinstate your drivers license after your DUI are determined by a lot of factors, whether you were previously involved in any DUI offense and your blood alcohol content.

Tags: auto insurance, drunk driving insurance, DUI, sr22 insurance

Reader’s Question:

How long does it take to remove your insurance points for a DUI in Newark, New Jersey?

Carl

Newark, NJ

Once a motorist is convicted of a violation, both the New Jersey insurance providers and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) can assign points and evaluate surcharges. The insurance points placed by insurance companies are known as insurance points or insurance eligibility points.

They are the same generally as the points imposed for motor vehicle points; but several major violations that do not have motor vehicle points assigned to them will result in an evaluation of points by the insurance provider. According to the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) fact page on purchasing insurance, insurance eligibility points for an accident or violation are removed when the incident falls outside the 3-year “look back” period. It would seem that your DUI insurance points would thus be taken off after three years but to be sure verify with your insurance company in Newark or the DOBI.

Tags: auto insurance, automobile, drunk driving insurance, DUI

Reader’s Question:

How long does a drunk driving violation (DUI) remain on your driving record in New York State?

Roger

Hamburg, NY

In the state of New York, you may be arrested for any of these violations: driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more (.08 BAC), driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving while ability impaired by a drug (DWAI-drug), or driving while ability impaired by alcohol (DWAI).

If you are found guilty of any drug or alcohol-related driving offenses, the court must suspend or revoke your license at the time of your sentencing. The license itself will be immediately taken, even if the court permits the person a 20-day continuation of driving privilege.

In New York State, a conviction that either drug-related or alcohol-related stays on a person’s driving record for exactly ten years. If a motorist is convicted of the same offense during that ten year period, the driver can receive additional penalties.

Tags: drunk driving insurance, DUI

Reader’s Question:

How much does your auto insurance rise after your 1st accident? I am insured in Ames, Iowa.

Naomi

Ames, IA

The amount of an car insurance increase in insurance rate after your first accident will depend on various factors such as state law and your insurance provider’s rating plan in Ames Iowa so it is difficult to provide an actual average amount.

If you have had a good driving history, and you have been with a particular insurer for more than 5 years, there are some auto insurance providers that will not increase your car insurance rates if you are found to be at-fault in a relatively minor car accident.

If instead you were drunk driving or were racing on the street and got involved in an accident, you are likely going to be obtaining a big increase in your auto insurance premiums. There could be severe legal and insurance consequences if there is a major accident and you are the at-fault driver with serious bodily injury . There could be a dramatic rise in car insurance rates or even a termination of coverage, subject to state law.

Tags: automobile, car insurance rate, drunk driving insurance, DUI

Reader’s Question:

I recently received a second DUI in Portland, Maine. I am going to lose my license for a year. Is there a state where I can move to and try to get a license?

Helen

Portland, ME

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have laws concerning DUI and DWI. In all 50 states including Maine a DUI is a serious violation with hefty penalties such as jail time, loss of driver’s license, fines, etc. Most states are also part of the Driver’s License Agreement- meaning they share their DMV records with each other so the drunk driving charge would follow you if you move to a different state.

There are certain states which permit violators to drive cars that are equipped with ignition interlocks. This ignition interlocks analyzes the driver’s breath and will disable the ignition if it determines the motorist has been drinking. With this being your 2nd offense I would recommend getting legal advice to check if there is anyway in which you could not lose your license. If you are moving check with an attorney in the state you are moving to.

Tags: auto insurance, drunk driving insurance, DUI

Reader’s Question:

Is it possible that your insurance carrier in Chicago will never find out about your DWI conviction if you don’t get an SR-22 insurance?

Red

Chicago, IL

Thanks for asking. Yes, it is possible to happen. Due to lack of shared information between motor vehicle departments and the court, your motor vehicle record may go unblemished. As we all know, histories of accidents, drunk-driving convictions and tickets are not always reflected in your motor vehicle record. Or, in some cases, an infraction has been erased by some sheer of fate.

Slipping through the cracks of red tape may not get you off the hook for long. Most insurance providers in Chicago check your motor vehicle records once every 3 years or when you’re applying for a new insurance policy. Once your insurance carrier discovers that you’ve been once convicted of DWI, you’ll have two issues to be ready of. One, your insurance carrier will most likely raise your insurance rate and label you as a high-risk motorist. Second, they will terminate your insurance mid-term or cancel the policy at the end of the term. So, in the end, not getting an SR-22 may not be a good idea after all.

Reader’s Question:

I live in Mississippi and I would like to know how many years do I have to carry an sr22 insurance after a DUI conviction in my state?

Ingrid

Jackson, MS

In Mississippi a DUI conviction can result in fines, mandatory participation in alcohol education programs jail time and much more in a court case. Also, the MS Department of Motor Vehicles can suspend the your license for a period of time.

The Department of Public Safety requires SR-22 financial responsibility certificate policy once an individual is convicted of driving under the influence in Mississippi. The SR-22 auto insurance must be maintained for a period of three years in MS.

After the 3 year period, typically, the DUI conviction is removed from the driver’s record for insurance purposes. But the DUI will stay on the person’s driving record for five years for court and punishment purposes.