The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there is an alcohol related traffic fatality every 48 minutes. This type of accident could undoubtedly result in major consequences, one of which may be higher car insurance rates. However, it does not take a fatality or an accident for a drinking-related incident to wreak havoc on a person’s car insurance rates.
Auto insurance companies are allowed to check their insured drivers’ records every three years or when a person is applying for a new plan. If a DUI is discovered that person’s best option may be to shop around. If they are classified as a “high-risk driver” the difference in cost could vary significantly from company to company.
Drunk driving statistics
An estimated 1.5 million people were arrested for driving under the influence in 2008, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. That means that one in every 114 licensed drivers was arrested, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
A person is considered to be driving impaired if their blood alcohol level is above a .08 percent in every state and the District of Columbia. If the driver is under the age of 21, there is a zero tolerance policy, the III reports.
Car Insurance Paperwork and penalties
Many states require drivers to carry an SR-22 form from their insurance company after a serious conviction. This form provides proof to the DMV that the driver has liability insurance, according to Progressive. Some auto insurance companies do not even offer these SR-22 policies.
If an SR-22 is not required in the state in which the offender operates their motor vehicle, the car insurance company may never know about the violation. Many states do not have open lines of communication between their court system and their motor vehicle departments, allowing some drivers to slip through the cracks. However, even if an insurer missed the conviction at first, they may be able to charge higher auto insurance rates later on.
The time in which a violation is discovered may also affect a person’s rates. Some companies have a three-year window in which they will raise rates if an infraction is discovered. Others may look to non-renew the driver’s policy, forcing them to find a new carrier.