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Friday, September 26, 2008

How Much Does Your Auto Insurance Increase After You Get a Traffic Citation?

By Kian Chew Chong

If we are lucky, we can go through our life without every getting any type of traffic citation. Traffic citations can come from many different avenues. For example, speeding, driving under the influence, or causing a car accident can become cause for a traffic citation. However, these citations are more than just a bad mark on your driving record or a big dent in your checkbook; they also affect your car insurance rates.

You cannot help but deal with auto insurance, it is a requirement in almost every state within the U.S., and therefore, you should understand just how getting a citation can hurt your premium each month. Insurance companies analyze your driving record every so often and determine if an increase or decrease is in order. One citation may not hurt you dramatically, if at all. You may have the pleasure of dealing with an understanding company.

This will however depend upon the type of infraction that you make. Mistakes are mistakes, we are all human and we make mistakes. Big mistakes are not often forgiven quite as easily as maybe a speeding ticket for going five miles over the posted speed limit. Big mistakes might be reckless driving, driving under the influence, and mistakes that lead to an accident.

So, what elements can actually cause your insurance rates to rise dramatically? These elements usually are the above mentioned, as well as getting too many citations, multiple infractions, and serious infractions. About every year or two, the insurance company will look over your driving record and determine if anything listed on the report requires a raise in your insurance premium.

If your auto insurance is raised, the amount will depend upon the significance of the citation or seriousness, as well as the number of citations that you have received. So, just how much are we talking?

For a serious offense, you could be looking at double what you currently pay. However, for lesser offenses, the insurance company will take a look at what type of relationship you currently have with their company. For example, if you have been with one insurance company for a long time, they might be a little more lenient on you.

The exact amount that your insurance premiums are raised depends upon multiple elements; therefore, it would be impossible to tell you just how much you are looking at. The best way to think about this is to avoid speeding, drive defensively, and never get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Not only will you save money with your auto insurance, but you might just save your own life or the lives of others.


Kian Chew is a car insurance expert and owner of Car Insurance Hot Zone. Car Insurance Hot Zone helps those who wish to lower their car insurance cost for life by using a few basic rules and some strategies which few people know. You can instantly view the secrets by visiting http://www.CarInsuranceHotZone.com

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