Insurance With a Bad Driving Record in Jacksonville
The cost of car insurance in the state of Florida is slightly higher than the national average. Though it depends on things like age, driving history, finances, and marital status, the average person in Florida will spend between $1,100 and $1,800 per year on car insurance.
But if you have a bad driving record insurance rates will be even higher than that. Are you curious about whether or not you have a bad driving record? If so, are you trying to find your best options on how to minimize your car insurance costs?
Here is a complete guide on everything you need to know about having a bad driving record and what it means for your insurance rates.
What Situations Make You Considered as a “High-Risk Driver?”
Several factors can qualify someone as being a “high-risk driver.” Being a high-risk driver means that your insurance rates will be higher than drivers that are not considered high-risk.
Age is a factor that plays into being qualified as high-risk. If you are under the age of 25 or a first-time driver, your insurance premiums will be higher. You are considered high-risk because you lack the experience of older drivers.
If you are 65 or older, your premiums will start to rise again. The experience becomes less an issue at this age as does the risk of health issues impacting driving ability. Insurance carriers know that those over the age of 65 accounts for almost 20 percent of those killed in traffic fatalities.
Insurance companies will look to see if you have received a DUI or DWI in the last three to five years in the state of Florida. If you are within this time frame, you will be labeled a high-risk driver. Speeding tickets and other driving violations will also put you in the category of being a high-risk driver.
If you have been in an accident or have made multiple claims in the past several years, you will most likely be considered as a high-risk driver by certain insurance agencies.
Drivers with poor credit are seen as higher-risk than those with a high credit score. Insurance carriers view these drivers as unable to pay for deductibles and car maintenance, increasing their overall risk.
Is There a Way to “Erase” a Bad Driving Record?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. You cannot just “erase” a bad driving record in order to get better auto insurance rates.
In most cases, the only thing that will get rid of the high-risk driver label is time. You can age out of being high-risk once you hit 25 years old. If you have received a DUI, you can either wait out the length of time needed for insurance carriers to dismiss it.
You can potentially decrease your risk level by driving a newer car with more safety features. Older cars that lack safety features and need more maintenance can sometimes put you into a higher risk category.
Just because you are considered a high-risk driver does not mean that you won’t be able to get quality insurance coverage. You are eligible for high-risk auto insurance.
What Is High-Risk Insurance?
High-risk auto insurance is the insurance provided to drivers with bad driving records. It is also known as non-standard auto insurance.
Most major national insurance carriers typically do not provide auto insurance to these high-risk drivers because it would be too much of a financial risk to provide coverage for them.
If you are considered a high-risk driver, purchasing high-risk car insurance is typically your only option.
High-risk drivers that have prior felonies tend to need to fill out an SR-22 form. This is an official document that you need in addition to your insurance. It proves that you have met your legal liability of having insurance to operate a vehicle.
What Are the Insurance Rates for a High-Risk Driver?
Even though these rates are usually more expensive than standard auto insurance, you must still buy the insurance in order to legally drive your vehicle.
If you are a high-risk driver and you are caught driving without insurance or get into a car accident, you can face huge fines and even jail time if you’ve had a DUI or other serious felony.
The insurance rates will vary depending on your unique circumstance. You should speak with an insurance agent familiar with high-risk auto insurance to get an estimate of what your premiums would cost.
How to Get Car Insurance With a Bad Driving Record
Despite the negative side effects of being considered a high-risk driver, there are still some silver linings. There are many insurance companies that offer non-standard auto insurance that could fit into your budget.
If you are in the Florida area, you want to make sure that you partner with an insurance agency that will look out for your best interests. Look for an agency that provides a variety of coverages that you will need as a high-risk driver.
Contact Us Today to Get More Information on Bad Driving Record Insurance
Having a bad driving record can be a major pain when trying to find reasonable car insurance rates. Bad driving record insurance for cars is often expensive.
However, you have many options to find high-risk auto insurance that works for you. If you are looking for better auto insurance as a high-risk driver, contact us here at Staybull Insurance.
We are an independent agency that can help find you the best quote for your high-risk auto insurance across major carriers in the state of Florida. We can get your free quote started for you today.