How a Speeding Ticket Affects Your Insurance

If you’ve gotten a speeding ticket recently, you’re probably wondering if you’ll see an increase in your car insurance rates. The short answer is yes, you’ll likely pay more for car insurance after being convicted of speeding.

However, how much more you’ll pay can vary based on your driving history, location and other factors. If you do get a speeding ticket, you should compare car insurance quotes from several companies to see if you can find a cheaper policy.

How much does a speeding ticket affect your insurance?

The cost of car insurance typically goes up about 25% after a speeding ticket, according to NerdWallet’s May 2024 analysis of full coverage rates. On average, a driver convicted of speeding will pay $2,486 a year for full coverage insurance.

Keep in mind, a speeding ticket could affect your insurance differently than it does another driver. Your premium increase might be more or less than theirs, depending on factors like where you live and who your insurer is. And while most insurers raise rates after two or more speeding tickets, our analysis found that some don’t raise rates at all after a single ticket.

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What to do when you get a speeding ticket

When will a speeding ticket show up on insurance?

Your car insurance premium will likely increase after you get a speeding ticket, but typically not until it’s time to renew your policy. To get a cheaper policy, make sure you wait until after you’ve been convicted of the speeding violation to shop for new quotes so they accurately reflect what you’ll likely pay.

If you just got your first speeding ticket, there’s a chance it won’t affect your car insurance costs at all. Some insurers don’t raise rates after a single speeding violation. If your current insurer does raise your premium after one ticket, shop around for a new policy. You might find a company that won’t penalize you.

Car insurance rates after a speeding ticket, by company

After a speeding ticket, the cheapest car insurance company for you may not be the same one that was cheapest before you got a ticket.

A few insurers in our analysis more than doubled their rates for drivers with a speeding ticket, while others seemed to shrug it off. Several smaller, regional insurers — including Idaho Farm Bureau, Maryland Auto Insurance and Umialik — showed no difference in car insurance rates for drivers with or without a speeding ticket.

Among the nation’s largest car insurance companies, State Farm had the smallest average rate hike after a speeding ticket: around $22 more a month. The biggest increase among large insurers came from Farmers.

Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our analysis because it does not provide rate data.

USAA often has the cheapest rates available, but it is available only to active military, veterans and their families. Because of this, we include its numbers in this article but don’t rank it.

Here are the average rates we found for a 35-year-old driver with full coverage insurance after one speeding ticket, ranked from smallest average increase to largest.

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: Compare car insurance rates

If you’re looking for the cheapest rates, don’t be afraid to shop around. Taking the time to compare car insurance quotes can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars — even if you’ve had a few flashing lights in your rearview mirror.

Car insurance rates after a speeding ticket, by state

In Vermont, a speeding ticket may mean only an extra $19 per month on your car insurance premiums.

But in Michigan, where average car insurance costs are relatively high for drivers, you may have to shell out $124 a month more for coverage after you’re caught speeding.

To give you an idea of what to expect in your state, here are average rates and price increases for full coverage insurance after a speeding ticket.

Minimum vs. full coverage after a speeding ticket

If you have full coverage auto insurance and you don’t like the price you see after a speeding ticket, you may want to consider reducing your coverage. Minimum coverage car insurance is typically cheaper than full coverage.

Here are the average annual rates for car insurance after a speeding ticket:

$2,693 for full coverage.
$868 for minimum coverage.

Think carefully before you decrease your coverage, however. If you change to a policy that only meets your state’s minimum requirements, then you won’t have comprehensive and collision coverage. This means if you cause a crash, your insurance won’t help pay for damage to your car. It might make sense if your vehicle isn’t worth much, but if you have a car loan or lease, your lender likely requires you to keep full coverage.