Best Car Insurance for Drivers With a Bad Driving Record
GEICO, State Farm, and Travelers offer some of the lowest rates for drivers with accidents or tickets on their records.
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Speeding tickets, accidents, DUIs, and other moving violations will make it difficult to find affordable car insurance. For example, a speeding ticket pushes the monthly average cost of minimum-coverage car insurance from $103 to $128, according to Insurify data.
The more serious the violation, the more expensive your high-risk auto insurance will become. Some situations, like a DUI, can make it difficult to find coverage at all.
But some car insurance companies cater to people with incidents on their driving records. Comparing rates from multiple companies can help you find the coverage you need at the lowest price available to you.
Quick Facts
On average, full-coverage insurance costs $182 per month for a driver with a clean record, $275 for someone with a DUI, and $237 for a driver with an at-fault accident.
If you have a bad record, comparing car insurance quotes from different insurance companies will help you find the best rates.
Taking a defensive driving course or looking for vehicle-based or policy discounts might decrease your insurance rates.
Best for drivers with one at-fault accident: GEICO
Best for drivers with DUI or DWI: State Farm
Best for drivers with speeding tickets: Travelers
Best for teen drivers with an incident: Auto-Owners
Cheapest car insurance with a bad driving record
The cheapest car insurance company for you depends on several factors, including whether you have an at-fault accident, speeding ticket, or driving under the influence (DUI) conviction on your driving record.
Below, you’ll find several insurers that offer low rates, along with their average monthly premiums for three main types of driving violations. COUNTRY Financial, Auto-Owners, and USAA offer some of the lowest average liability-only quotes for drivers with bad records.
How to get car insurance with a bad driving record
Generally, people with poor driving records face higher car insurance costs than people with a clean driving record. But you can take steps to find the most affordable coverage available to you.
Research non-standard insurers. If you’re having trouble finding coverage from a standard insurance company, you can look for ones that specialize in high-risk car insurance. For example, The General says it can cover different types of high-risk drivers, from drivers who have never been insured before to ones with accidents or moving violations.
Check your state’s assigned-risk insurance pool. States that have assigned-risk pools require every insurer operating in the state to participate. When you apply for coverage through the pool, the state will assign your policy to a participating insurer that must offer you coverage.4 But not every state has an assigned-risk pool, and you’ll generally pay higher rates if you get coverage this way.
Consider pay-per-mile or telematics insurance. Usage-based insurance may be an option worth considering if you don’t drive many miles or are focused on improving your driving skills. Pay-per-mile coverage allows you to pay only for the miles you drive, while telematics policies usually reward good driving with lower rates.
How does a bad driving record affect car insurance?
If you have a bad driving record, you may have trouble finding an insurer that’ll cover your vehicle. And when you do find coverage, it’s almost certainly going to cost more than what a driver with a good record would pay.
Insurers that cover higher-risk drivers take on a higher chance of having to pay out claims for those drivers, so they charge more.
Below, you’ll find national average monthly quotes for liability-only car insurance by driving history and the average increase after each type of incident. Drivers with a DUI or at-fault accident pay the highest average rates.
How to get cheaper car insurance with a bad record
You’ll typically face higher car insurance costs if you have a bad record, but you can take some steps to get the best rate possible for your situation:
Bundle car and home insurance. Some insurers may look more favorably on your record if you have multiple policies with them. So you should consider insurers that can also provide homeowners coverage.
Complete a defensive driving course. Depending on your state, you may be able to get points removed from your record if you go to driving school and pass a defensive driving course. Plus, brushing up on your defensive driving skills might help you drive more safely in the future.
Wait for offenses to leave your record. If a past ticket is due for removal from your record soon, you may be better off waiting until your record is clean before shopping for a new policy.
Talk to a broker or agent. If you have a complex driving history, you may want to talk to a professional who can help you explore your options and speak to an underwriting department on your behalf. Be completely honest with them about your record so they have accurate information to work with.
Compare quotes from multiple insurers. Comparison shopping is a good way to find the lowest rates available to you as a high-risk driver. You can use a comparison website to see quotes from multiple companies.
What is considered a bad driving record?
Specifics vary, but insurers generally view driving records as bad if they include major offenses or a pattern of repeated traffic violations. The severity of the infractions on your record also matters.
“Totaling a car is very different from knocking off a mirror,” says Ben Guttman, an insurance broker at North Central Insurance Agency. “Having a speeding ticket for 10 miles over the limit is very different from having a speeding ticket for 30 miles over the limit, where you’re bordering on reckless driving.”
These are the main types of offenses that appear on a driving record:
DUI or DWI: Driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated can lead to fines, license suspension, a prison sentence, and other consequences. You can receive a DUI conviction if you drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol. Even if you seem to be driving normally, you can receive a DUI conviction if the police pull you over and tests show that the concentration of drugs or alcohol in your body exceeds your state’s legal limit.5
At-fault accident: If your actions or negligence cause a crash, it appears on your record as an at-fault accident. Potential indications of fault include speeding, texting while driving, driving while intoxicated, failing to respect right of way, rear-ending another vehicle, and not keeping your car in working order. Multiple drivers can be responsible for the same accident if they each contributed to causing it.
Speeding ticket: This is the most common type of traffic violation. You can receive a speeding ticket if a police officer finds that you’re driving above the posted speed limit. You can also get a speeding ticket if you drive faster than an officer finds reasonable given the traffic or weather conditions on the road.6
Drivers with bad records FAQs
Learn more about buying insurance with a bad driving record below.
What are the best insurance companies for drivers with bad records?
Some of the best car insurance companies for drivers with bad records are GEICO, State Farm, and Travelers. These insurers offer some of the lowest rates for drivers with traffic violations.
What is the cheapest insurance company for a bad driving record?
COUNTRY Financial, Auto-Owners, and USAA are the three cheapest insurance companies for drivers with bad records. COUNTRY Financial offers liability-only policies that start as low as $40 per month. Auto-Owners and USAA have monthly liability rates of $51 and $61, respectively, for drivers with incidents on their motor vehicle records.
Do all insurance companies check your driving record?
Yes. All car insurance companies check your driving record when you apply because they need to know how risky it is to provide coverage for you. Generally, bad drivers present a higher risk that insurers will have to pay a claim for them.
Why is car insurance more expensive with a bad record?
Car insurance costs more for drivers with bad records because insurers charge higher premiums to higher-risk drivers. Auto insurance companies charge higher premiums to offset the risk of that driver’s behavior leading to claims.
How long will your record be bad after an accident, speeding ticket, or DUI?
How long offenses stay on your record varies by state. Accidents and speeding tickets typically remain on your record for up to five years. A DUI is a more serious violation, and it could stay on your record for 10–15 years or for your entire life, depending on where you live.
What should you do if an insurer denies coverage because of a bad record?
If an insurer denies coverage, you should check with other insurers to see if any of them will sell you a policy. If you can’t find insurance on the private market, your state might have an exchange that will cover you. This option will likely be very expensive.
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