Do Your DWI Insurance Premium Rates Automatically Rise?
Drunk driving is an extremely serious violation of the law. It is dangerous and can even be fatal. Should a drunk driver be fortunate enough to be stopped by the police before accidentally harming anyone, what happens to him?
Most states have criminal laws with penalties for driving while above a certain blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level. If convicted, the driver's license will be either suspended or revoked.
Some states have a stricter administrative license suspension in which the driver's license is suspended or revoked when the driver either fails or refuses to take a chemical test breathalyzer or blood) before an actual conviction.
When the conviction is confirmed, many states allow the offender to drive again ONLY if their car is installed with an ignition interlock. The ignition interlock prevents the engine from being started until it takes a breath analysis.
If the interlock device detects alcohol on the driver's breath, it disables the ignition. For repeat offenders, most states confiscate their vehicle.
A DWI conviction can be a catastrophe to many parts of your life. A conviction can hurt you professionally, emotionally, physically, and financially. Financial problems will almost certainly arise, usually with your auto insurance company. However, this is does not always happen.
Generally, two factors determine if DWI insurance premiums will increase. First, your DWI insurance company must research the actual conviction. An arrest wouldn't necessarily affect your insurance.
Second, the DWI insurance provisions of your insurer determine what happens after a conviction.
DWI conviction does not necessarily mean higher premiums, depending on your relationship with your insurance carrier. If you've been a long-time client of a DWI insurance company and have an excellent claims record, your premiums might not change.
Some larger DWI insurance companies have several subsidiaries which distinguish between their preferred drivers and their standard (riskier) clients. State Farm, for example, might be able to issue a preferred policy to you via State Farm Mutual Insurance Co.
Continuing with the State Farm scenario, a DWI conviction might cause your policy to be transferred to State Farm Fire & Casualty, which handles standard policies. This transfer will inevitably cause you to pay higher premiums. Your driving record and claims history will be examined to see if a further increase in rates is authorized.
If recently convicted of a DWI, you can delay or avoid insurance premium hikes. First, do not attempt to change your insurance policy. Changes to avoid include adding or subtracting drivers, cars, or coverage. Any of these changes will require the company to review your driving record.
Also, don't try to change insurance companies. Finally, do not go out and purchase or lease a new car. These steps don't guarantee that your premiums will stay the same, they may avoid triggering an insurance company's review of your Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records.
This article is ©2006 by Doug Smith, who provides many free and valuable articles on DWI Arrests. Learn more about DWI arrests, DWI attorneys, your DWI rights, the dangers of drinking and driving, and much more DWI information at http://DWI.FindCarsForHire.com. This article may be freely reprinted as long as this copyright notice remains intact, the article is unchanged, and all hyperlinks remain active and clickable.
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