Driving Record and its effect on Auto Insurance

Leibel Insurance Group

An individual’s driving record will play a significant role in the rate they receive from insurance companies, as this information will be a strong indication of the types of claims the person will make in the future.

Insurers will rely heavily on this information when setting premium prices, so a driving record will affect auto insurance, and this is something you can’t avoid, but it is something you can control.

What is a driving record?

This document includes detailed information regarding a person’s driving history in the past five years. Your total demerit points, suspensions and reinstatements, driving convictions and driver education courses that have been completed will all be included in this document. Personal details like your full name, driver’s license number, date of birth, height and sex will also be included.

Why does my driving record matter?

This document is a fairly accurate determinant of the types of claims a person is going to make. As such car insurance providers will use a person’s driving record to calculate their premium based on those factors. Traffic violations like speeding tickets, DUI convictions, and insurance-related infractions like late payments, cancelled for non payment and too many past claims will impact the cost of your insurance.

Insurers will always determine a person’s risk before agreeing to take you on as a client, and looking at your driving record will help them predict how likely you are to end up having a claim. Drivers with a clean record and have never been involved in an accident will qualify for discounts and lower insurance rates. These drivers would be considered safe drivers, whereas those who have been in collisions and have multiple traffic violations will be viewed as high-risk customers and have to pay higher insurance costs.

Violations will remain on a driver’s record, although the length of time it stays there will depend on the severity of the violation. Speeding tickets, for example, will remain on a person’s driving record for three years and can raise your premium price for that period. On the other hand, distracted driving, or DUI convictions will generally stay on a person’s driving record anywhere between six and ten years.

Drivers with accident forgiveness plans may have their first driving infraction excluded from their records, so their car premium would not be affected. However, repeat offences will increase your premiums.

There are ways to improve your driving record, and taking a driver safety course can help. Some insurance companies offer discounts to those who complete driver education courses, so this is something you can look into. Increasing your deductible can also prevent your premium from going up because this would not require you to file a claim as you are responsible for a higher portion of a loss.

If you have any questions regarding your driving record and how it may affect your insurance rate, the experts at Leibel Insurance can help. We specialize in car insurance and ensuring you have the right coverage for your needs. We care about our customers and will always provide you with fair rates, so give us a call today!