Auto Insurance for High Risk Drivers

accident for high risk drivers
What is a high risk driver? Generally speaking it is someone who has had one or more accidents in the past three years or someone in a high risk groups such as young males under 25 years old. Drivers with speeding tickets are very likely to be considered a higher insurance risk as well.

When calculating the cost of an individual policy, companies use the simple rule – the higher the risk, the higher the cost!

So what is the effect on the cost of auto insurance for high risk cases?

Well, a speeding ticket could easily increase your insurance premium by around 20% for the next three years, because some insurance companies keep track of your driving records and adjust your premiums accordingly.

Some States in the US classify accidents as ‘no-fault’ and ‘at-fault’, so that if you are seen as the driver responsible for an accident, then your insurance rates could rise by a considerable margin.

How can you keep your renewal premiums as low as possible?

  1. If you are in a high risk group because you are a young driver, then check out www.autoinsurancefor.org/auto-insurance-for-teens for more information.
  2. If you have had a traffic violation, or a speeding ticket, the best thing to do is to pay the ticket, but opt to take a defensive driving course. This will cost more initially, but you are likely to get it back in reduced premiums in future. That way you are demonstrating that you will improve your driving skills and that will keep you safer anyway.
  3. If you have had one claim, you need to be very careful not to have to make a second one. This means taking the conscious decision to drive slower and more carefully. Keeping a clean driving record for a number of years is the best way to get your premiums down as low as possible for any driver.
  4. Shop around for your renewal policy – even though you will have to declare all previous insurance claims, you may still be able to get a better deal with another company. There are some companies that specialise in insurance for high risk cases, and they can offer good deals to attract the new business, even though they know the risks are higher.
  5. When you choose a new car, be careful to get one with safety features and security features, and avoid hot-rod racers and high performance cars.
  6. Pay your premiums in full rather than monthly if you can afford it. This will save you up to 5% of the cost.