Speeding and auto insurance rates.

Derrick : Nevada: I have only one speeding ticket and my insurer is telling me that they cannot insure my vehicle? Why is this so?

Response : Insurers often raise your car insurance rates after only one speeding ticket? It’s simple. The studies  by highway safety experts show that “the faster you go, the more deadly it is,” says Jeanne, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute (III), an industry trade group. “There’s a higher possibility you’re going to cause a lot of damage to people or property,” Salvatore says.

If you’re charged for speeding, your insurer may attach a temporary surcharge to your policy for three years. You may be asked to renew your auto insurance policy with a specialty insurer and their rates are normally over 50% higher than the normal insurance rates.

The size and duration of the increase varies depending on several factors, including:

• Your driving record and your relationship with the insurance company. Some insurers waive the surcharge if the customer has had a long relationship with the company and previously had a clean driving history.
• Where you live. Insurance is regulated by the states, and different states have different laws regarding the cost of car insurance. Some states don’t allow insurers to impose a surcharge for first-time speeding tickets, while others require insurers to raise rates for some speeding violations. For example, a single male driver who lives in Phoenix and receives one speeding ticket will experience an average rate increase of 16 percent, but the same driver will pay no more if he lives in Philadelphia.
• How much you were exceeding the speed limit. An analysis by USA TODAY found that 10 percent of ticketed drivers in 2002 were “extreme speeders”—drivers who exceeded 90 mph, or 15 mph above any speed limit. Extreme speeding is considered reckless driving, a major violation. Even a first-time citation can more than double the cost of car insurance and inflate your car insurance rate quote.

Speeding may also affect insurance rates other than just your auto insurance. Insurance companies may look at your driving record when deciding whether you’re a high-risk customer and could charge you higher rates for life, health, disability or long-term care insurance.

Please follow the regulations and drive safely to save your auto insurance premium and yourself.