Car Insurance for High Risk Drivers

Buying car insurance can be quite a bit of a problem if you are unlucky enough to be labeled as a high risk driver. Not only that you will have to pay higher premium rates, but you may also find it difficult to find an insurance company willing to sell their services to you at all. Furthermore, you will be required to file some additional forms and to be extra careful behind the wheel for at least a couple of years if you want your driving privileges and low insurance premium rates back.

Who are high risk drivers

There is no a single definition of what a high risk driver is. Each insurance company has its own standards for labeling drivers so the conditions which make you fall into this category may vary from one company to another. Every company will check your records before selling you insurance, and will put you into one of its categories, most commonly either a low risk (or preferred) or high risk driver. This will also affect what kind of offer you’ll be given, and how much you’ll be required to pay. Drivers with outstanding records do not need high premium rates. Generally speaking, being a high risk driver means having a poor driving record, and there are several different factors which can contribute to this. The most effective way to earn the label is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Even if you’ve had an outstanding record prior to being convicted, most companies do not tolerate major violations and will cancel your current policy right away. Multiple traffic violations and tickets can also place you in this category of drivers. If you didn’t pay your insurance premium and your company cancelled your policy, other companies can find out about this, which will automatically increase your new premium. In some states, you can be labeled as a high risk driver simply due to your profession or age, even if you have a clear record. Young, inexperienced, and elderly drivers are more likely to cause accidents, and the same goes for pizza deliverers, simply due to the amount of time they spend driving.

How to get high risk car insurance

Unfortunately, being a high risk driver means you will have to pay higher insurance premiums. The first thing you need to do is check your state’s insurance system and regulations. This may differ from one state to another, so it is a good idea to do some research just to be on the safe side. Don’t be surprised if you are turned down at your old company – some refuse to sell any kind of insurance to high risk drivers. What you need is a company that offers “non-standard” insurance. Prices for this category can vary a lot, so check as many different ones as you can to find the best option. These policies are sometimes written specifically for high risk drivers so you may find them more suitable, while for some people, they may even be the only option available. Standard insurance companies often have low premium rates for preferred drivers, so they make profit by setting very high rates for drivers with bad records. On the other hand, high risk insurance companies work only with the latter category of drivers so their policies are usually cheaper. Depending on your state, you may also be required to have an SR22 coverage, also known as a Certificate of Financial Responsibility. Since it is considered to be high risk coverage, not all insurers provide it. Also, keep in mind that your policy premium doesn’t include the SR22 cost. You can find detailed information here.

How to avoid increased premium rates

The answer to this question is simple – keep a clean driving record for a certain amount of time. But once again, it depends on the company and state in which you live, since they may have different policies. Some companies will only check your record in the last three years, while others will go as far as five years in the past! Generally speaking, being convicted of drunk driving will increase your premium rates for at least three years, but in some states, this may vary according to specific circumstances (your age, whether there was a child in the car, etc). Some states use a point system which assigns a score for each violation, and how long those points remain depends on what you were convicted for. In short – as long as you don’t cause any more accidents and avoid tickets, you will have your privileges returned after a while.