So many concerns come to the surface after being arrested for a DUI. DUI (driving under the influence) arrests impact the drivers in a variety of ways. The most obvious concern for drivers after DUI arrests is the different penalties they face – including car insurance. Will they end up with jail-time, a fine, a suspended license, or more? Drivers worry about all of these details, forgetting some of the different concerns that must be addressed additionally.
For example, while your legal standing should concern you, your financial standing should be of great concern as well. The law works to punish those caught for driving under the influence, but the law isn’t the only thing that does so. Insurance companies work with you on the basis that you work as a safe driver. When arrested for a DUI, you essentially surrender your right to call yourself a safe driver. With that in mind, car insurance companies see you in a different light. So while your concerns may steer towards your legal standing after a DUI arrest, your car insurance standing exists as another potential concern.
Knowing how insurance companies treat DUI arrests helps you understand the different possibilities you may face. Let’s take a look at all you need to know about how DUI arrests impact car insurance.
Rates Rise Significantly
First of all, understand it is in your best interest to fight against the charges filed against you. Should you win your case, your insurance company will see that and treat you with that in mind. Using a DUI Attorney to fight against the charges helps you not only know you are working with the maximum possible assistance, but also that you are doing all you can to save your money and your legal and insurance standings.
However, once arrested for a DUI without any legal way out, insurance companies take actions against those arrested. The costs for DUI arrests already add up after paying bail, the DUI fine, the fee for your lawyer, the alcohol treatment classes, and perhaps even an ignition lock. No one wants to see insurance rates rise following those expenses.
While true, the law does not sympathize with those arrested for driving under the influence. Instead, car insurance rates rise significantly. The monthly premium can be three to five times higher than an auto liability policy for a driver with a clean driving record. This number means what you usually pay will jump up largely, costing you bundles of extra money each month.
How Does The Money Break Down?
Now that we know how much the money moves up, you may wonder how much it all adds up to. Depending on the insurance company, you may end up spending upwards of $4,000 more per year following your DUI arrest. Insurance companies work similarly to the law, wishing to see you punished for your arrest. Not only that, but they work with you under the understanding you will be a safe driving. Your being arrested negates that deal with the company, essentially. One other potential change is your insurance company placing you in the “high-risk” faction of their clients. This means instead of being considered a safe driver by your insurance company, your insurance company believes you to be a liability on the road. You will pay according to that role. High-risk drivers often pay double or triple the amount they paid before due to this new label.
How Long Does My DUI Arrest Impact Me When It Comes To Insurance?
The final question worth asking is how long these policies will impact you. Will you forever be tied down by your DUI arrest, or will your records be clean one day? The answer to the question is ten years in the state of Massachusetts. It says on for ten years because you must fill out an SR-22 form to even be able to drive once again. Massachusetts frowns heavily on driving under the influence, and insurance companies work with the law to ensure these drivers never take the road while under the influence again. However, it could always be worse. In Alaska, your record never becomes clean after you are arrested for driving under the influence.
As you can tell, each state owns their own individual rules. Massachusetts keeps your DUI on the records for ten years, ensuring you do not walk without plenty of punishment. Additionally, the state labels you as high-risk, which hurts you in a multitude of ways. Not only does the label hurt you with your own insurance company and make you pay more, but it also makes it nearly impossible to find a better deal with a different insurance company. Thus, you are stuck paying high amounts each month, far more than you paid before. The lesson learned is staying sober on the roads.