If there’s anything that could drive your car insurance cost sky-high it’s a drunk-driving (DUI) conviction.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, there is an alcohol-related traffic fatality in the United States every 29 minutes. Aside from the risk of killing yourself and others, drunk driving carries with it serious penalties from your car insurance company.

Car insurance companies may check your motor vehicle record only once every three years or when you’re applying for a new policy. It’s possible that accidents, tickets and DUIs may never make their way to your official motor vehicle record. However, if your insurer does discover your DUI and classifies you as a “high-risk driver,” shopping around at renewal time is the best strategy, as car insurance rates will vary greatly among insurers. On the other hand, a rate hike may be the least of your problems; your policy could be cancelled or nonrenewed, especially if you are currently in a preferred car insurance rate class. Then you’ll be forced to look for new car insurance with the double-whammy of a DUI and a cancellation on your record.

Laws regarding DUIs and car insurance coverage vary by state. Most states require DUI offenders to get a form called an SR-22 from their auto insurers, so you can’t hide. This form proves to the DMV that you carry liability insurance and removes your license suspension. An SR-22 also requires your insurance company to notify the DMV if it cancels your auto insurance for any reason. You’ll likely have to file proof of insurance for three

Jason

Tucson, AZ

Jason,

The Arizona Division of Motor Vehicles states that any convictions acquired and appearing on your driving record within the past 39 months will be provided to an insurance carrier who requests a copy of your motor vehicle record.

The time period that your DUI auto insurance rates will be affected will depend on the rating system and the look back period of your insurance provider. If your insurance company can see the DUI on your motor vehicle record for 39 months then it will likely that you will have higher DUI auto insurance rates during this entire period.

Once you buy an auto insurance an underwriter can tell you how long your DUI car insurance rates will be affected by the drunk driving conviction. You can always shop around for cheap car insurance if you think your current DUI auto insurance rates are too high.