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Cheapest Car Insurance with a Bad Driving Record (2022)
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Edited by Jackie Cohen | Reviewed by licensed insurance agent, Shawn Powers
Last Updated May 10, 2022
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Quick Facts
- Metromile is the cheapest insurer we found for drivers with bad records, with average premiums of $105 per month.
- Drivers with bad records see the lowest average car insurance rates in Hawaii, Vermont, and North Carolina.
- DUIs, speeding tickets, and other infractions will typically not affect your driving record after five years, so you won’t have a bad driving record forever following a single violation.
If you’ve had a DUI conviction or had your driver’s license suspended, you’re probably paying higher rates for auto insurance than someone with a clean driving record. But don’t let anyone tell you that your bad driving record puts cheap car insurance out of reach.
All it takes is one car insurance policy that works for you. You’ll find your best rate with Insurify’s highly rated quote-comparison tool that lets you compare auto insurance quotes from top companies in just a few minutes. And get this: it’s free.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies for Bad Driving Records
How much does insurance for a driver with a bad driving record cost?
Drivers with infractions on their driving record will pay high car insurance premiums. However, some insurance companies specialize in insuring high-risk drivers, and with certain auto insurance companies, policies can cost as little as $105 per month.
From our database, the lowest car insurance cost for a bad driving record came in at $105 per month, from Metromile. Overall, these companies are proof that driving violations don’t have to keep you out of an affordable car insurance policy.
| Insurance Company | Cheapest Monthly Quote for Bad Driving Records |
|---|---|
| Metromile | $105 |
| Farmers | $130 |
| Amigo USA | $133 |
| Novo | $143 |
| TSC Direct | $145 |
Disclaimer: actual quotes may vary based on the policyholder's unique driver profile.
Most Expensive Car Insurance Companies for Bad Driving Records
It’s normal for high-risk auto insurance—also called non-standard insurance—to come with rate increases. But these are the highest out there and are worth avoiding.
| Insurance Company | Average Monthly Cost of Car Insurance |
|---|---|
| Everest National | $541 |
| Arrowhead | $495 |
| Pronto | $438 |
| Aspen | $410 |
| Infinity | $385 |
Disclaimer: actual quotes may vary based on the policyholder's unique driver profile.
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Best Car Insurance Discounts for Bad Driving Records
When you’re dealing with the increased cost of high-risk car insurance, you’ll want to do everything you can to bring your premiums back down. If you have poor credit, you’ll want to raise it. Put effort into a driver training course, and drive a car with strong safety features.
| Discounts | How to Get It | Companies That Offer It |
|---|---|---|
| Good Credit Discount | All insurance companies take your credit score into account when setting rates, except for in a handful of states, where it’s illegal to do so. | All insurance companies in states that can legally use credit scores. |
| Passive Restraint Discount | Find a car that has passive restraint safety features that meet insurance industry requirements. | State Farm, Nationwide, Farmers, Amigo USA, Clearcover, GEICO |
| Multiple Vehicle Discount | If you combine policies with a spouse or other family member, you can save by insuring multiple vehicles on the same policy. | State Farm, Nationwide, Farmers, Amigo USA, Clearcover, GEICO, Infinity, Farmers, TSC Direct, Everest National, Arrowhead, Metromile |
| Anti-theft Discount | Qualifying security equipment on your vehicle can earn you discounts. | Everest National, GEICO, State Farm, Farmers, Amigo USA, Clearcover, Infinity, Farmers, Metromile |
| Driving Training Discount | Defensive driving courses can help drivers with infractions to get their license back, and in select cases, can lower your insurance premium. | State Farm, TSC Direct, GEICO, Metromile, Allstate, Clearcover |
| Good Student Discount | Students who earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher tend to qualify for good student discounts. | TSC Direct, State Farm, Nationwide, Progressive, GEICO, Liberty Mutual |
| Low Mileage Discount | Insurance companies handle low mileage differently, so check with your insurance agent. | State Farm, Nationwide, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, Mercury, Aspen, The General, Clearcover, Metromile |
| Organization/Professional Org Discount | Some professional affiliations qualify you for discounts with some insurance companies. | GEICO, Farmers |
| Seat Belt Use Discount | Tell your insurance agent you always wear your seat belt. You might get a discount for it. | GEICO |
Cheapest States for Car Insurance with a Bad Driving Record
High-risk auto insurance is cheaper in some states than in others. Here are the most affordable states to carry a high-risk auto insurance policy:
| State | Cheapest Monthly Quote for Drivers with a Bad Record |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $135 |
| Vermont | $145 |
| North Carolina | $147 |
| Idaho | $150 |
| Maine | $153 |
Disclaimer: actual quotes may vary based on the policyholder's unique driver profile.
Tips for Cheaper Car Insurance for Drivers with a Bad Record
Take a Defensive Driving Course
Especially if you’ve been caught driving under the influence (DWI/DUI), you can affirm your commitment to good driving habits by taking a defensive driving course. Auto insurance companies love to see that you’re making an effort to avoid future driving violations.
Boost Your Credit Score
Good credit always helps convince car insurance companies to give you a low rate. Since bad credit is almost as bad for your car insurance rates as a bad driving record, paying close attention to your credit history is a great way to get your premium down in the meantime.
Use Your Coverage Options
If you can roll with a higher deductible, your premium will go down. And if you drive a cheaper vehicle with good safety features, you might want to forgo collision coverage and other full-coverage car insurance options you don’t need. Strategize with your insurance agent about paring down your insurance coverage to keep your premiums low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plenty of infractions can earn you a bad driving record and dump you into the category of high-risk drivers. They seem minor, but moving violations like speeding tickets are enough to get you high-risk status. A DUI is a serious violation that insurance companies will judge harshly, along with reckless driving, at-fault car accidents, and hit-and-runs.
Speeding tickets, traffic violations, DUIs, reckless driving, car accidents, and other infractions on your driving record mean that car insurance companies consider you at a higher risk of getting in a car accident in the future. And since that would result in you making an insurance claim, the company won’t insure you unless they’re getting high insurance premiums to offset the risk.
In general, once five years have passed since the event, a given violation will not affect your driving record—and more importantly, your insurance costs. So there’s an end in sight, and in the meantime, you can take a defensive driving course and boost your credit score to keep your premiums reasonable.
Bad drivers don’t have to have bad policies, and they don’t have to pay crazy-high premiums either. You can overcome an at-fault accident or DUI on your driving record—you just have to find the companies that are offering affordable rates to drivers like you. Enter Insurify. In just a few minutes, you can access car insurance quotes tailored to your needs and driving history.
The Best Way to Compare and Get Cheaper Car Insurance
Cheap auto insurance is possible for everyone—no matter how often you’re told it’s out of reach. Finding great auto insurance coverage is just a matter of finding the auto insurance quotes that are right for you. And with Insurify, you can find the best car insurance company for you by comparing auto insurance. It’s free, it’s fast, and it saves you money.
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Methodology
The car insurance quotes displayed are based on an analysis of Insurify’s database of over 40 million quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. To obtain representative rates, Insurify’s data science team performs frequent comprehensive analyses of the factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating that weighs multiple factors reflecting the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers insight into how various insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality. Note, actual quotes will vary based on unique attributes including the policyholder’s driver history and their garaging address.
Content Writer at Insurify
Charlie Mitchell is a journalist, researcher, and copywriter living in Minneapolis. He's contributed to Vox, Mother Jones, The New Republic, and other magazines and websites.
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