How Much Can an Arizona DUI Raise Your Insurance Rates?
Instead, Insure.com reports that you can expect to see a sharp increase in the amount you must pay for automotive insurance coverage once you receive a conviction for DUI, and Arizona’s drunk drivers face some of the highest insurance rate hikes in the country. Just how much could your insurance rates go up once you have a conviction for an Arizona DUI?
Insurance Rate Increase for First-Time DUIs
Arizona motorists who have first-time DUIs on their driving records can expect to see their automotive insurance coverage costs spike 145 percent. Just how much of a hit will your wallet take?
Currently, Arizona drivers who do not have DUIs on their driving records shell out about $1,399 a year to maintain car insurance coverage. Once a driver has a DUI on his or her driving record, however, this figure rises to $3,423 per year, which makes for an annual difference of $2,024.
If coming up with an additional $2,024 per year sounds difficult, recognize that some drivers who have drunk driving backgrounds may not find an insurer willing to extend them coverage at all. Once you have a DUI on your record, insurers may think twice about extending you coverage because they view you as a liability or fear you make the same mistake again. Under such circumstances, you may need to try to secure quotes from a number of different insurers to find a manageable rate.
Some motorists try to hide the fact that they received drunk driving convictions from their auto insurers, but this is not a good idea. Your insurer will almost undoubtedly find out about your conviction, so you would be wise to plan for a steep insurance rate hike in the aftermath.
