What is the Statute of Limitations on Traffic Tickets with Car Insurance?

In legal terms, the statute of limitations for moving violations is typically going to be two years, depending on the nature and severity of the violation. This means that once those two years are up, there’s not much that the courts can do to you. Of course, trying to dodge a ticket for two years is easier said than done, which is why you don’t hear of people succeeding in doing this all that often.

With auto insurance, a typical moving violation will be held against you for a little longer, typically three years. Here’s what you need to know:

• Some moving violations may bump your premiums for well past the typical three years. It is not unheard of to hear of a speeding ticket staying on your insurance records for up to a decade.
• For a speeding ticket, premium bumps will typically correlate with speed. That is, if you were going fifteen miles over the limit, you might wind up paying eleven percent more, depending on how your insurer calculates the numbers. If you were going 30 miles over the limit, on the other hand, you may be seeing a fifteen percent rise in your premiums.
• The extent to which you were speeding will correlate with your increased premiums, but other factors will be taken into consideration as well. Depending on such factors as your age and the car you drive, you may see much less or much more than an eleven percent bump based on going fifteen miles per hour over the limit.
• It is worth negotiating the penalty with your insurance provider. Some insurers may forgive a moving violation for extenuating circumstances. Or, they may allow you to take an advanced driving course in order to have the ticket forgiven. The exact details vary from one car insurance provider to another. Your particular provider might not be putting any such offers on the table, but it’s always worth asking.

Higher insurance premiums can follow you for years, even if you switch insurers. A good way to offset the difference is to look into any discounts that your insurer may offer. Installing new safety features on your vehicle, for instance, may help you to bring your rates down. Being penalized for a traffic ticket isn’t ideal, but it is manageable.