Does My Insurance Cost Rise After Getting a Speeding Ticket?

Speeding tickets qualify as moving violations. If you have one added to your driving record, there is an excellent chance that your insurance costs will rise.

Any speeding ticket has the power to create more costs for you when insuring a motorcycle, unlike non-moving violations. Even a citation for going less than 5 mph under the posted limit could require you to shuffle your budget.

If you recently received a speeding ticket, here is what you can expect as the citation works its way through the system.

How Much Does Insurance Go Up After a Speeding Ticket?

Some insurance companies may not cause your rates to increase with your first speeding ticket on a motorcycle. Others could see a 15% increase once the citation reaches their driving record.

It is possible to avoid a rate increase depending on your specific situation. Insurance companies look at your overall history, driving record, and how fast you were traveling above the limit when cited.

Here are some effective tips to improve the driving record.

If you receive two or more speeding tickets in three years, you’re virtually guaranteed to receive a rate increase.

The severity of your speeding ticket can impact how much your rates increase. If you receive a citation while traveling 30 mph or more over the limit, your policy could be 40% or more upon renewal.

Since all motorcycle insurance companies use your driving record as a foundation for providing quotes, you can expect similar offers from each one. The prices could rise even more if you have an SR-22 or FR-44 requirement in place from other driving activities.

How Long Do Speeding Tickets Affect Insurance?

Each state determines how long a moving violation stays on your driving record. It is usually three to five years but could be as little as twelve months.

It can also be significantly longer, especially if other factors are involved in the citation. If a motorcyclist receives a DUI charge and conviction with a speeding ticket, it could be ten years or more before the issue disappears from the driving record.

In some situations, a speeding ticket might be indefinitely associated with a motorcyclist’s profile. In Colorado, the information is considered permanent in some cases, while it stays there for ten years in Hawaii.

Your insurance company can decide if the presence of a speeding ticket on your driving record affects the rates you are quoted. If it has been more than five years since your last moving violation and your insurer still charges a higher rate, you can request quotes for coverage from other organizations.

How to Avoid Getting Speeding Tickets on a Motorcycle?

The easiest way to avoid getting a speeding ticket is to ensure you’re traveling at the legal speed for the road. Pay attention to the various signs along the shoulder to ensure you’re within those guidelines.

Also,

If you need to know the speed limit for a given road, the next best option is to pace your bike to be going with traffic. You might get pulled over if everyone is still going over the limit, but there are fewer traffic impedance issues to manage.

There isn’t a practical way to detect when your speed is being directly tracked. You’re doing so at your own risk when you exceed the posted limit.

When motorcyclists receive a speeding ticket, they do have the option to fight it in court. That could stop it from causing your insurance costs to rise until a resolution occurs.

What If I Get a Speeding Ticket for My Car?

If you drive a motorcycle and a car regularly, you might get a speeding ticket when you’re behind the wheel instead of sitting in the saddle.

Motorcycle insurance companies look at your entire driving record when issuing a quote. If you’ve received several speeding tickets while operating another vehicle, the rates you receive will typically rise.

You can see price increases even if your motorcycle driving record is clean but you have multiple violations in other vehicles.

What About Other Moving Violations and Motorcycle Insurance?

Any moving violation appearing on your driving record can increase motorcycle insurance rates. It depends on how the insurer and your state treat each ticket.

Some states add points to your driving record. Others keep track of the specific violations like a “motor vehicle rap sheet” that stays with you.

Here are a few issues that can raise your rates more, especially when combined with a speeding violation.

• Failing to Stop or Yield. This issue depends on how the state and insurer treat this violation. If this action causes an accident because of failing to stop or yield at an intersection with your motorcycle, you’ll likely see a rate increase.
• Texting and Driving. Washington State classifies texting and driving in the same category as driving under the influence. A few states forbid insurers from considering a texting ticket as part of the quote offer. When it isn’t banned or a significant violation, it is likely a minor one, which can still affect your rates.
• Running a Red Light. You might see a higher insurance rate if you get a ticket in the mail for running a red light. It depends on how your jurisdiction treats this violation.

Motorcycle insurance costs often rise when a moving violation occurs, but it isn’t guaranteed to happen. You always have the option to contest a ticket or seek other outcomes other than having it appear on your driving record.