Best Auto Insurance for Drivers With a DUI

It is difficult to find affordable car insurance following a DUI (driving under the influence) violation. A DUI on your driving record is more impactful than an at-fault accident or a ticket. For an auto insurance company, a DUI or DWI (driving while intoxicated/impaired) are high-risk activities. You may be required to purchase additional drunk driving insurance coverage to satisfy state requirements.

DUI insurance is difficult to find at an affordable price point, but not impossible. Read on to learn more.

Is there a special kind of insurance for people with DUIs?

A DUI is a mistake that will cost you in more ways than one, especially pertaining to insurance rates. Assume you have just received a DUI, DWI, or OUI (operating under the influence). What can you expect when your car insurance provider sees this on your driving record?  

While there is no specific type of auto insurance for a DUI, your insurance policy may need adjustment. Following a DWI, you are considered high risk by any auto insurance company looking to offer you a policy. Because of that, auto insurance rates will skyrocket.  

To accompany your auto insurance policy, you may need drunk driving insurance coverage, increasing coverage limits to satisfy state requirements for form SR-22 — more on that later.  

Who are the cheapest DUI insurance providers around?

To shop for the most affordable DUI insurance providers, you need to know where to start. In general, you are going to have the best luck when you look at the big personal insurance providers.  

Average annual DUI car insurance rates will be cheapest with these companies:

• State Farm at $1,633 annually
• Progressive at $2,019 annually 
• Farmers at $2,228 annually

The rates you get from one insurance company to the next will all have variations. They will each look at your driving record independent of one another, and all through a different lens. Sure, the DUI will be seen by all, but how they factor that into your premium calculation is not static.

Each insurance company has its own rates by state, by driver profile, and it is always a top insurance tip to shop the market and compare results.  

How does a DUI impact auto insurance?

Getting a DUI is going to impact the driving record insurance companies look at when pricing out your auto insurance policy. The national average rate increase for a driver with a DUI is 74%.  

When you are shopping for an auto insurance policy, a provider will ask you for your driver’s license and in doing so will pull up your driving record. If you have had any at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, reckless driving incidents, they will know about it. This will include having a DUI on your record. When they see the DUI, it will immediately flag you as a high-risk impacting the rates you pay for insurance.

The other variable at play is the impact on your current insurance policy. States will require you to fill out what is known as a form SR-22. Your insurance company will complete and file the SR-22 on your behalf. The act of them doing this also acknowledges they are aware of your history and will place you as a high-risk driving status, and assures the state that you have the proper insurance in place.

What happens when you get a DUI?

When you get a DUI, what happens will depend on the state. There will be a direct impact on your driving record, but how serious the impact is will vary. If it is just your first incident, it could be that you face a fine and a suspension of your license for up to one year.

Each state will have variations of the law and what a first, second, and third offense DUI means to you as an individual. For your insurance, it means a big mark on your driving record that increases rates.  

Your driving record will have the DUI on it for a set period of time, depending on the state. Most states will carry the DUI on your record for a period of 10 years.

What is SR-22 insurance?

Each state will have its own SR-22 insurance requirements. Following a DUI, states will require SR-22 insurance, which is a certificate of financial responsibility. You have to prove to the state that you are carrying an auto insurance policy with specific minimum liability limits. 

The form SR-22 proves you have insurance that is in compliance with the state requirements. If your current auto insurance policy has liability limits below the state requirements for the form SR-22, you will need to increase your insurance coverage before filing. Some states do not use SR-22 forms, and some have a form known as an FR-44 as well.

Next Steps for Finding the Best DUI Auto Insurance

Having a DUI on your driving record is never a good thing. The DUI will flag you as a high-risk driver for auto insurance companies, making insurance rates increase.

You can find cheap DUI car insurance from State Farm for around $135 per month, but it will require doing some comparative research to determine the best option for your own situation.