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Most moving violations affect your rate for about three years, with the size of the increase tied to severity. A single minor speeding ticket is a modest bump; reckless driving or a DUI can move you out of the standard market entirely and require an SR-22 filing.
What you need to know
Not all violations rate the same
Equipment and non-moving violations usually do not affect premium; speed, at-fault accidents, and DUIs do.
Traffic school can help
A masked violation may not surface on your record, depending on eligibility and timing.
Rates recover
Surcharges drop off over time, which makes a re-shop worthwhile as violations age out.
Common mistakes
- Carrying California's minimum limits, which a single injury accident can exhaust.
- Declining or under-buying uninsured motorist coverage.
- Leaving a household driver off the policy.
- Filing small physical-damage claims near the deductible.
- Never updating mileage, garaging address or commute after a change.
When to talk to an agent
Talk to an agent before adding a teen driver, after buying a vehicle, after an accident or ticket, or any time you are not sure whether your liability limits would survive a serious at-fault crash.
Frequently asked
This article is general information, not a policy or a promise of coverage. What your policy pays depends on its specific terms, limits and exclusions. Ask us to review your actual policy before making a decision.