Car insurance is quite expensive. You don’t need a traffic ticket to make your premiums go even higher. That’s why it’s important to drive carefully, courteously and within legal speed limits. This way, you will not give any reason for a police officer to stop you and serve you with a citation regarding irresponsible driving patterns.

You may wonder. The ticket itself implies a fine. Why would you be penalized more by your insurance company?

To be honest, your insurance company is not interested in punishing you. They only look out for their own interests. When they see that you have been convicted of a traffic violation, they see you as a danger to their operations. Traffic violations show the insurance company that you are at greater risk of being involved in a car accident or collision than someone with a clean driving record. A car accident, in insurance terms, means that there will likely be a claim that will cost them money. The insurance company balances the risk of a car accident claim with a high premium or additional charge.

Of course, each company measures its response to a poor driving record on an individual basis. Generally, though, they have a team that looks at the general behavior you’ve exhibited when you’re behind the wheel.

And when deciding the amount of the rate increase, the insurance company will consider the seriousness of the traffic violation.

Therefore, if you are compromised for drunk driving, you will be met with an extremely strict reaction regarding a rate increase. If you simply received a ticket for a broken headlight, the judgment against you will be light. And if you’re found to be speeding 15 miles over city limits, you’ll get a bigger raise than if you had been speeding just five miles over the posted mileage.

People often ask about parking tickets. For the most part, the motorist who receives a parking ticket only has to worry about paying that ticket. The insurance company will not increase your rates if they see that you are responsible for your bill and they do not see a parking citation as a concern regarding your likelihood of being involved in a car accident.

The line of thought goes far beyond a car. Whether you drive a truck, van, motorcycle, or other type of vehicle, your rates may increase if you have been convicted of a traffic or speeding violation.

For more information on the subject, speak to an experienced independent insurance agent.