The Effects of an Arizona DUI Conviction on Your Insurance Rates
Arizona has some of the toughest drinking and driving laws in the country, and most people know that drinking and driving can result in serious negative consequences. However, this often does not deter people from taking the risk.
Thousands of people are arrested each year in Arizona on suspicion of DUI. If you are convicted of DUI, you could face fines and jail time. Another substantial consequence is the impact of the conviction on your car insurance. A DUI could put you in the ‘high-risk driver’ category, triggering your insurance carrier to charge significantly higher premiums or possibly cancel your coverage altogether. If your DUI involved a car accident or injury to someone, or it was not your first DUI offense, your insurance rates will likely increase even more.
How Will My Insurance Company Know About the DUI?
When you apply for insurance, and at any time after that, an insurance company can request a copy of your driving record. The contract you sign with the company allows them to make this request. If you are convicted of a DUI, points will likely be added to your record. If the insurance carrier notes that you have more points than the average Arizona driver, the company may increase your rates when it is time to renew your policy.
Arizona’s Auto Insurance Requirement
In Arizona, every motor vehicle operated on the roadways must be covered by liability insurance by a company authorized to do business in the state. If you are convicted of a DUI, and your insurance carrier cancels your insurance, the company will notify the Motor Vehicle Division of the cancellation. Failure to maintain proper insurance could result in the suspension of your vehicle registration and possibly your driver’s license. If law enforcement stops you and you are driving with a suspended license, you could be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor under Arizona Revised Statute §28-3473.
To reinstate your license and registration, you will need to provide proof that you are insured. Reinstating insurance after a DUI, or obtaining coverage from another carrier, is often substantially more expensive.
The SR-22 Form
After a DUI conviction, you must provide proof of insurance to drive on Arizona’s roadways legally. A Safety Responsibility (SR) form is often referred to in Arizona as SR Insurance. However, under ARS §28-4077, it is not insurance. Rather, it is a document, known as a Certificate of Insurance (SR-22 form), that serves as proof that you have auto insurance coverage. The company providing the coverage must be licensed to do business in Arizona.
If you are required to have this insurance, Arizona will not reinstate your until you confirm that you have acquired the insurance. Depending on the nature of the DUI offense you were charged with, you may have to maintain a policy under SR-22 for some amount of time. In Arizona, that period is generally three years, but you can apply with the court to shorten that time. If you let your insurance lapse for any reason during the SR-22 period, your license and vehicle registration will be suspended until you renew the insurance.
Higher Insurance Premiums Under SR-22
When you renew your auto insurance after a DUI conviction or obtain new coverage because your previous insurer canceled your coverage, you will receive an SR-22 form that must be filed with your local Motor Vehicle Division. You will be required to pay a filing fee of $25 and an application fee between $10 and $25, depending on your age. However, the filing fee may be the least of your concerns. The impact of the DUI conviction on your insurance rates can be a much bigger problem.
From an insurance carrier’s perspective, a criminal conviction for DUI makes you a higher-risk driver. Because you fall into the higher-risk category, insurance companies will generally charge you more, often substantially more, to obtain or renew your auto insurance coverage.
How Much Will My Rates Increase?
No state law or regulation controls how much your insurance rates will go up after a DUI conviction. The amount of your premiums depends on which insurance carrier covers your insurance, how long you have been insured by the same company, your overall driving history, and the circumstances of your DUI. For example, if your DUI resulted in an accident that injured someone, you may incur more points on your driver’s license. These additional points could result in even higher insurance rates.
The average yearly car insurance cost in Arizona is $1247. The general consensus in Arizona is that insurance rates will increase after a DUI conviction by anywhere from 72% to 130%. On average, you could pay between $2144 and $2861 for auto insurance coverage. This is higher than the average nationwide increase. A DUI conviction can sometimes raise car insurance rates more than any other driving violation.
How Long Will I Have to Pay the Higher Insurance Premiums?
In Arizona, an insurance company can consider any traffic offenses, accidents, or DUI convictions you had over the last seven years. This is known as the ‘look back’ period, and your insurance rates could be higher throughout the seven years. Arizona also considers this same period of time if you get a second or subsequent DUI.
Under Arizona Revised Statutes §1381, if you receive a second DUI within seven years of your first conviction, you may be considered a repeat offender. A second DUI on your record or a conviction as a repeat offender may put you into an even higher-risk category. Based on some estimates in Arizona, your insurance could triple after a second DUI conviction. The insurance company may also charge you the increased rates for a longer period of time.
Joint Auto Insurance Policies
A DUI can adversely affect other drivers on your insurance policy. If you have a joint policy with someone, like a spouse, the rates for the overall policy will likely increase after your DUI conviction. The other policy holder’s rates can be affected by the DUI even if they have a clean driving record.
What Can I Do About the Increased Premiums?
One of the most useful things you can do as you reinstate your auto insurance after a DUI, or search for a new insurance carrier, is to compare rates across companies. In Arizona, there are significant differences in auto insurance rates under the SR-22 program requirements.
It will also help if you maintain your coverage throughout the entire SR-22 mandated period. If you let your insurance lapse for any reason during that time and are caught driving without insurance, your rates will likely be even higher when you reinstate your insurance.
Some insurance companies will consider lowering your rates at some point after a DUI conviction if you attend certain safe-driving programs. You should contact your insurance carrier to determine whether it has approved any driving classes for insurance rate reductions.
