How Much Does a Speeding Ticket Raise Your Insurance?
A single speeding ticket can cost you $582 per year in higher premiums. Here's exactly how it works and what you can do about it.
You got a speeding ticket. You paid the fine, tossed the paper, and moved on.
That was a $1,746 mistake.
Most people don't realize the fine isn't the expensive part. The real cost is what happens to your insurance — quietly, automatically, and for years.
The average insurance increase after a speeding ticket
According to data from the Insurance Information Institute, a single speeding ticket raises your auto insurance premium by an average of $582 per year. That increase typically lasts for 3 to 5 years, depending on your state and insurer.
Do the math:
| Timeframe | Extra cost |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | +$582 |
| Year 2 | +$582 |
| Year 3 | +$582 |
| Total | $1,746 |
That's on top of whatever you paid for the ticket itself, which averages $150 to $400.
Why does a speeding ticket raise your insurance?
Insurance companies use your driving record to calculate risk. A speeding ticket signals that you're more likely to be involved in an accident, so they charge you more.
Here's what matters:
- How fast you were going — 15+ mph over the limit hits harder than 5 over
- Your state — some states have higher surcharges than others
- Your driving history — a clean record before the ticket means a bigger percentage increase
- Your insurer — some companies are more forgiving than others
State-by-state insurance increases
The impact varies wildly by state:
| State | Avg. annual increase |
|---|---|
| California | $602 |
| Florida | $541 |
| Texas | $553 |
| New York | $627 |
| Arizona | $489 |
| Georgia | $598 |
Important
These are averages. Your actual increase could be higher or lower depending on your specific situation, driving history, and insurance company. Use our insurance cost calculator to estimate your exact increase.
How to prevent the insurance increase
The most reliable way to keep a speeding ticket from affecting your insurance is traffic school. Here's how it works:
- Take a court-approved course — usually 4 to 8 hours, done online
- The ticket gets dismissed — it never appears on your driving record
- Your insurer never sees it — no record means no rate increase
This is exactly what NoToTicket does. You take a quick online course, the ticket disappears from your record, and your insurance stays the same.
Stop your insurance from going up
Dismiss My Ticket — $39.99What if I already paid the fine?
Paying the fine is NOT the same as admitting guilt in every state, but in most states it is. Once a ticket is on your record, it's much harder to remove.
The key is to act before the court deadline. Most states give you 30 to 90 days after receiving the ticket to elect traffic school.
How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record?
| State | How long |
|---|---|
| California | 3 years |
| Florida | 3 years |
| Texas | 3 years |
| New York | Up to 4 years |
| Arizona | 3 years |
| Georgia | Up to 7 years |
During that entire time, your insurance rates will be elevated.
The bottom line
A speeding ticket costs way more than the fine. The insurance increase alone averages $1,746 over three years. Traffic school costs $39.99 and takes one afternoon.
The math isn't complicated.
Related reading:
Don't let your ticket cost you $1,746.
Take our court-approved course and dismiss it in one afternoon.
Start My Course — $39.99