Your life typically undergoes considerable change once you have a California driving under the influence charge on your record, and you may find that you struggle to maintain employment and support yourself or your family after a conviction. While you may, depending on circumstances, face jail time, substantial fines and related repercussions in response to your crime, you will also experience ripple effects that come from somewhere other than the California court system.
More specifically, Insure.com reports that your car insurance rates will often skyrocket following a conviction for DUI, and this typically holds true regardless of where you live, geographically. From coast to coast, for example, drivers typically see their auto insurance rates climb somewhere between 28 and 371 percent following a conviction for DUI. So, how much can you expect your insurance rates to spike as a Californian with a DUI conviction?
California motorists who have DUIs on their records can anticipate having to pay about 186 percent more for auto insurance than their fellow state residents who do not have DUIs on their records. What might that look like? The average California licensed driver who does not have a DUI will pay an average of about $1,783 annually for car insurance coverage. After a DUI conviction, though, this figure rises to $5,093, which is an annual increase of $3,310.
While these figures are staggering, in some cases, automotive insurance companies may find it in their best interests not to cover you at all following a DUI. When one company declines to cover you, this can make others more likely to do the same, as it implies that you may be a liability.
This information about rising auto insurance rates after DUI is educational in nature and does not constitute legal advice.
