You’re going to see some financial ramifications if you’re convicted of a DUI (driving under the influence). In addition to attorney fees, fines and other expenses, your auto insurance rate will increase. Statistics show that over a three to five year period, those convicted of a DUI pay about 00 more in insurance.

There are some steps you can take to help avoid paying enormous auto insurance rates after being pulled over for DUI. It is always wise to try and fight the charge. Getting an attorney and going to court is worth your time and money. By fighting the charge, you’ll be attempting to protect your insurance rate, your criminal record and your driving record. Your conviction will come off your driving record somewhere between three and ten years, depending upon the state you live in, but it will remain on your criminal record forever.

If you’re convicted after fighting the charge, you should be cooperative and follow the court’s requirements closely. Don’t be foolish and drive while your license is revoked or suspended. You may be permitted to drive just to and from work; follow these restrictions closely. Perform required community service quickly and cheerfully and attend any required safe driving class promptly. Courts can add additional punishment if you’re not prompt and cooperative with your sentence requirements.

The ramifications of your conviction on your auto insurance will come after your conviction. You might get lucky if you’ve been with the same company for a long time. Some insurance carriers hardly ever check the driving records of current customers. If your insurance company does find out about your DUI conviction, they will either raise your rate or cancel your policy.

There are other possibilities you can consider if your rate is increased by your current company. Take a look at companies who specialize in DUI offenders and compare their rates to your new rate. They may be your only option if your current insurer cancels your policy, but they may provide a less expensive option even if your current carrier doesn’t cancel your policy.

Your agent may be able to help reduce the rate increase by reducing coverage if they continue your policy. Once the DUI is off your record, you can increase your coverage again, if you’d like.

Receiving a DUI conviction is a very difficult time in a person’s life. The difficulty can, hopefully, be productive in the long run. You’ve seen that driving under the influence is a big offense. However, an increase in auto insurance and damage to your driving record is a small price if you avoided an accident and hurting yourself or someone else.

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