A common question you will be asked when shopping for auto insurance is if you have had any tickets in the last five years. Almost all insurance companies use this for rating your policy. Some companies look back 2 years, others 3 and some as far back as 5 years. It is important to know what is on your record and how it is affecting your rates.

A huge misconception that most people have is that they fought their ticket in court and because of that it will not affect their car insurance. This typically is not the case. When a judge or magistrate rules to have the points taken off your ticket they are referring to State of Michigan points which have to do with your licensing eligibility. When state points are removed, the ticket will still show up on your motor vehicle report and thus affect your insurance policy.

If you do get a ticket what can you do? If you plan on fighting the ticket try to get it completely erased from your record. If this isn’t a possibility, try to get it changed to some sort of non-moving violation such as impeding traffic or a seat belt violation. These type of citations typically will not have an adverse affect on your car insurance.

If you have the unfortunate event of having a major violation such as a DUI / DWI or reckless driving, this can have a substantial impact on your car insurance. It will most likely cause large increases and can even cause you to be cancelled from some of Michigan’s larger carriers. If this happens it is best to consult an insurance professional and seek advice on the best way to proceed.

How different types of tickets and their age impact your auto insurance can be a complicated topic to grasp but the professionals in our agency have years of experience to help you with any questions or situations you may come across.