Virginia is tough on drunk drivers, and if authorities charge you with drunk driving and it leads to a conviction, you may face serious penalties as a result. In addition to having to pay hundreds of dollars in fines for a first-time driving under the influence conviction, you must also surrender your license for at least a year. Once you begin driving again, you may notice a substantial increase in how much you must pay for insurance.
According to NerdWallet, your auto insurance premiums are all but certain to rise after a drunk driving conviction. However, exactly how much your insurance rates are going to increase depends on several variables, such as your driving history, the coverage you have and what company provides it.
How much insurance rises
If your driving history is pretty standard other than your DUI, you were probably paying somewhere around $960 a year to insure yourself while driving before your conviction. Once you have that first DUI, though, you are looking at paying closer to about $1,567 for full coverage, which is an annual difference of $607.
How long increased insurance rates last
How long should you expect to pay another $607 a year for insurance coverage? While you may see some variation in this regard from one insurance provider to the next, your Virginia driving record shows your drunk driving conviction for 11 years. Thus, you may end up paying substantially more for car insurance for more than a decade following your drunk driving conviction.
How shopping around helps
Insurance providers may vary considerably in terms of what kind of premium they offer you. So, it may benefit you to shop several providers to see which one offers you the best rate and terms.
