{"id":5901,"date":"2021-08-31T20:47:40","date_gmt":"2021-08-31T20:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/?p=5901"},"modified":"2025-05-02T20:37:05","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T20:37:05","slug":"car-insurance-after-dui","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/car-insurance-after-dui\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking for Car Insurance After a DUI Conviction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Getting a DUI<\/a> is a very stressful experience for any driver. In addition to possible jail time for a driver under the influence conviction, especially if it isn\u2019t the first offense, there are fines and lawyers to pay. There\u2019s a loss of driving privileges, and then there\u2019s the impact on your auto insurance<\/a> rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that while a DUI will certainly complicate your life or that of a loved one, and it will prove costly in terms of raised auto insurance rates, the mistake can eventually be repaired. In time, your insurance premiums will go down as long as your driving record doesn\u2019t contain additional serious charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a more in-depth look at insurance after a DUI<\/a> and when you might expect the financial damage to be repaired and a return to standard insurance rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a DUI?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A DUI goes by other names in various jurisdictions. In the past, it was commonly called a DWI for \u201cdriving while intoxicated.\u201d That was used when the most typical substance of abuse was alcohol. But now we know that a wider range of substances can be used that affect the ability to drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The charge might, in some jurisdictions, be called OVI for \u201coperating a vehicle under the influence.\u201d In some places, it\u2019s called OWI, for \u201coperating while ability impaired.\u201d Another abbreviation in use is OMVI, for \u201coperating a motor vehicle while impaired.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A DUI is treated so seriously all over the United States because of the severity of the situation. Alcohol impairment was the cause<\/u><\/a> of nearly 10,500 deaths in driving crashes in 2016. That\u2019s about 29 deaths a day, or one death every 50 minutes, at the cost of more than $44 billion annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Auto insurance companies treat the problem as seriously as law enforcement. The result is that drivers with a DUI (or similar charge) see their insurance rates rise, often considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Much Does Insurance Go Up After a DUI?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A driver with a recent DUI is considered to be high risk. That\u2019s because the perception is that the driver will continue to drive irresponsibly\u2014whether true or not. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, nearly one-third of DUI arrests and convictions involve repeat offenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That perception that \u201call\u201d drivers with DUIs are likely to repeat the offense is unfair to the many who make one single mistake in their lives and are otherwise safe and responsible behind the wheel. Nonetheless, this is a strong perception, and all drivers with recent convictions are considered high risk<\/u><\/a>, so they face higher auto insurance rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How high? The average rate of increase varies from state to state, but premiums can nearly double for drivers with DUI convictions. That translates to some eye-popping numbers in individual states. For instance, the cost of insurance after a DUI<\/a> can rise about $3,000 per year in California.<\/a> Perhaps more typically, the rate in Colorado can go up to $720 on average.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Wherever you live, car insurance can be a challenging expense, even before a DUI. So it\u2019s understandable if the steep rate hike after a DUI puts coverage nearly out of reach. And that\u2019s on top of all of the other costs associated with getting a DUI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The better news is that companies like Freeway Insurance work with high-risk drivers all the time. We can find high-risk auto insurance at minimal additional cost for drivers with DUI records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is High-Risk Auto Insurance?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A driver can be legally considered a high-risk motorist for many reasons in addition to having a DUI conviction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n