{"id":6283,"date":"2022-03-02T17:32:28","date_gmt":"2022-03-02T17:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/?p=6283"},"modified":"2023-09-21T18:56:39","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T18:56:39","slug":"am-i-a-high-risk-driver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/am-i-a-high-risk-driver\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does it Mean to Be a High-Risk Driver?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are several factors that can get you designated by car insurance companies as a high-risk driver that needs high-risk<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/high-risk-drivers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> insurance.<\/a>&nbsp; Keep in mind that different insurance companies might have somewhat varying definitions of what makes a driver fall into this category. Nonetheless, the following factors are usually considered enough to gain you a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/facts-about-high-risk-drivers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">high-risk driver designation<\/a> in the eyes of most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">car insurance<\/a> companies:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Major driving violations, including driving at high speeds and getting into serious accidents that are ruled to be your fault.&nbsp;<\/li><li>A DUI conviction and\/or the need to carry an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/coverage\/sr-22-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SR-22 policy<\/a>.<\/li><li>Several relatively minor driving violations, including tickets for going over the speed limit and minor fender benders that are your fault.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Being charged with driving without a seat belt.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Accumulating excessive points for moving violations.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Being charged with texting and driving.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Driving without a license.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Driving without car insurance.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, high-risk drivers are considered to be reckless or unsafe drivers because they have problems with some or most of the factors listed above. You may be a relatively safe driver, but insurance companies will consider you high risk if you have some of these dings on your record.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-do-car-insurance-companies-have-a-problem-with-high-risk-drivers\">Why Do Car Insurance Companies Have a Problem With High-Risk Drivers?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Insurance companies of all kinds make money by playing the odds. Their goal is to take in more revenue in the form of customer premiums than they have to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/should-i-file-an-auto-insurance-claim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pay out in claims<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to insuring motorists, they only \u201cwin\u201d with the safest and most responsible drivers. That\u2019s because those drivers are less likely to get into accidents that are their fault, so they\u2019ll cost the insurer less.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Underwriters are the insurance company employees who calculate the odds of paying out certain types of customers based on their past actions or personal profiles. To put it another way, the car insurance companies set their rates based on how low or high the likelihood is that they\u2019ll have to pay out more in claims than they\u2019ll get in premiums paid by various individuals and groups of drivers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why males typically pay higher premiums than females, and younger drivers pay more for their coverage than older motorists. It\u2019s because, statistically, some groups have more accidents and make more claims than other groups.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>High-risk drivers are seen as costing car insurers the most in claims paid out. Drivers who repeatedly get into accidents and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/driving-safety\/9-bad-driving-habits-avoid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drive recklessly<\/a> cost the insurers money. That\u2019s why high-risk drivers are charged the highest rates for coverage. In fact, some insurance companies refuse to insure high-risk drivers at any cost.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, affordable high-risk driver auto insurance is available through some insurers, bringing down the cost as much as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-can-i-lose-the-high-risk-driver-designation\">Can I Lose the High-Risk Driver Designation?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, it\u2019s possible to get rid of your high-risk driver designation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When car insurance companies look into your driving record to determine what rates you\u2019ll pay for coverage, they only go back three to five years to find most violations, depending on the insurance company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/drivers-license-points\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drivers license points<\/a> you accumulate for your driving mistakes eventually drop off your record. Over time your record will look cleaner and cleaner \u2014 as long as you don\u2019t continue to rack up violations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2.jpg\" alt=\"person with hands on the wheel of a car driving down highway\" class=\"wp-image-6284\" width=\"714\" height=\"476\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2-294x196.jpg 294w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-high-risk-driver-2-285x190.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 714px) 100vw, 714px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not that hard to repair your driving record over time. If you take the following advice, it will go far toward \u201cresetting\u201d your record and earning lower car insurance rates:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Observe all speed limits&nbsp;<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/driving-safety\/ways-prevent-drinking-driving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Never drink and drive<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li><li>Wear your seat belt at all times while driving&nbsp;<\/li><li>Don\u2019t use your phone for calls or texts while your car\u2019s in motion&nbsp;<\/li><li>Make sure you always have a current driver\u2019s license and tags&nbsp;<\/li><li>Always have car insurance, even if the premiums are higher than you expect&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Following this advice will go far toward repairing your driving record and earning sometimes dramatic reductions in what you pay for car insurance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-but-what-will-i-do-for-car-insurance-in-the-meantime\">But What Will I Do for Car Insurance in the Meantime?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s great to hear that you can <em>eventually<\/em> get a clean driving record that will <em>eventually<\/em> lead to lower premiums. But you need your car today. So what are you expected to do before those high rates get cut?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It could take years to clean up your driving record, but you must get to work or get the kids to school in the meantime. You have errands to run and responsibilities to meet. You can\u2019t live without your car for a few years until your insurance rates come down. So now what?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t lose hope. That\u2019s our first and most important piece of advice. There are insurance companies that specialize in serving the needs of high-risk drivers. Independent insurance agents \u2014 those who don\u2019t work for just one insurance company and have access to several major carriers \u2014 can find you more affordable high-risk driver auto insurance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your independent insurance agent will go shopping for the most competitive rates from car insurance companies that specialize in offering coverage for high-risk drivers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll take your budget into consideration and find the best coverage that you can afford and that will keep you legal in your state.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-check-online-today-for-high-risk-car-insurance\">Check Online Today for High-Risk Car Insurance &nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your Freeway Insurance independent insurance agent specializes in finding affordable high-risk driver auto insurance. Call us at <a href=\"tel:(800)%20777-5620\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">(800) 777-5620<\/a>. You can also meet with an agent at a Freeway Insurance <a href=\"https:\/\/locations.freeway.com\/?_ga=2.80352277.3619797.1641754726-981848019.1639342009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">office near you<\/a> or get a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/insurance-options\/auto-insurance-rates\/?_ga=2.114973829.3619797.1641754726-981848019.1639342009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">quick online quote<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"#modal-turbo\" style=\"background-color:#0047bb\">Get a Quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"tel:800-777-5620\" style=\"background-color:#0047bb\">Call Us<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/locations.freeway.com\/\" style=\"background-color:#0047bb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find Your Office<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are several factors that can get you designated by car insurance companies as a high-risk driver that needs high-risk insurance.&nbsp; Keep in mind that different insurance companies might have somewhat varying definitions of what makes a driver fall into this category. Nonetheless, the following factors are usually considered enough to gain you a high-risk [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1002599,"featured_media":6285,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"importance":[],"type-content":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6283"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1002599"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6283"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9490,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6283\/revisions\/9490"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6283"},{"taxonomy":"importance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/importance?post=6283"},{"taxonomy":"type-content","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-content?post=6283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}