Insurance policies often cost more after a DUI conviction

Drunk driving charges can affect your freedom, your finances and your ability to enjoy life. For one reason, a conviction can mean that you lose your driver’s license. It can also mean that if you are allowed to continue to drive, your insurance premium is going to go up dramatically.

Once you are convicted of drunk driving, you are considered to be a high-risk driver. This means that you will likely have to get special liability insurance, which is often called an SR-22. Only certain insurance companies are able to write this type of coverage, so finding an insurance company might be difficult.

If you are required to get this special insurance, your ability to keep your driver’s license depends on your ability to keep your policy current. If you lose your insurance coverage for any reason, you will likely have to turn your license back into the state.

Even if you aren’t required to carry the special insurance, you will still find that your rates go up. If you were convicted of a first DUI and have an otherwise clean driving record, the increase might not be too bad. If you have other items on your driving record, or multiple DUIs, you might have to pay very high premiums if your insurance company doesn’t drop your coverage entirely.

It is crucial that you explore your options for dealing with drunk driving charges to determine if there is a way that you can avoid this increase in premiums. Start investigating your options early so you have time to make a decision without having to rush.

Source: FindLaw, “DUI and Insurance: Rates and Form SR-22,” accessed Feb. 26, 2016