I pleaded down to a 15/under speeding ticket...no demerit points, I think the fine(possibly a court fee) was 45 bucks. Beyond that it was my only ticket in 10 years, convicted 2 years ago. Do insurance agents take this into consideration or is there a grace for it?
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How does a minor ticket affect insurance?
- Thread starter andrewp
- Start date
Minor tickets have potential to impact your rates for three years following the date of conviction. Until that three years is up, there's no grace given except as per the ticket threshold policy for your insurance company. When the three years is up, the ticket falls off your record as far as insurance is concerned.
At any moment in time most insurance companies will let you have at least one minor ticket on your record without charging a surcharge or telling you to go away. Some will let you have up to two minor tickets on your record at any given time. After that you risk surcharges and/or being dropped completely when your renewal date comes around.
With only one ticket on your record you shouldn't have any real cause for worry. Just don't get another one until that first one drops off in about a year.
Some insurance companies treat +30km/h as major offences, but most treat up to +49 as minor. You have to look at your insurance policy, you'll have "conviction free discounts" that will get removed; on top of that, they'll add surcharges per conviction.
I believe with SF on the first minor conviction you're already at +20%, because you lose +10% discount for no longer being conviction free, and +10% per conviction: http://s982.photobucket.com/user/vifferfun/media/MajorRatingVariables.jpg.html
State Farm will cancel your policy on the third minor conviction; most may cancel your policy if you have a major/serious conviction: http://assets.ibc.ca/Documents/Brochures/Ontario-Auto-Insurance-FAQ-ON.pdf (Page 11 & 12)
If you have had a clean driving record for the better part of a decade, they won't spend money running your abstract on every renewal. They've been wasting money on that with no return, so they'll stop doing it after a while and focus it more on the 16yr old M1 with a Busa.
If you're getting a new policy from a new insurance provider, they'll see it and will consider it.
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In general, it's not going to be the difference between taking transit and riding/driving; but it will make you think twice about the real consequences of traffic convictions; the buck doesn't stop with the $45 conviction.
Just imagine if you're already paying $2000/yr for SF; on a first minor conviction of +15km/h you'll be paying at least +$1200 in additional premiums for the next three years. How insane is that? Imagine if the prosecutor told you this when you plea-bargained?
Investing in a $300 paralegal to fight that ticket, doesn't seem so bad anymore.
Insurance companies give zero ****s about demerit points; they'll only be interested if as a result of accumulating demerit points (ie. 15pts) you're license was suspended, during which time... you're no longer insurable.
I believe with SF on the first minor conviction you're already at +20%, because you lose +10% discount for no longer being conviction free, and +10% per conviction: http://s982.photobucket.com/user/vifferfun/media/MajorRatingVariables.jpg.html
State Farm will cancel your policy on the third minor conviction; most may cancel your policy if you have a major/serious conviction: http://assets.ibc.ca/Documents/Brochures/Ontario-Auto-Insurance-FAQ-ON.pdf (Page 11 & 12)
If you have had a clean driving record for the better part of a decade, they won't spend money running your abstract on every renewal. They've been wasting money on that with no return, so they'll stop doing it after a while and focus it more on the 16yr old M1 with a Busa.
If you're getting a new policy from a new insurance provider, they'll see it and will consider it.
______________________________
In general, it's not going to be the difference between taking transit and riding/driving; but it will make you think twice about the real consequences of traffic convictions; the buck doesn't stop with the $45 conviction.
Just imagine if you're already paying $2000/yr for SF; on a first minor conviction of +15km/h you'll be paying at least +$1200 in additional premiums for the next three years. How insane is that? Imagine if the prosecutor told you this when you plea-bargained?
Investing in a $300 paralegal to fight that ticket, doesn't seem so bad anymore.
Insurance companies give zero ****s about demerit points; they'll only be interested if as a result of accumulating demerit points (ie. 15pts) you're license was suspended, during which time... you're no longer insurable.
Dresden
Well-known member
Well, I just got schooled. Thanks for the post.
Well its not like the insurance company explain it in detail to the customers. You have to read the fine print and not every company is the exact same. I didn't know any of this for a long time until a Co worker explained it to me
starboy869
Well-known member
I got two speeding tickets in my life time, and each time at renewal my rates went down (yes my insurance company knew). First one was 89 in 80, and a few years later I got nailed for 25km/hr over.
I've only gotten two major tickets in my life, in both cases, the paralegals were useless. If the get you on radar, you're nicked.
conundrum
Well-known member
Out of interest how does it work when working with a broker? I know most work with a few different insurance companies, so does that mean they pull your recored yearly to get best rates (and go with say Aviva vs Intact or whatever behind the scenes)?
Also not a big fan of how all this works in Ontario..in theory it means you could get hit with one ticket doing something stupid, and 2 years later get a 5km/h or 10km/h over and essentially get dropped. Big difference between someone who gets 2-3 tickets for 49 over vs someone who gets 2-3 10km/h overs on the 401 (while getting passed by other vehicles). Also don't forget to factor in the push for 40km/h limits in the city, plus the few areas of Toronto pushing for 30km/h limits atm.
Also not a big fan of how all this works in Ontario..in theory it means you could get hit with one ticket doing something stupid, and 2 years later get a 5km/h or 10km/h over and essentially get dropped. Big difference between someone who gets 2-3 tickets for 49 over vs someone who gets 2-3 10km/h overs on the 401 (while getting passed by other vehicles). Also don't forget to factor in the push for 40km/h limits in the city, plus the few areas of Toronto pushing for 30km/h limits atm.
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Akad3m1kz
Well-known member
typically not all insurance companies would run a report on you, as it requires someone to do it. Often times brokers will not do that as they may lose your business and it does cost insurance companies money. Common factors that a company would though; 1. You inquired how a ticket would affect you. 2 You get into an accident 3 there was a claim against you or you made a claim
as far as your question goes for convictions certain companies will label 3 types of convictions. minor, major, criminal. Depending on your conviction you will either get a certain amount of surcharge or you may not meet their under writing guidelines hence upon renewal you are going to get a lapse letter and off you go to facility/high risk insurance
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