Getting a red light ticket can be frustrating and expensive. You have to pay the fine, and it usually results in points on your license. But one question drivers often have is – will a red light ticket also cause my car insurance rates to increase?
Unfortunately the answer is usually yes. A red light camera ticket will likely affect your insurance rates. Just how much they increase depends on several factors. Keep reading to learn more about how red light tickets impact insurance and what you can do.
How Red Light Tickets Increase Insurance Rates
In most states a red light ticket is treated just like any other moving violation. Running a red light is seen as risky behavior by car insurance companies. So when they review your driving record and see the ticket they will likely raise your rates.
On average, a red light ticket causes rates to increase by 24%. However, for drivers with otherwise clean records, some companies may not raise rates at all for a first offense.
The rate increase is driven by a couple of factors:
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Points on your license – Most states add 2-4 points to your license for a red light ticket. The more points you have, the higher your rates will be.
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Higher risk – The ticket indicates to insurance companies that you may be a reckless or inattentive driver. This makes you riskier to insure in their eyes.
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Potential for accidents – Running red lights often leads to dangerous accidents. So insurers see drivers with tickets as more likely to file a claim.
Rates can increase by as much as 50-100% with some companies after a single ticket. Multiple tickets will cause an even greater impact on what you pay.
How Long a Ticket Impacts Your Rates
Red light tickets typically affect your insurance rates for 3-5 years after the violation. This is how long most companies look back at your driving history when setting your premiums.
The number of years depends both on your state’s laws and your insurance company’s policies.
For example:
- In California, tickets impact rates for 3 years
- Geico looks back 5 years for most violations
- Allstate typically looks back 3 years
This means after the set time period, the ticket will essentially be erased from your insurance record. Your rates should decrease again if you avoid any additional tickets.
Strategies to Minimize the Rate Increase
While there’s no way to completely avoid a rate increase after running a red light, there are some strategies to minimize the impact:
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Contest the ticket – You may be able to get the ticket reduced or thrown out by contesting it in court. This can stop it from ever hitting your driving record.
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Take a defensive driving course – These courses can typically remove 1-3 points from your license, limiting the driving record impact.
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Shop for new insurance – Get some new quotes after the ticket. Some insurers increase rates much more than others for tickets.
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Increase your deductible – Raising your deductible from $500 to $1000 could offset some of the rate hike.
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Ask about discounts – Multi-policy, safe driver, and other discounts can help lessen the blow to your premium.
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Improve your driving – Going ticket-free for the next 3-5 years will eventually lead rates to decrease again.
Insurance Companies with Red Light Ticket Forgiveness
A few insurers offer some level of red light ticket forgiveness programs:
- State Farm – First-time ticket forgiveness available in some states
- Geico – Minimal increases for first tickets in some cases
- Allstate – Accident forgiveness add-on can help prevent rate hikes
- Progressive – Snapshot program may offset ticket impact
These options are not available in all states and still may not prevent a rate increase entirely. But they can reduce the impact compared to other companies.
How Red Light Cameras Impact Insurance
Red light camera tickets affect insurance a little differently than tickets issued by police officers.
In some states, red light camera tickets don’t add points to your license. They are treated as civil fines rather than moving violations. This means they may not impact insurance at all.
However, in other states they are handled just like a traditional red light ticket, leading to points and rate hikes.
It all comes down to your state’s laws regarding red light cameras and how your insurance company files the violation. Check local laws to understand how a camera ticket will be handled.
The Bottom Line
It’s clear that red light tickets usually lead to higher insurance rates. On average, you can expect about a 24% increase in your premiums after a single ticket. The impact often lasts 3-5 years until it falls off your record.
The best way to avoid the rate hike is to contest any questionable tickets and focus on improving your driving habits. Stick to the speed limit, act attentively, and make complete stops at traffic lights. This can help keep your rates as low as possible.
Red Light Ticket Penalties and Insurance Rate Increases
| State | Average Cost of Red Light Ticket | Average Increase in Auto Insurance Premium |
| Alabama | $110 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Alaska | $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Arizona | $165 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Arkansas | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| California | $500 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Colorado | $40 to $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Connecticut | $100 to $450 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Delaware | $100 to $230 | $150 to $300 per year |
| District of Columbia | $75 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Florida | $70 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Georgia | $500 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Hawaii | $75 to $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Idaho | $110 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Illinois | $100 to $250 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Indiana | $75 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Iowa | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Kansas | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Kentucky | $100 to $200/td> | $150 to $300 per year |
| Louisiana | $110 to $175 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Maine | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Maryland | $75 to $250 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Massachusetts | $100 to $200 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Michigan | $100 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Minnesota | $100 to $300 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Mississippi | $100 to $200 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Missouri/strong> | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Montana | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Nebraska | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Nevada | $100 to $250/td> | $150 to $300 per year |
| New Hampshire | $100 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| New Jersey | $85 to $450 | $150 to $300 per year |
| New Mexico | $100 to $200 | $150 to $300 per year |
| New York | $50 to $450 | $150 to $300 per year |
| North Carolina | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| North Dakota | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Ohio | $100 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Oklahoma | $100 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Oregon | $260 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Pennsylvania | $100 to $250 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Rhode Island | $50 to $200 | $150 to $300 per year |
| South Carolina | $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| South Dakota | $100 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Tennessee | $50 to $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Texas | $75 to $250 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Utah | $100 to $200/td> | $150 to $300 per year |
| Vermont | $100 to $250 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Virginia | $50 to $250 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Washington | $136 | $150 to $300 per year |
| West Virginia | $50 to $200 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Wisconsin | $40 to $300 | $150 to $300 per year |
| Wyoming | $100 | $150 | $150 to $300 per year |
It’s important to keep in mind that the cost of a red light ticket and how it affects your car insurance can be very different depending on the state and the specifics of the violation. And finally, insurance companies decide how much a red light ticket will affect a person’s car insurance premium, so it’s always best to get the most up-to-date information from your insurance company.
The Impact on Your Insurance Rates
Auto insurance companies use your driving record as a factor in determining your insurance rates. Your insurance rates may go up after getting a red light ticket, especially if you have a history of multiple violations.
Does Running a Red Light Impact Your Car Insurance?
FAQ
Is red light covered by insurance?
Does a red light camera ticket go on your record in California?
How much is a red light ticket in Washington?
|
VIOLATION
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POTENTIAL BASE FINE
|
LICENSE POINTS
|
|
Rolling Legal Turn
|
$35
|
1
|
|
Illegal red light turn
|
$35
|
1
|
|
Running a stop sign
|
$100
|
1
|
|
Running a red light
|
$100
|
1
|
Do red light camera tickets go on your record in Washington state?
Do Red Light tickets affect car insurance rates?
Just like with texting while driving violations, it depends on how your state treats this scenario. Some states will completely ban the use of red light tickets to determine your car insurance rates, while in others they will be viewed as a minor moving violation, which will result in a rate increase.
Do red light and speeding camera tickets affect insurance rates?
Like other civil or administrative violations, red light and speeding camera tickets will not impact insurance rates. Insurers don’t consider these violations with the same severity as, say, a speeding ticket on a freeway – or a reckless driving citation.
What happens if you get a red light ticket in the mail?
In states where it is not banned, insurance companies may, however, still treat these as minor moving violations, which means that your insurance premium could increase. If you get a red light ticket in the mail, you could face higher insurance rates.
Does a red light make insurance go up?
Generally, State Farm and Geico have excellent ticket forgiveness since rates don’t go up as much as other companies after a red light ticket. To get started on finding affordable car insurance quotes with a red light ticket, enter your ZIP code below to start today. Does running a red light make your insurance go up?