What companies offer cheap full coverage insurance for bad drivers?

No. There are no auto insurance companies that don’t check your driving record. Most auto insurance companies check your driving record for the past 3 years when you submit your application for coverage, and some check your driving record as far back as 7-10 years.

When Auto Insurance Companies Check Your Driving Record… read full answer

Auto insurance companies generally do not check your driving record just to give you a simple quote, with no obligation to buy. It costs money to check someone’s official driving record, so the agent (or online tool) will initially generate a quote for your car insurance coverage based on the driving history you submit. Once you accept the quote and commit to move forward, an underwriter from the insurance company will check your actual driving record to make sure the quote is valid.

It’s also common practice for auto insurance companies to check your driving record when it’s time to renew your policy, generally every 6 or 12 months. They will typically run a check on your driving record about 45 days before a policy is going to expire.

If you’ve received any new tickets or gotten into an accident since the policy began, you may be required to pay a higher rate. However, if you’ve been with a company for a long time and maintained a clean driving record, the insurer may choose to forgo continuously checking your driving record due to the cost.

Best Insurance Companies for Bad Driving Record

Even though there are no insurance companies that don't check driving records, there are some national insurance companies, like Geico and Progressive, that offer great insurance options for bad drivers, including those who need an SR-22 or FR-44. Other companies, such as The General and Dairyland, specialize in nonstandard insurance.

Know What’s In Your Driving Record

Since there are no auto insurance companies that do not check your driving record, knowing what an insurer might find out beforehand could be key to helping you get the cheapest insurance rate. For example, it’s helpful to know if an old traffic violation is going to fall off your record soon, as that may be a good time to shop around for a better auto insurance rate.

On the other hand, if you’ve accumulated several points on your license recently, you may want to take a defensive driving class to help prevent your insurance rate from going up or having your coverage canceled. Also, if your motor vehicle record is so bad that your driver’s license is suspended or revoked, your policy could be canceled or you could be prevented from getting auto insurance altogether until your license is reinstated.

To get ahead of what an insurance provider might find in your driving history, you can request a copy of your official driving record from the department of motor vehicles for each state in which you’ve held a valid driver’s license. Keep in mind that each state has its own rules about how long it keeps personal driving history records and how you should request those records.

Another source of useful information regarding your driving record is a Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report, which offers a detailed history of claims you’ve made through insurance providers. With your CLUE report, you can dispute errors and have a clear idea of what insurance companies will be reviewing.

The best way to get cheaper car insurance is to compare quotes from multiple companies and then switch to whichever insurer offers the coverage you want at the cheapest rate. Other ways to get cheaper car insurance include taking advantage of discounts, improving your driving record, and raising your credit score.… read full answer

10 Ways to Get Cheaper Car Insurance

1. Compare quotes every 6-12 months.

Every car insurance company calculates premiums slightly differently, so the quote you get from one company can easily be hundreds of dollars more expensive than another company’s quote. Getting quotes from multiple insurers every time you need to renew your policy can help you realize if you’re overpaying for the same amount of coverage.

2. Take advantage of discounts.

All major car insurance companies offer a variety of discounts, which can save drivers as much as 35% in some cases. For instance, many insurers offer multi-policy and multi-car discounts, as well as good student and good driver discounts, and more.

3. Increase your deductible.

Raising your deductible will lower your premium, though it’s important to choose a deductible amount that you can afford in an emergency. A car insurance deductible is an amount that you have to pay out of pocket before your insurer will cover the rest. Deductibles apply to several types of coverage, including collision and comprehensive insurance.

4. Improve your credit score.

Insurance companies use credit-based insurance scores, where allowed by state law since studies have shown that these scores effectively indicate a driver’s likelihood of filing a claim. Given that insurance scores are based on credit report information, raising your credit score can help reduce your rate over time.

5. Consider usage-based insurance.

Usage-based insurance is a type of car insurance that calculates your premium based on your driving habits. Each company’s usage-based program varies, but most consider your total mileage, braking, acceleration, and speed. These programs are ideal for safe drivers, especially those who do not use their cars for long commutes or frequent trips.

6. Choose a car that is inexpensive to insure.

Cars that are particularly fast, powerful, and/or costly to repair are among the most expensive to insure. Insurers also charge higher premiums for cars that are more likely to be stolen. The next time you go car shopping, compare insurance quotes for different models in advance with this in mind. And if your premiums are prohibitively expensive now, consider trading in your vehicle for a car that is cheap to insure.

7. Take a defensive driving course.

In some states, insurance companies are required to give you a discount for completing a defensive driving course. Even where it isn't mandatory, insurers will sometimes provide a discount to encourage customers to improve their driving techniques.

If your insurer does not lower your premium just for taking a course, working on your driving skills will still pay off in the long run and help you keep your record clean. On that note, certain states also allow you to take a course in order to prevent driver’s license points from affecting your car insurance rates.

8. Consider your coverage types and amounts.

All the different types of car insurance can make it difficult to determine what exactly is worth paying for. At a minimum, you need to fulfill your state’s requirements and also purchase any coverage your lender or lessor requires. But beyond that, you can weigh whether each add-on coverage option is worth the price.

For instance, maybe you should drop uninsured motorist property damage insurance from your policy if you already have collision insurance. Or maybe you don’t need rental reimbursement coverage anymore because you could borrow a family member’s car if needed.

9. Practice good driving habits.

Moving violations like speeding tickets signal to your insurer that you are a risky driver, as do serious convictions like reckless driving. By driving safely, you can keep yourself safe and your premium low. If you have tickets or at-fault accidents on your driving record already, work on driving carefully from now on, since they will only affect your rate for a few years.

10. Check out local and regional companies.

Large car insurance companies spend billions on advertising every year, but smaller insurers may be able to provide the cheapest premiums in some cases. So, when you’re shopping around, make sure to compare quotes from companies of all sizes. You can use WalletHub’s cheap car insurance guide as a starting point. Just click on your state to compare the cheapest insurers.

Car insurance premiums are based on drivers’ individual risk factors as well as the coverage types and limits they choose. Check out WalletHub's full guide on the factors that affect car insurance rates for more information.

A high-risk occupation for car insurance is any job that makes an individual more likely to file a claim than the average driver. Some of the highest-risk occupations for car insurance are doctor, lawyer and chef because of their long, irregular hours and high stress levels. Other jobs, like driving for Uber or Lyft, also are high-risk because they revolve around being in the car all day, which increases the likelihood of an accident. And even though being a waiter or bartender might seem innocuous, the late-night hours in the proximity of drinking and parties puts them high on the list, too.… read full answer

While a driver’s occupation is just one of many factors that insurance companies consider when assessing risk (in some states), it can have a noticeable effect on premiums. An insurance company’s risk assessment of an occupation involves a mixture of statistics on driving behavior, travel patterns, and locations. They also take into account factors like stress level, potential for distractions and whether the occupation involves the safety of others.

Examples of high-risk occupations for car insurance:

• Rideshare driver
• Waiter / Bartender
• Chef
• Doctor
• Lawyer
• Social worker
• Salesperson
• Business executive

While auto insurance companies’ risk assessments might work against some occupations, they’re more favorable to others. In particular, jobs that revolve around the safety of others or require close attention to detail are more likely to be deemed lower-risk. Scientists, pilots and teachers are just a few examples.

Although factoring drivers’ occupations into car insurance premiums is a relatively common practice among insurance companies, it is currently banned in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts and New York. This is the result of growing pushback against the practice in recent years from those who claim it’s discriminatory. Since many high-risk occupations pay little and don’t require a college degree, some argue that charging individuals higher premiums based on their job puts an undue burden on low-income drivers.