How far back does Progressive look at your driving record?

Notable car insurance companies that only look back 3 years for violations and claims include Progressive and State Farm. Many car insurance providers only look back at the past 2-3 years on a customer’s driving record to check for claims on an insurance policy or minor moving violations. But some auto insurance companies will look back as far as 5-10 years for major violations and claims when making underwriting decisions.... read full answer

In addition to differences in company rules, auto insurance providers are sometimes limited by state laws to only looking back 3 years for information on someone’s driving record. For example, the states of Virginia and Washington require that auto insurance companies disregard driving-record info that is more than 3 years old. Massachusetts and California, on the other hand, are examples of states that allow companies to look back up to 10 years.

For context, when you’re shopping for auto insurance, you agree to let car insurance companies that you apply with collect your official Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) and Claim Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report in the state where you’re licensed. It’s important that you don’t purposely misrepresent or omit a moving violation or claim, as doing so can lead to inaccurate quotes, policy cancellations and claims denials. It’s also important to remember that even if you’re dealing with one of the many car insurance companies that only look back 3 years, every auto insurance provider calculates risk in its own way, so it’s best to shop around for the best rate.

Most insurance companies check your driving record for DUIs from the past 3 to 5 years. This is the company’s “look-back period.” In many states, this is also as long as a DUI conviction will remain on your record. In others, like California and New York, a DUI stays on your record for 10 years. Florida keeps your DUI on your driving record for 75 years. During this time period, your DUI will show up on background checks by potential employers, landlords, etc. However, your DUI will only affect your insurance rates until the end of your insurance company’s ... read full answerlook-back period.

If your insurance company looks back five years, for example, a DUI you were convicted of in 2014 will no longer be considered in setting your rates after 2019. Your insurance rates may decrease the next time you renew your policy.

Progressive is so cheap because it offers a wide variety of discounts and gives consumers tools to acheive the best rates possible, such as Progressive's price comparison tool and their Name Your Price® program. A minimum coverage policy from Progressive costs an average of $54 per month, and Progressive premiums can be made even cheaper by taking advantage of discounts such as continuous insurance discount and paperless discount. Plus, Progressive rewards customer loyalty with discounts for insuring more than one car and bundling multiple policies, such as home and auto.... read full answer

Average Monthly Rates for Progressive vs. Top Competitors

Note: Premiums are representative of a 45-year-old good driver in CA; individual premiums will vary.

Progressive is especially cheap for safe drivers in particular. That’s because Progressive has special savings opportunities for drivers in this category, such as lower rates for drivers who have not had any accidents or tickets for at least three years.

Your final premium is based on a variety of factors, though, such as your driving record, insurance history, and more. Every insurance company determines their rates differently, so even though Progressive is among the cheapest car insurance companies, the only way to confirm you’ve found the lowest price is to compare quotes from multiple companies.

To learn more, check out WalletHub’s review of Progressive and see Progressive’s full profile.