Candace Baker, Car Insurance Writer
@candacebaker
Car insurance goes up by an average of 44% after an open container violation, though the exact amount depends on the policyholder's state and insurance company. For example, drivers in Michigan see their rates go up by 134% after an open container violation, while rates in Wyoming only go up by 21%.
How Much Insurance Goes Up After an Open Container Violation by Insurer
Company | Avg. Premium Before an Open Container Violation | Avg. Premium After an Open Container Violation | Increase Due to an Open Container Violation |
$718 per year | $1,364 per year | 90% | |
$462 per year | $1,127 per year | 144% | |
$549 per year | $996 per year | 81% | |
$781 per year | $1,104 per year | 41% | |
$487 per year | $1,043 per year | 114% | |
$1,044 per year | $1,431 per year | 37% | |
$890 per year | $1,977 per year | 122% | |
$1,044 per year | $658 per year | 24% | |
$639 per year | $984 per year | 54% |
In most cases, an open container violation will only affect your insurance rate for 3-5 years. During that time, there are steps that you can take to lower your premium. For example, you can check to see what discounts your insurer offers, like a pay-in-full or defensive driving discount. You should also consider switching insurers to see if you can find a better deal elsewhere.
To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to what affects car insurance premiums.
People also ask
Do traffic violations affect insurance?
Yes, traffic violations affect insurance. Insurance companies check customers’ driving records to determine how much risk they present, and traffic violations like speeding tickets increase insurance premiums because they indicate that a policyholder is more likely than average to be involved in an accident. The exact amount that a traffic violation affects insurance premiums depends on the state, insurance company, and type of violation.
Average Auto Insurance Rate Increases by Traffic Violation
- ...
How do insurance companies find out about tickets?
Insurance companies find out about tickets by checking a driver’s record. Prior to renewing an existing policy or selling a new one, insurers will check a driver’s Motor Vehicle Report (MVR), which is a report of their driving history from their state’s DMV. Any traffic violation will show up on an MVR, so an insurance company is certain to find out about it once it’s on the record.
If you can prevent a ticket...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyHow is car insurance calculated?
Car insurance is calculated based on factors that indicate how likely a driver is to file a claim, including age, driving history, car type and mileage. Insurance companies do not release the specific algorithms they use to calculate prices, meaning that each insurer will offer a slightly different rate to the same driver.
Since each company calculates premiums using its own individual system, it’s important to get multiple quotes while shopping for insurance. Checking...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyDid we answer your question?
Important Disclosures
Ad Disclosure: Certain offers that appear on this site originate from paying advertisers. For full transparency, here is a list of our current advertisers.
Advertising impacts how and where offers appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear and their prevalence). At WalletHub we try to present a wide array of offers, but our offers do not represent all financial services companies or products.
Advertising enables WalletHub to provide you proprietary tools, services, and content at no charge. Advertising does not impact WalletHub's editorial content including our best picks, reviews, ratings and opinions. Those are completely independent and not provided, commissioned, or endorsed by any company, as our editors follow a strict editorial policy.