Marissa Hayes

Insurance Writer & Expert

Marissa Hayes is a technical editor and contributing writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history, and she was the editor of the literary magazine, The Bluestone Review.

Insurance Writer & Expert

Daniel Walker

Licensed Insurance Agent

Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...

Licensed Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Mar 19, 2024

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The Short of It

  • State Farm car insurance rates increase by $30 a month with one speeding ticket
  • Speeding tickets result in points on your driving record, and higher speeds equal more points
  • Your driving record is just one of the factors that affect car insurance rates

Pushing harder on your gas pedal is tempting if you’re running late or out for a joyride. However, that extra speed can cost you a lot of money.

Numerous factors affect car insurance rates, but your driving record has the most impact. State Farm speeding ticket car insurance increases by about $30 a month with one ticket. Multiple tickets cause rates to skyrocket.

Keep reading to learn more about how speeding tickets affect State Farm car insurance rates.

How much does a speeding ticket raise State Farm car insurance rates? 

State Farm is the top car insurance company in the country. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the cheapest.

Many factors affect the cost of State Farm car insurance, including your driving record. State Farm uses your driving record to determine how risky you are as a driver. Dangerous drivers see much higher insurance rates.

While speeding tickets are common, they can also cost you. In addition to the ticket fine, you’ll also pay higher State Farm rates.

For comparison, this table shows average annual rates from top car insurance companies, including State Farm, based on your driving record.

Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates by Driving History
CompanyAverage Annual Rates with Clean RecordAverage Annual Rates with 1 AccidentAverage Annual Rates with 1 DUIAverage Annual Rates with 1 Speeding Violation
Allstate$3,819.90$4,987.68$6,260.73$4,483.51
American Family$2,693.61$3,722.75$4,330.24$3,025.74
Farmers$3,460.60$4,518.73$4,718.75$4,079.01
Geico$2,145.96$3,192.77$4,875.87$2,645.43
Liberty Mutual$4,774.30$6,204.78$7,613.48$5,701.26
Nationwide$2,746.18$3,396.95$4,543.20$3,113.68
Progressive$3,393.09$4,777.04$3,969.65$4,002.28
State Farm$2,821.18$3,396.01$3,636.80$3,186.01
Travelers$3,447.69$4,289.74$5,741.40$4,260.80
USAA$1,933.68$2,516.24$3,506.03$2,193.25

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State Farm car insurance rates increase by approximately $30 a month with one speeding ticket. Multiple accidents, tickets, or DUIs raise rates through the roof.

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Speeding Tickets and Your Car Insurance

If you love driving, getting the chance to rev your engine before speeding down a road would most likely be an item on your bucket list. 

Unfortunately, getting caught speeding is not only an infraction on your driving record, but it is also a major red flag with car insurance companies and local authorities. It tells everyone involved that you can be a risk to other drivers, passengers, and yourself while on the road.

You can correctly assume that receiving multiple speeding tickets in a short period of time will likely increase your monthly auto insurance rate. 

Another critical thing to note is the range of speeding violations, from going mildly over-the-speed limit to significant catastrophes that can threaten many people’s lives. 

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were more than 10,000 deaths from speeding violations in 2012. Subsequently, the pressure intensified on authorities to monitor drivers more closely and apply stiffer penalties.

It is also essential to understand the cycle when issued a speeding ticket. The officer that issued your violation must report the incident to the DMV for the points to be added to your record. 

Insurance companies regularly pull out these reports from the DMV to cross-check with their database. These requests by auto insurance providers can be expensive, and the price is ultimately included in the overall auto insurance costs that a person will face.

First-Time Speeding Tickets

The period between being issued a ticket and your auto insurance company finding out about it can take a few days to a few months. 

According to one insurance analyst, many speeding ticket insurance rates get passed over, especially for first-time offenders who are older than the age of 25 and have no previous blemishes on their driving record. Of those, only 31% are being assigned annual rate increases. 

The critical age range that insurance companies are most concerned with is those between the ages of 16-25 since this demographic has the least amount of experienced drivers.

In addition, since age matters with insurance companies, young drivers go through more scrutiny and with greater frequency than older drivers. This means insurance companies may decide only to check the records of older drivers annually.

Will car insurance go up after my first speeding ticket?

Most insurance companies disregard the first speeding ticket violation if it does not involve significant damages or injuries. However, if you turn into a habitual speed maniac with several speeding tickets on your driver’s record, you can expect a 3-30% rate increase.

Also, the first moving violation you get and pay for will include assigned points on your driver’s record at the DMV.  If the points increase, whether, from another speeding offense or other violations, the insurance company will investigate your history and charge you accordingly. If you tend to consistently drive at a high speed, your insurance rates will likely be impacted.

Read more: How many points can you get on your license?

How much will my car insurance rate go up after a speeding ticket?

Since there are different speeding violations, the rate increase would depend on how many points are assigned to your specific type of violation. For example, if you were caught driving 10 miles per hour above the speed limit, you will get a minor traffic violation equivalent to one point on your driving record.

At one point, your insurance company will probably not impact your car insurance and dismiss it as a one-off case and not implement any increase. 

However, suppose you must attend a refresher course or accumulate four points on speeding violations. In that case, you will be facing a minimum of 21% increase in rates or as much as 37% rates increase if you are from California.

What happens if I get a speeding ticket while on my parents’ insurance?

Although the rules are different for every state, generally, if you get caught speeding on your parent’s insurance, they will have to suffer the consequences. 

You will have points against your driver’s record, and your parents will have to face the insurance company rate increases, especially if insurance claims are filed for damages or injuries. 

If you are not included as an approved driver in the insurance plan, the insurance company may even deny the claim, and you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket.

What would happen to my car insurance if my speeding ticket was dismissed?

If the judge dismisses your ticket and you comply with the dismissal requirements, nothing will happen to change your insurance rate. Likely, the insurance company will not even be informed of the violation.

And even if they were, as long as you can provide proof of dismissal, you probably won’t be penalized by the insurance company with any rate increase or prejudice.

Do you need to report speeding tickets to insurance companies?

No, you are not required to report a speeding ticket or any other driving violation to your insurance company. However, you can expect that they will find out sooner or later.

That is unless a judge has dismissed the ticket or you have ticket forgiveness coverage. Ticket forgiveness coverage is insurance you buy from your provider to prevent rate increases when you are issued a ticket. 

It’s like paying upfront for a possible violation, but at a lower cost, especially since a ticket can take three years to pay when issued at higher rates.

While State Farm doesn’t have ticket forgiveness, they do have accident forgiveness program. You must remain accident-free for nine years to qualify.

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How does State Farm compare to companies like Progressive and Geico with speeding tickets on your driver record?

Since State Farm, like most insurance companies, offers agood driver discount, you could lose that discount once you accumulate tickets. Therefore, as far as speeding tickets are concerned, State Farm works under the same principle as other insurance companies. 

State Farm can deny your renewal application for insurance if you have multiple serious tickets connected to reckless driving or DUI/DWI. However, it looks at the driver’s history and longevity with the company for minor speeding offenses.

State Farm, Geico, Progressive, and other insurance companies more commonly give customers the option to pay more for insurance if their past year’s driver’s record has deteriorated significantly. Whether it’s with State Farm or Geico, a speeding ticket will mean you’ll need to check with your insurer on how it may impact your rates.

On the other hand, one infraction will probably not make a difference if the violation merited one or two points only. 

It usually takes at least four points on your driver’s record for the insurance company to sit up and take notice because four points or higher implies a speeding habit.

For example, a four-point charge in the past 12 months for a driver in New Jersey could lead to an estimated 30% increase for bodily injury, a 25% increase in collisions, and a 15% increase in personal injury. By contrast, having 2 pts on your license in SC could increase your insurance by as much as 100%.

What happens if I get a speeding ticket and do not have car insurance?

Any person caught driving without insurance will find themselves in a lot of trouble. Plain and simple, it’s breaking the law and highly irresponsible because you put many people at risk, from pedestrians to your passengers and other people on the road.

For this kind of double offense, you will face a court date to explain why you didn’t have insurance. Court appearance can be mandatory or “not required.” However, it would be in your best interests to face the court (with a lawyer, if possible) to plead your case and hope for a slap on the wrist on one of the counts.

As a general rule, you will have to pay a heavy fine and may even have your driver’s license suspended. The violation will go on your driver’s record, and when you apply for car insurance, this violation will appear and result in a higher insurance rate.

Since every state has its own rules on court appearances and driving violations, it would also be good to check with the local DMV to pay the ticket fee ahead of the court date and learn the benefits of buying insurance.

How Speeding Tickets Might Affect Your Car Insurance

Speeding tickets are red-light warnings to insurance companies that you could be a risk to insure. However, insurance companies do not randomly increase auto insurance rates without clear justification. 

There are many kinds of traffic tickets and moving violations. For example, a speeding ticket for going 10 mph over the speed limit will not affect your rate unless accompanied by a DUI or other offense. First-time offenders are also usually given a “free pass” as long as it doesn’t happen again.

You should be worried if you are given four or more points on your driver’s record for a traffic ticket because that will surely increase your auto insurance policy. 

On a personal level, you should be concerned if you’re starting to rack up points on your driver’s record because it implies a problem with the way you drive or needed changes in the way you drive.

Insurance companies also have policies on the length of time an increased rate should be implemented. The general standard is three years, although some companies enforce a 12-month rate increase for reasons such as having just one speeding ticket.

Thus, aside from categorizing speeding violations according to points accrued, an increase in car insurance rates will also depend on factors such as history with the company, any number of other driving violations, and the severity of all your tickets on your driver’s record.

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What are the average costs of a speeding ticket?

With more than 41 million drivers in the United States getting speeding tickets and $6 billion in ticket fines just for speeding, one would think that these figures would decrease annually. 

In some states, however, the amount paid for speeding is slowly getting smaller, but in certain states, authorities are serious about going after anyone driving over the speed limit. 

For this reason, the average range of fines and other costs associated with a speeding violation is $502,500.

The range is vast because different points are assigned to moving violations, and the more severe violators get charged higher. For example, a speeding ticket itself averages $150, but places like Nevada charge a maximum fee of $2,000. 

Tennessee is the state that charges the lowest at $50. However, you will also have to pay for other incidentals like court fees, driving school, and higher auto insurance rates.

What are the effects of multiple speeding tickets on my driving record?

Multiple speeding tickets mean that your insurer now looks at you and that you are a higher risk and a threat to anyone on or beside the roads. Right away, you could lose your insurance and be forced to find another insurance company willing to take you on as a high-risk driver.

If this happens, you will have to pay way above-average rates for a while. If your tickets include more than just moving violations like unpaid parking tickets or broken headlights, this may also occur.

In summary, you can expect one or all of the following to happen:

  • Points on your driver’s record
  • Court case and fines
  • Possible suspension of your driver’s license
  • Mandatory enrollment in driving school
  • Increase in auto insurance rates

Save money by obeying speed limits. You can easily avoid headaches and keep rates low by driving safely.

Why would a speeding ticket affect my car insurance rate?

A speeding ticket gives a hint that you are a potential insurance risk. This means the insurance company you bought your car insurance from has a higher chance of paying for injuries, damages, or both. 

In short, you’re going to cost the insurance company possibly more than what you are currently paying them. As a result, you have become a liability to them, and they would want to correct that by charging you the right rates proportional to your driving habits.

It’s a risk issue because, in almost all cases, a driver can control their speed. So, if you can’t be trusted to control your speed, the insurance company may drop you as a customer or increase your rate.

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What happens when you get a speeding ticket out of state?

Eventually, your at-home car insurance company will find your out-of-state speeding violation. In other words, out-of-state tickets follow you back home. Most states also have reciprocal agreements to disclose information back and forth.

However, depending on your car insurance company and your specific state laws, how your out-of-state speeding ticket is viewed could vary from one company to the other. 

If you reside in Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee, or Wisconsin, your state is not part of the DLC. However, if you were charged with a traffic violation in these states, do not expect them not to report it to your home state.

After getting a speeding ticket and the officer leaves, stay calm and decide if you want to challenge the ticket or not. If you are clearly at fault, it would be best to pay the fine and wait for the insurance company to decide if your speeding violation warrants a rate increase or not.

Try not to get upset with the officer and challenge the ticket on the spot. Normally, the officer will inform of you of how your out-of-state ticket should be handle. Treat the situation just as you would at home, and be a responsible driver.

So, do out of state tickets affect your insurance rates? In a word, yes. An out of state ticket is still a ticket. Traffic stops, moving violations and accidents when you are away from home are still part of your driving record.

How can I fight my speeding ticket?

You can only fight your speeding ticket by going to traffic court. You should hire an attorney to represent you because experience and knowledge can count for a lot while in front of a judge. Furthermore, the attorney will be more objective and able to defend your side correctly.

One of the ways in which to win a court case and have a speeding ticket dismissed would be to request a new court date in the hopes that the ticketing officer will not be able to attend the hearing. 

However, this is not foolproof or a guaranteed scheme. It does not address the problem. The judge will still decide the case based on the merits and your driver’s record. 

The bottom line is that you need to convince the judge that you were not speeding or that you were speeding because of extraordinary circumstances.

Another way to fight a speeding ticket is to attend defensive driving school, although it would depend on your location because not all states allow this option.

Finally, do not pay the fine first if you want to fight the ticket. Payment is an admission of guilt. Instead, talk to a lawyer and find out what your options are but ultimately, decide based on all things, including the cost of legal fees, higher rates, and the inconvenience of a court case.

If you are fortunate and live in the state of Mississippi, they have a ticket forgiveness program that will clear your citations if you participate in an online driving course. However, this is a one-time only opportunity.

What do I need to fight my speeding ticket in court?

If you decide to fight your speeding ticket in court, you will need to collate all your memories of that fateful day and record them as accurately as possible. You will also have to go over the ticket for instructions and more information to help you fight to have your ticket dismissed.

Unless you have previous experience with traffic court, it would be advisable to find a good lawyer to help you. It will cost you to hire a lawyer, so you need to be sure that you have a valid cause for dismissal.

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Does car insurance increase more if I get a speeding ticket in a school zone?

School zones are like construction road work zones or special zones. A speeding ticket will carry a higher fine and be the reason for a car insurance company to increase your rate. 

It doesn’t even matter if there are children outside the school. Therefore, you should follow the speed limit.

In fact, in some states, the fines for speeding in a special zone are double or triple the usual rate.

How many points will I get after a speeding ticket?

Under the DMV point system, each state has its own demerit listings for traffic and moving violations. 

In Arizona, for example, you will get three points for a speeding ticket. While in Virginia, speeding is a serious offense and will merit you three points unless you were also caught reckless driving, in which case you get four points.

The point system is not consistent throughout the state to complicate it further, so you will need to check with the specific county for their demerit point system.

State Farm Speeding Ticket Insurance: The Bottom Line

If you have State Farm car insurance and get a speeding ticket, expect to pay about $30 more than if you have a clean driving record.

However, the ticketed fine, driver’s license points, and insurance rate increase depending on how fast you were going. In addition, each state assigns different fines and points for each infraction.

Keep State Farm car insurance rates by obeying the speed limit and driving safely.