Reader’s Question:

My son received his first DUI in the state of Illinois. I just want to know how it will affect his rates.

Renee

Thank you for asking Renee.

DUI is a serious offense that is considered as a violent crime in Illinois. Your offense may permanently stay on your record if you get convicted for DUI. You may also lose your driving privileges, pay fines and may be imprisoned if you get convicted.

Any type conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is taken seriously by an insurers since it makes the individual more of a risk to the company. An individual with a very bad driving record is more of a risk for an insurance company and that is why their rates are normally higher. The whole policy of the driver can be affected by one driver’s DUI conviction and other major traffic violations.

Since your son now has a DUI offense on his driving record, when your insurers finds this out then his rates will likely be raised. Insurance companies have different rating systems so you would need to check from your insurance agent to find out how much may this affect the rates of the policy due to conviction.

A DUI can determine you to high-risk car insurance rates for a period of three years, according to the Illinois Secretary of State. It is also noted that high risk insurance for a person convicted of a DUI averages an additional $1500 per year.

You may shop for a better rate if your son’s policy rate went up due to DUI. You may compare prices from other insurance companies which can give you a cheaper price.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Reader’s Question:

I was ordered to go to DUI school for conviction. Will this help lower my insurance premium if I give the certificate of completion to my insurance company?

Sam

Good question Sam.

Typically, taking either a driving class or alcohol class due to receiving a DUI does not really help a lot with your insurance premiums. The DUI school is normally a component of the penalties that you have to attend to, depending on state, and is being ordered by the court after you have been convicted of a DUI, DWI or OUI.

States have different rules and requirements regarding DUI school. Most states mandate that one should attend and complete a DUI course if the individual wants to restore his/her driving privileges, meaning a full license. Some states on the other hand require DUI classes be completed upon any DUI conviction.

You may call your insurance company to get information if they will need a copy of your certificate for completing DUI school. I dont think that this would help lower your premium since the course was due to a DUI conviction and is mandated or ordered by the courts. It is part of the penalty for getting convicted of DUI. Some insurers give discounts for driver safety course so you may check with your current insurance company to check what type of discounts they might have to offer you.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Reader’s Question:

My husband has a restricted license because of the DUI. He was driving outside his restriction when crashed to a road hazard. Will the insurance company pay for the damages?

Mikaela

Thank you for asking Mikaela.

This will be determined by your insurance company and is up to them and will depend on the exclusion of the insurance policy that you have.

The typical exclusions on a Personal Auto Policy are the following: policy:

1. committing a high misdemeanor or felony, or trying to avoid arrest by a police officer; or
2. acting with specific intent to cause injury to himself or others.
3. Operating the vehicle without the permission of the owner of the vehicle or insured name on the vehicle
4. War
5. Insurrection
6. Rebellion or revolution
7. Any act or condition incident to any of the above resulting from radioactive, toxic, explosives and other hazardous properties.

Please note however that this will vary on different state so some may not apply to your state.

Your husband should will have coverage afforded unless there are other exclusions listed on the policy. I would suggest that you review your policy to get more information on the exclusions and you may contact your insurance company to verify this information.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Do you take into considerations the cost of insurance before you purchase your dream car? Yes of course, you should. The Highway Loss Data Institute determines the cost to insurance companies from collision and injury claims as they relate to cars. The color of the cars, and the number of doors are taken into consideration as well.

The Highway Loss Data Institute is a nonprofit public service organization. It is associated closely with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and this is supported by the car insurers. HLDI processes and publishes data on the variation of losses among different kinds of vehicles.

In relation to theft claim, 4- doors have a 93% less chance of having a claim than the 2-door car. If you buy a Buick LeSabre, you will have a relatively no chance of a theft loss and if you compare that to the convertible Chevrolet Corvette , it has 5 times the average of theft rate. Are you also aware that the Toyota Celica has a 67% higher chance of theft than the Toyota Camry?

The 2002 Lexus IS 300 gets a “best pick” rating for its crash tests performance according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , but in previous years , models of the same car has the most costly claims. One of the reason for this is because expensive cars is costly in terms of repairs and replacement.

Models that are among the most expensive for theft claims include:

* Cadillac Escalade four-wheel drive
* Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
* Lincoln Navigator four-wheel drive
* Jeep Cherokee four-dorm 3 series

Remember that the most expensive cars are more costly to insure. So before you buy your dream car, you may want to consider these factors before deciding. Contact your insurance company to get more information on the cost on insuring your expensive cars.

Goodluck!

MariCAR