Have you ever wondered how far back an insurance carrier will look at your driving record including both tickets and accidents and for how long your insurance premiums are affected by it?
Like most answers in the insurance industry, it can depend.
New York Guidelines
Insurance companies in New York will look back at your driving record anywhere from 39 months to 60 months depending on what the “incident” is.
New York State requires insurance carriers to charge for accidents and tickets that have happened in the past 39 months.
Most insurance carriers will underwrite for 60 months to determine if you are eligible for their products.
And now that auto insurance is tiered carriers can and will re-tier your rates for all incidents during that 5 year time frame.
Type of Incidents
We mentioned that incidents include tickets and accidents. But some tickets could last even longer than the 5 year window.
These incidents usually include things like DWI, Driving under the influence, eluding a policy officer or driving with a suspended license.
What can I do?
My number one suggestion to everyone is to try to keep your driving record as clean as possible. Try not to put in small claims and avoid have tickets on your driver’s license.
It shouldn’t be news to you but your auto insurance is more expensive when you have accidents and tickets on your driving record. Keep your driving record clean is imperative in having lower auto insurance rates.
What’s Next?
Have an accident or ticket that is affecting your auto insurance rates? Make sure you are using an independent insurance agent who can provide options for you. Don’t know an agent? Click below to learn more on how to proceed.
