Anytime you receive a Florida traffic violation, you run the risk of accruing points on your license. The more points you have, the higher your automotive insurance rates climb, because many insurance providers view points as a sign of a reckless driver.
How much of an insurance increase should you expect when you have points on your driver’s license?
Steep increases
According to Value Penguin, the more severe your traffic violation, the more points you should expect to receive on your license. If you were an average driver before accruing points, you may have paid about $2,411 to cover your annual auto insurance expenses.
If Florida authorities were to catch you speeding more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit, though, you should expect to receive three points. That three-point increase may raise your auto insurance premiums to about $2,748 a year, which is a $337 increase.
Other infractions
Some offenses result in you having another four points added to your driver’s license. In Florida, disobeying a traffic signal is one such offense. Reckless driving is another. Disobeying traffic signals may lead to a 14.4% increase in your insurance rates, leading you to pay about $2,758 per year for coverage. Reckless driving may result in an 18.1% increase in insurance premiums, resulting in annual insurance expenses of about $2,848.
Having too many points on your license may lead to a driver’s license suspension. You may be able to take steps to remove points from your license, which in turn may lower your insurance costs.