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The results of speeding tickets in Golden State far exceed the initial-based fine. In addition to speeding ticket fines ranging from $35 to $200, average full coverage car premiums increase by $1,170 a year after speeding tickets in California. Luckily, shopping and avoiding future tickets can help reduce the rate hike.
How much will your insurance increase after a speeding ticket in California?
On average, Californians see an increase in car insurance rates 39% after speeding ticket conviction. This means drivers will need to narrow down an additional $98 to their budget each month.
Thankfully, Surcharges (a type of financial penalty used in car insurance) are only added when a carrier runs a car report or switches between insurance companies. Therefore, if you receive a speeding ticket when you start a policy update, you may not see any additional 6-12 months of rate changes depending on the policy duration.
California’s Auto Insurance Act is unique in that three insurance rating factors must outweigh all others. They are driver safety records, annual mileage and years of driving experience. How your insurance company evaluates your annual mileage and years of driving experience can have a big impact on how severely your speeding tickets can affect your California insurance.
| Driver Profile | Average annual full coverage premium |
|---|---|
| Clean Record | $2,975 |
| Adult driver, single speeding ticket | $4,145 |
| 18 years old, clean record | $7,817 |
| 18 years old, single speeding ticket | $9,672 |
How speeding tickets for real drivers in California affected insurance
*The quotes and quotes contained on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the date of posting. Outlinked Content may contain opinions or opinions that do not reflect the views or opinions of the Bank.
How much does a speeding ticket cost, regardless of California insurance?
Speeding tickets in California generally affect car insurance premiums for 3-5 years. The state allows insurance companies to add insurance for three years. The percentage of policy may decrease as time passes without other violations or accidents. If the additional fee drops, tickets can still be “undertaken.” In other words, carriers still assess the risk of the base rate of policy, but not in the penalty phase.
Please note that while waiting for your speeding ticket to fade, the rate may fluctuate up and down depending on other factors. Additionally, each carrier will display speeding tickets differently, so if the premium is high, consider shopping for rates and coverage across multiple carriers to find a better deal.
How to avoid increased insurance after speeding tickets in California
Many auto insurers offer perks such as minor violation forgiveness that allows you to waive your first speeding ticket, but it is not usually available in California. Below are the savings opportunities available to avoid or minimize speeding ticket rate hikes.
Try to keep your speeding ticket from your driving record
If you have options, it’s a good idea to fight speeding tickets, especially if it’s your first attack. Judges tend to be more tolerant of first-time offenders, but that’s at their discretion. Ultimately, the only way to avoid speeding tickets affect car insurance is to find an option to keep your driving records clean. If a carrier can view information from the car report, it will be possible to add a policy. Some of the options you may have in California are:
- Ticket Contest: Tickets can be challenged in written declarations or in court trials. If the case is rejected, the speeding ticket will not appear in the car report.
- Ask about the traffic court: Eligible drivers may be able to go to the traffic court in exchange for a lower fine or for a ticket exemption.
- Community Service: Community Service may be an option if you are convicted and are unable to pay a fine. However, tickets will appear on the record and may affect your automatic rates.
After tickets, shop competitive rates
If prices rise after speeding tickets, this may be the best time to compare your insurance quote with several other airlines. Each carrier has a different risk appetite and business model that affects pricing policies after the transfer of accidents and violations. If you are in an insurance company that focuses on priority driver insurance, it may be better to use a more diverse risk pool or carrier with a non-standard insurance company.
Bankrate discovered that California drivers who shopped their policy after receiving their speeding tickets can save $2,300 a year.
Drive defensively to avoid future speeding tickets
You can’t go back in time to avoid a final speeding ticket, but in the future you can avoid others. Maintaining a clean driving record is the best way to keep your car insurance premiums low and get good driving discounts.
FAQ
Methodology
Bankrate uses Quadrant Information Services to analyze April 2025 fees for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states. The cited fees are based on 40-year-old male and female drivers with clean driving records, good credits and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 per person physical injury liability
- $300,000 for each accident
- Liability for property damages of $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured driver physical injury for $100,000 per person
- Uninsured driver’s physical injury for $300,000 per accident
- $500 collision deduction possible
- Comprehensive $500 deduction
To determine the minimum coverage limit, bank rates used minimum coverage to meet the requirements of each state. Our base profile driver owns a 2023 Toyota Camry, commutes five days a week and drives 12,000 miles a year. Bundles and paperless billing discounts apply.
These are sample rates and should be used for comparison purposes only. Your quote is different.
If specified, the base profile has been modified with the following driver characteristics:
