If you are planning to get a new auto insurance policy or are just trying to find out how to save money on your current benefits, then you will likely face a few questions about your driving record. Your agent will be able to view this record, and if they see any infractions that indicate that you are a high insurance risk, then they might have to charge you a higher premium for your plan. Some will even deny your application for coverage.

When it comes to your driving record, it is best to be honest with your auto insurance provider. If there are infractions, then it does not make any difference to deny them. You are better off owning up to the past issue and working with your insurance agent to optimize your plan in more straightforward ways.

Why Driving Records Matter to Insurers

When an auto insurance company issues you a policy, then they are agreeing to help you pay for the costs that might arise following wrecks, vehicle fires, weather damage or other hazards. Therefore, the more likely you are to file a claim for compensation, the more your auto insurer is likely to charge you.

One of the clearest ways for an insurer to see that you are a high insurance risk is to look at your driving record. If they see charges like DUIs, speeding tickets or at-fault accidents on your record, then they will automatically know that you have already made mistakes behind the wheel, and that you have a high likelihood of doing so in the future.

When these mistakes are made, they could lead to car wrecks and other significant problems that could trigger a high auto insurance claim. Therefore, your auto insurance agent might have to charge you a higher price simply because they cannot assume the cost risk of insuring you without a higher cost input from you.

While many other factors can influence insurance costs, too, your driving record is going to be one of the most important. It is also one of the easiest to keep clear of black marks if you simply commit to being a safer driver, yourself. If long periods elapse between driving infractions, then older mistakes are likely going to become moot to your insurer over time. Therefore, a ten-year-old speeding ticket is unlikely to impact your premiums. Still, a DUI that you got six months ago likely will, and the more infractions you commit in a short period of time, the more your rate are likely to rise.

Still, even if you have a few black marks on your driving record, you will likely be able to still keep your auto insurance benefits affordable just by working with your agent. They can help you compare rates and coverage options of different plans, and you therefore can still find the one that offers you the most optimized price possible.