Have Moving Violations Raised Your Car Insurance Rates? Here Are 3 Things You Can Do

You might notice that your car insurance rates have gone up due to a speeding ticket or another kind of moving violation. You might be concerned, but not know what you can do to lower your rates again. Luckily, here are some steps you can take that may bring your rates back down to a manageable amount.

Take Advantage of a Telematics Device

You may not know much about telematic devices; they are small devices that plug into your car via the onboard diagnostic port and track different information about the way you drive. For instance, they might track:

• The time you drive
• Your mileage
• High speeds
• Hard stops

The information that the device captures is delivered wirelessly to your insurance company. Using such a device can earn you a discount, as your insurance company is able to verify what kind of driver you are. For example, if you got a ticket for speeding but the telematics device data proves that's unusual behavior for you, your insurance company may not raise your rates.

Use Public Transportation or Carpool

Auto insurance companies use a variety of factors when coming up with your insurance premium. One of the things they consider is how much driving you do. If you aren't driving as much, there is less of a chance that you'll be in a car accident or cause one because of a moving violation.

Therefore, it is a good idea to cut down on driving if you can. You might be able to carpool with co-workers into work, or you may be able to take the bus or subway on a regular basis. Because you drive less, you can ask your insurance company whether you are eligible for cost savings due to low mileage.

Take a Defensive Driving Class

Another way you can try to lower your car insurance rates is to take a defensive driving class, sometimes referred to as traffic school. Defensive driving classes usually teach you to be a better driver and in the process, may help you eliminate points that you've racked up due to various moving violations. 

To learn whether traffic school can help you shave some points off your driver's license, consult the local municipal court in the town where you were ticketed.

Try any of the suggestions listed above to help you lower your car insurance rates after watching them rise because of moving violations. You might also want to talk with a car insurance agent to determine if there are other things you can do to lower those costs or to learn more about affordable policies.