How a California DUI Affects Car Insurance Coverage and Premiums

1. How much does a DUI raise your insurance in California?

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs cause car insurance rate increases of up to 165%. And people with repeat DUI offenses may see their car insurance premiums double or triple.

But average rates vary depending on the company, which is why drivers should comparison-shop auto insurance quotes for the best rates.

The following are some cheap car insurance companies for drivers convicted of a first-time DUI in California:

Other, lesser-known insurers that offer the cheapest car insurance include:

• Anchor
• Aspire General Insurance
• Bristol West
• CSAA
• Freedom National
• Kemper
• National General
• SafeAuto
• Sun Coast General Insurance Agency, Inc.
• Workmen’s

Insurers consider people with DUI convictions and license suspensions as high risk. But insurance carriers take many factors into account when calculating premiums, including:

• age,
• gender,
• marital status,
• driving experience and driving history,
• residence, and
• homeowner or renter status.

Rate hikes are common following traffic violations, including reckless driving (VC 23103), racing, and at-fault accidents. But DUIs cause the highest increases. Allstate offers some of the most expensive insurance policies following a DUI.¹

2. How long does a DUI affect your car insurance in California?

Most insurance carriers (including Progressive) start to reduce a driver’s insurance rates within three to five years following the date of the DUI conviction. Sometimes it takes up to seven years or longer for insurers to completely disregard past DUIs when calculating premiums.²

3. How long after a DUI can you get regular insurance?

California law requires that all drivers carry auto insurance, so the state has a duty to ensure that everyone can obtain coverage at any time. Brokers can often help DUI defendants find the best car insurance for them. Failing that, people can apply for liability coverage through the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP).

CAARP is a program that matches high-risk drivers with companies willing to insure them. These companies will issue policies to drivers who are unable to obtain high-risk or SR-22 coverage on their own after a DUI. CAARP coverage can be obtained through any auto insurance agent or broker or by calling 1-800-622-0954.³

There is no California law mandating that people tell their insurer when they picked up a DUI.

4. Do I have to report my DUI to my insurance company?

Motorists in California are not required to notify their auto insurance company about DUI arrests, DUI convictions, or driver’s license suspensions.⁴ But motorists are required to tell their insurer if they were involved in an accident, DUI-related or not.

California insurance carriers often do find out about past DUI cases when either:

1. The company runs a background check when the driver’s existing policy comes up for renewal.
2. The company runs a background check when a driver applies for a new policy.
3. The driver self-reports the conviction to the insurer.
4. The arrest results from an accident, and the driver or another party reports it to the insurance company and/or California DMV. Or
5. The driver asks the insurer to send the California DMV an SR-22 form (which is required to reinstate a suspended license or grant a new one following a DUI).

5. What is SR-22?

The SR-22 certifies that a driver has auto liability insurance that meets California’s minimum coverage limits of “15/30/5”. The means that for any single accident, the driver’s liability coverage will pay up to:

• $15,000 for the death or bodily injury of one person,
• $30,000 total for the wrongful death or bodily liability of all people hurt or killed in the accident, and
• $5,000 for property damage.

Note that DUI defendants typically need to keep their SR-22 “proof of insurance” for three years. If they let their insurance lapse, the SR-22 will be revoked. Then the DMV will re-suspend the person’s license. Note that cheaper, non-owner SR-22 insurance is available to people who do not have a motor vehicle.⁵

6. Can my car insurance be canceled after a DUI?

California law prohibits insurers from canceling auto insurance policies before the policy term ends, even after a DUI. But once the policy comes up for renewal, the carrier can legally:

• cancel the policy; or
• offer a renewal on different terms, such as a higher premium.

And by law, insurers who renew policies to DUI drivers must remove their “good driver discount.”⁶

7. Will getting my record expunged lower my premiums?

No. Expunging a California DUI conviction removes it only from your criminal record. An expungement will not erase your DUI conviction from your California driving record.

A DUI stays on a driver’s California DMV record for a “lookback period” of 10 years. This means that an expunged offense will not save money in premiums for as long as an offense remains on the record.⁷

8. What are standard DUI penalties?

The punishment for drunk driving in California depends on whether the defendant has any prior DUIs in the 10-year lookback period. And first-time defendants can generally avoid jail by doing probation or agreeing to alternative work programs or home confinement (“house arrest”).

Note that drivers still face repeat-DUI charges in California if their prior convictions were in other states. The district attorney checks national databases for past convictions when bringing DUI charges. And all states’ DMVs update the NDR (National Driver Register) within 31 days of every license suspension, denial, and revocation.

Also note that California has a zero tolerance policy for underage drinking and driving. Therefore, motorists under 21 face penalties for driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.01% or higher.

Our California DUI/DWI defense lawyers offer free consultations in Los Angeles and throughout the state.

Legal References