Best Auto Insurance for Drivers With a Bad Record in 2024

Dairyland may not be a household name, but it has been in business for over 60 years, and it specializes in high-risk auto insurance. The company offers low-cost insurance, multiple discounts, and pay-as-you-go plans for high-risk drivers with a bad record.

If you have a bad driving record and/or fit the high-risk category, you may find it difficult to find affordable car insurance. Your experience may be even more frustrating if your insurance is discontinued or you’re unable to find a new plan because no providers are accepting your application as a high-risk driver. If this is the case, you’ll have a much better chance of maintaining your insurance and finding affordable coverage with Dairyland.

Learn more about how you can save and optimize your payments by reading our extensive Dairyland pricing review.

Coverage for High-Risk Drivers

Here are what driver rate increases look like for a few high-risk driving categories (compared to annual premium averages of $2,071).

Remember that these increases represent only high-risk driver categories. If you’re in one of these driving categories and you also have a bad driving record, your rate increase may be even higher.

SR-22 Benefits

An SR-22 is a certificate proving financial responsibility for your vehicle. Your state may require you to file for an SR-22 through your provider if you’ve had a serious driving violation, like a DUI or driving without insurance. Drivers holding SR-22 car insurance with Dairyland can benefit from no add-on fees or surcharges.

Dairyland also offers non-owner insurance for drivers who need an SR-22 but who don’t own a vehicle. Non-owner insurance is generally cheaper than standard insurance and a good option if any of the following apply to you:

• You rent cars regularly.
• You use car-sharing services often.
• You want to maintain continuous coverage but do not own a car.
• You cannot reinstate your license without auto insurance.
• You need non-owner SR-22 insurance because of a serious traffic violation or DUI.

Flexible Payment Plans

Dairyland allows you to customize your payment plan to fit your schedule and monthly budget. You can benefit from a variety of payment options, including:

• A pay-as-you-go plan for month-to-month payments
• Quickpay options that you can make through the mobile app without having to manually log in to your account
• Variable down payment options for more flexibility and control over your billing cycles

Dairyland will also give you a discount if you pay your premium on a quarterly, semiannual, or annual basis instead of monthly. Since traffic violations and accidents will increase your premium from almost any insurer, simple discounts like this one can offset those costs.

Drinking and driving is one of the most serious traffic violations you can be convicted of, and its repercussions can last for years after the incident. Most drivers consider themselves lucky if no one is hurt in a drinking and driving situation. But even in the best-case DUI scenarios, you can expect your car insurance to increase by a significant amount — 67 percent on average among major providers.

Fortunately, there are companies like Progressive that offer more affordable rates and saving opportunities to drivers with a DUI. If you’ve been in a DUI recently and are looking for affordable coverage, you should consider Progressive as one of your top options.

Affordable rates after a DUI

Progressive’s average annual increase for drivers after one DUI is more affordable than most major providers. Here’s what Progressive’s numbers look like compared to competitors.

Significant Savings

It’s important to find a provider that offers several saving opportunities to keep your costs down after a DUI. Progressive has a long list of discounts for several drivers, so regardless of your age, homeownership status, or payment preferences, Progressive will likely have a discount for you.

Here’s how you can save with Progressive after a DUI:

• You can earn 5 percent off your car insurance (on average) by bundling your policies, like boat or motorcycle with auto.
• Save up to 12 percent on your policy when you insure multiple vehicles with Progressive.
• Progressive claims its drivers save about $230 on average when they complete its usage-based driving program, Snapshot.
• Opt to receive your documents via email, and you might qualify for Progressive’s paperless discount.
• If you add a teen driver to your plan, you may qualify for Progressive’s teen driver discount.
• You can save 10 percent on your premium by adding a good student (B average or higher GPA) discount to your policy.
• You can save 10 percent on your car insurance simply by owning a home, even if your home isn’t insured with Progressive.
• And many more! Speak to your agent to find discounts available in your state.

SR-22 and Non-Owner Insurance

Getting a DUI is among the top reasons why you might need an SR-22. Not only does Progressive accept and file an SR-22 on your behalf, but it also offers non-owner insurance in the event that you need to reinstate your driver’s license after a DUI or other serious violation.

GEICO is one of the cheapest providers on our list and the best provider if you have a speeding ticket on your record. Compared to its competitors, GEICO is about 30 percent cheaper for drivers after one speeding ticket. GEICO also offers some excellent auto insurance discounts and coverage options for drivers that bring your costs down and keep you more protected.

Cheap Auto Insurance Coverage After a Speeding Ticket

GEICO is known for its cheap rates. The average annual rate for GEICO customers with a speeding ticket is $2,186, which is $500 cheaper than the average annual premium of $2,784 for drivers with a speeding ticket.

See how GEICO’s average annual cost after a speeding ticket compares to other leading insurers:

Vehicle Equipment Discounts

Speeding not only contributes to increased premiums, but it also leads to a higher rate of accidents. In fact, drivers were speeding in nearly 30 percent of all fatal accidents and 13 percent of all accidents that led to injuries in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.³

GEICO incentivizes safer driving by offering several sizable vehicle equipment discounts. Here are a few ways to save and stay safer on the road with the right safety equipment.

• 20 percent off on an airbag installation
• 5 percent off for anti-lock brake installation
• 23 percent off for an anti-theft system
• 3 percent off for daylight running lights system
• Savings vary for seat belt usage discount – available through GEICO’s driver tracking program, DriveEasy

Improve Your Driving and Save With GEICO

If you have a history of speeding tickets, it might be time to take some safe driver courses to improve your habits on the road. GEICO encourages its drivers to take defensive driving courses and improve their driving.

If you’re interested in finding an approved defensive driving course in your state, check out GEICO’s directory.

Additionally, you can save on car insurance and improve your driving with the following discount incentives:

• Stay accident-free for five years and save up to 22 percent on your premium.
• Savings vary, but GEICO offers a discount when you complete either a defensive driving course (how to avoid accidents and improve your safety habits on the road) or a driver’s educational course (a refresher course on the basics of driving).

With Farmers, you get a trusted provider that offers quality coverage if you’re involved in an accident. With nearly 100 years of experience in the insurance business and 48,000 agents nationwide, Farmers is our top pick for drivers with a history of accidents.

Accident Forgiveness

Since drivers with a bad record are more likely to get in an accident than those with a clean record, Farmers offers accident forgiveness as an additional coverage option. With accident forgiveness, Farmers will forgive one at-fault accident for every three years that you drive without an at-fault claim. If you do get into an accident after three years, your premium won’t go up.

Essential Coverage After an Accident

If you have a history of claims, are adding your teen driver to your policy, or simply want to be more prepared on the road, we recommend integrating some of Farmers’ optional coverages. Here’s how you can keep your vehicle and its parts protected after an accident:

Safe-Driving Discount

Signal is a mobile app from Farmers that tracks driving behaviors like braking habits, phone use, and speed to give you a discount when you renew your policy. Signal gives you an automatic 5 percent discount when you sign up. If you maintain safe driving practices, Signal will reward you with a lower premium each time you renew.⁴ Signal comes equipped with CrashAssist, an app feature that detects crashes and sends help when necessary.

Signal by Farmers is available in every state except four:

• California
• Hawaii
• New York
• South Carolina

Allstate’s usage-based insurance program is one of the best options to find affordable coverage if you have a bad driving record. Whether you have a DUI on your record, a speeding ticket, several claims, or other moving violations, you can bring your costs down by allowing Allstate to track your driving habits and determine your premium by how safely — or unsafely — you drive. You can sign up for both Milewise, Allstate’s pay-per-mile auto insurance program, or Drivewise, Allstate’s safety tracking program depending on your location.

Pay-Per-Mile Insurance

Allstate incentivizes pay-per-mile insurance because people who drive less are generally less likely to get into an accident or file a claim. If you have a bad driving record and don’t drive often, you should ask your agent about Allstate’s pay-per-mile plan, Milewise.

The average driver in America travels 13,476 miles per year.⁵ If you drive less — around 7,500 miles a year — you could save on your car insurance.

Here’s what your premium might look like, according to Allstate:

Your daily flat rate may be higher or lower than the one provided in the example, especially if you have a bad driving record. However, you can ask your agent for a quote to learn exactly what your low-mileage rate looks like.

Safety Tracking Program

Allstate’s other usage-based driving program is Drivewise, a safe-driving tool that tracks your driving habits to determine your rates. Drivewise will measure your driving behaviors, give you real-time feedback, offer long-term insights, and generate your premium based on how safely (or unsafely) you’re driving.

Here are some main features you get with Allstate’s Drivewise:

• An easy-to-read dashboard that gives you real-time feedback and insights
• A crash-detection feature that will send help if you’re in an accident
• Safety challenges that will help improve your driving
• Tracking technology that identifies how fast you’re driving, braking habits, and the time of day you’re on the road