How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in Pennsylvania

Car insurance in Pennsylvania rises by an average of 12 percent after a driver gets a speeding ticket. For the average person paying around $2,473 annually, their rate will go up to $2,756.

However, car insurance premiums depend on many factors aside from your driving history, such as your ZIP code and age. You’ll also find different insurance companies may offer different rates based on these factors, so we recommend requesting quotes from multiple providers to find the cheapest car insurance.

Choose a Limited Tort Policy

Pennsylvania lets you choose between a limited and full tort policy. Limited tort is cheaper and allows you to sue for your economic losses from an accident, but in most cases bars you from recovering non-economic losses, i.e. compensation for pain and suffering. Full tort is pricier, but offers a higher chance of winning more compensation in a civil lawsuit.

Take a Driver Safety Training Course

Under Pennsylvania law, drivers age 55 and up can get a discount of at least 5 percent for taking a PennDOT-approved Basic Mature Driver Improvement Course. To maintain the discount, you must take the course once every three years. Find a list of courses here: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmv/driver-services/mature-drivers/mature-driver-improvement-course.html.

Adjust Your Coverage

You can adjust your coverage to potentially lower your premiums by:

• Raising your deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. Keep in mind you’ll have to pay your deductible amount out of pocket before your insurance kicks in, but if you can afford it, it’s worth considering.
• Eliminating collision and comprehensive coverage if you have an old, non-financed car. You can also consider eliminating uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage or other add-ons like roadside assistance, funeral benefits, or loss of income.
• Asking about discounts that apply to your policy. Many companies have discounts that are not explicitly listed on their sites, so it helps to call an agent about this.

Opt Out of Stacking UM/UIM Coverage

Pennsylvania allows “stacking” for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM), which multiplies your UM/UIM coverage limit by your number of cars. While this increases the limit for each vehicle, it also raises your premium. If you instead choose not to stack your UM/UIM, your premium will be lower.

Join Pennsylvania’s High-Risk Insurance Pool

Get matched with an insurer through the Pennsylvania Assigned Risk Plan, which assigns policies to high-risk drivers unable to find coverage elsewhere. Typically, you only need to resort to this option after serious violations, like a DUI. Call 401-946-2800 to get started.¹

Compare Providers

If your rates increase after a ticket, it’s worth shopping around to see if you can get a cheaper policy from another provider. On average, Erie and Travelers have the cheapest rates in Pennsylvania with a speeding ticket, followed by State Farm and USAA. Compare quotes from at least three companies to find the best deal.

Aside from raising your car insurance premium, speeding can result in points on your driver’s license, fines, surcharges, and license suspensions.

Points

Speeding will add between two and five points to your driving record, according to PennDOT, the state’s Department of Transportation.³ You can get points for going a certain number of miles over the speed limit or speeding in certain circumstances, such as if you were in a school zone or passing an emergency response area.

Here’s the points breakdown for speeding a certain mph over the speed limit:

Here’s the points breakdown for speeding in certain circumstances:

If you get a speeding ticket, you can either plead guilty and pay the fine, or plead not guilty and request a hearing.

Respond to the Citation

Regardless of how you plan to plead, you’ll need to respond to the citation within 10 days, or you could face arrest and license suspension.

Pay the Fine

If you’re pleading guilty, you can pay the fine either online or in-person at your local magisterial district court.

Request a Hearing

Your other option, if you dispute the facts of the case, is to plead not guilty and request a hearing.

At the hearing, you can have your own lawyer represent you or a public defender. The police officer who ticketed you and any witnesses will testify, and you can bring your own witnesses and testify yourself. In the end, the judge will decide the case.

If you are found not guilty, the security you posted will be returned to you, but if you’re found guilty, the security will go toward the fines and other charges you’re facing.

Appeal the Decision

If you disagree with the judge’s decision, you can appeal to a common pleas court within 30 days of the ruling. Ask the Clerk of Counts for a Summary Appeal form, and you will have a completely new trial.⁶

Speeding isn’t the only illegal driving behavior in Pennsylvania that can raise your auto insurance costs. The following violations can also bump up your premium:

• Failure to:
  • Stop for a red light or a flashing red light
  • Yield half of the roadway to an oncoming vehicle
  • Yield to the driver at the right of the intersection
  • Yield to the oncoming driver when making a left turn
  • Stop for a stop sign
  • Yield for a yield sign
• Improper passing
• Improper backing
• Careless driving
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Driving under the influence (DUI)

In Pennsylvania, a speeding violation raises premiums by an average of 12 percent, or $283 per year. Companies like Travelers, Erie, State Farm, and USAA tend to have the lowest rate increases after a speeding ticket.

In addition to shopping around, you can take other measures to mitigate costs, including adjusting your coverage limits and choosing a limited tort policy.