Estimate your premium increase after an accident, ticket, or DUI
| Incident | Typical Increase | $150/mo Policy Becomes |
|---|---|---|
| Accident, not at fault | 0% – 12% | $150 – $168 |
| Speeding, 1-15 mph over | 10% – 20% | $165 – $180 |
| Speeding, 16-29 mph over | 18% – 28% | $177 – $192 |
| Speeding, 30+ mph over | 25% – 35% | $188 – $203 |
| Distracted driving ticket | 20% – 28% | $180 – $192 |
| At-fault accident (property damage) | 30% – 50% | $195 – $225 |
| At-fault accident (injury) | 45% – 65% | $218 – $248 |
| Reckless driving | 60% – 80% | $240 – $270 |
| DUI / DWI (first offense) | 65% – 85% | $248 – $278 |
Ranges reflect national full-coverage averages from published industry rate analyses (The Zebra, Bankrate, and carrier filings). Your surcharge depends on your state, carrier, claims history, and how long you've been with the insurer — new accidents cost more for drivers who already have one on record.
| Incident | Typical Surcharge | Stays on Record |
|---|---|---|
| Minor speeding ticket | ~3 years | 3 years (CLUE/MVR) |
| At-fault accident | 3 – 5 years | 5 – 7 years on CLUE report |
| Reckless driving | 3 – 5 years | 5+ years on motor vehicle record |
| DUI / DWI | 3 – 5 years | 5 – 10 years depending on state |
| Not-at-fault accident | 0 – 1 year | Still listed on CLUE ~5 years |
A few states cap or restrict surcharges — for example, California generally bars insurers from raising rates for accidents you didn't cause. The surcharge also tends to step down each renewal year rather than dropping off all at once.
After a crash or ticket, insurers re-rate your policy with a surcharge: a percentage bump applied to your base premium at the next renewal. The size of the bump depends mostly on what happened, whether anyone was injured, and your prior record. This calculator turns the typical national surcharge ranges into dollars you can plan around.
New premium = current premium × (1 + surcharge %). Monthly increase = new premium − current premium. Total extra = monthly increase × 12 × surcharge years. The calculator uses the middle of each published national range; pick your own number inside the range if you know your carrier's surcharge schedule.
Enter what you pay now for full coverage, pick the incident, and choose how long your carrier surcharges (three years is the industry default). If you bought accident forgiveness before the accident, tick the box — the increase drops to zero for a first at-fault claim at many insurers, though it's usually unavailable once the accident is already on your record.
Take a driver paying $150 a month who causes a $3,000 fender bender. At the typical 42% surcharge for an at-fault property-damage accident, the premium climbs to $213 a month — $63 more per month and $756 more per year. Over a three-year surcharge, that's $2,268 in increases, more than most minor repairs. That's the math behind the standard advice to consider paying small claims out of pocket.
Now a bigger one. A driver at $200 a month with a first DUI sees a 75% surcharge: $350 a month, $150 more per month, $1,800 more per year, and $5,400 over three years — before reinstatement fees, SR-22 filing costs, and any required treatment programs. High-risk cases like that are exactly when shopping nonstandard carriers pays off most.
Nationally, an at-fault accident raises full-coverage rates about 30% to 50%, with most industry rate analyses landing near 40%. On a $150-a-month policy, a 42% surcharge works out to $213 a month — $63 more per month, or $756 a year. An accident with an injury claim typically costs more, often 45% to 65%.
Most insurers surcharge for three to five years, with three years the most common. The accident also stays on your CLUE claims report for five to seven years, but its pricing impact shrinks each year you keep your record clean. Shop again at each renewal once the surcharge ages out.
Usually, but modestly. A first ticket for going 1 to 15 mph over the limit raises rates about 10% to 20%; 16 to 29 mph over runs closer to 18% to 28%. Many insurers waive the first minor ticket, and taking a defensive driving course or traffic school can keep it off your record entirely in some states.
It can, but far less — typically 0% to 12%. Some states, including California, bar insurers from surcharging drivers for not-at-fault accidents. If you weren't at fault and your rate jumps anyway, that's a strong signal to comparison shop at renewal.
Comparison shopping is the biggest lever — surcharges vary widely between carriers, and nonstandard insurers compete for drivers with incidents. Also check accident forgiveness before your next renewal, raise your deductible if you have cash reserves, drop full coverage on low-value cars, and ask about telematics programs that price on actual driving.
Run the math first. If a 42% surcharge lasts three years on a $150 monthly policy, the increase alone costs about $2,268 — more than most fender-bender repairs. For minor damage slightly above your deductible, paying out of pocket often wins; for anything involving injuries or another driver's property, file the claim.