Getting a DUI is a difficult thing to cope with at any stage of your life. Drunk driving not only puts you at a risk of killing yourself, but it also put a permanent blot on your driving register. The record is likely to stay on your driving register for as long as ten years. In addition, you will be considered an unsafe driver. You are now a high-risk driver. Being so has its own set of disadvantages, especially if you are willing to opt for insurance in the state of California. It means that insurance providers are no longer ready to insure you. You are more likely to face a great deal of trouble following a DUI conviction in CA.
After getting a DUI conviction, the trouble arises with your car insurance in California. The first question that comes to your mind is that whether you should inform your insurance company about your DUI conviction. DUI Laws stipulate that fines exceeding $2000 and jail stints varying between four months and one year are punishment for law-breakers.
The fact is you will not be fined at all at the hearing. Nevertheless, even if you do not tell your insurer about it, the insurer is likely to find out about it. After you are found guilty of DUI in California, your driver’s license would be suspended immediately. California Department of Motor Vehicles states that you must submit a SR-22 form to the department of motor vehicles right after getting a DUI conviction to get your license re-instated. SR-22 form is an insurance document, which states that you have a valid driver’s license and meet the state’s requirements for liability coverage. Only the insurance provider can issue a SR-22 form. Therefore, you need to inform them about your DUI. The company may also eventually find out about it when it looks at your past records while renewing your license. If your insurer finds about your DUI, you may face quite a few problems. There is the impending issue of whether the company would cancel your insurance or charge a high rate for it.
The California department of insurance ensures that a vehicle insurance company cannot cancel your insurance in the middle of a term, and neither can it make any changes to it. Therefore, you may heave a sigh of relief that your policy would not be threatened midway. However, after your term finishes, the company may not want to renew your license or it may increase your premium by about 20-30%. Even if you are applying for a brand new license, you will have a great deal of trouble finding a company who wants to insure you.
Companies with big names would charge you a hefty premium or rather not give you insurance at all. However, there is no dearth of insurance companies in California. You are most likely to get your car insurance in California, but look for the best deals, which would benefit you in such a situation. Look for providers that provide as low a premium as possible. As your DUI charge is likely to stay on your record for ten years, you need to pay a higher premium than normal. Nevertheless, after ten years, the charge is erased from your driver’s record and you can opt for insurance afresh.
The best way to avoid a DUI conviction is to drive safely and not under the influence of alcohol. You can attend the remedial classes and start being a responsible citizen if you are booked under DUI. Try not to repeat the same mistakes, which will not only compel you to pay a hefty amount for your car’s insurance in California, but also further stain your driver’s profile, which will result in future harassment. To compare auto insurance rates instantly, you just have to enter the zip code of your locality and then you can opt for the best deals.