A Texas conviction for driving while intoxicated impacts many aspects of your life. Even if you are a first-time offender, you should still expect to face a range of serious penalties following a drunk driving conviction. While you may face thousands of dollars in fines, up to 180 days in jail and a year-long suspension of your driver’s license, among other possible penalties, your insurance rates are also undoubtedly going to rise in the aftermath.
According to Insure.com, drivers in every state see their car insurance rates increase after they receive drunk driving convictions. However, there is quite a bit of variation in terms of how much they might increase.
Figuring out how much more you must pay
While motorists in some states see higher rate hikes after a drunk driving conviction than the typical Texas driver, you should still expect to see your annual insurance premiums increase by almost 60%. The average Texas driver who gets a first-time DWI sees a 59% increase in insurance expenses. Without a DWI conviction, the average Texas driver shells out about $1,644 for insurance. After a DWI, that same driver pays closer to $2,619, which makes for an annual difference of $975.
Finding the lowest offer
Because different insurers rely on different formulas to set customer rates, you may find considerable variation between the offer one insurance provider makes you and the offer the next one does. Furthermore, some insurers are more willing to cover you when you have a DWI in your history than others. Thus, it usually benefits you to get quotes from several sources before choosing a post-DWI insurance provider.
Some Texas residents charged with DWIs are able to avoid convictions by showing that something was faulty about their breath tests, or that authorities lacked a valid reason to stop them in the first place.