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New Jersey law treats DWI as a traffic offense rather than a criminal one. Nevertheless, there are serious consequences if you are convicted of a DWI. Not only are you facing potential jail time and the loss of your license, but you can also expect that your car insurance rates will go up considerably. Accordingly, you must consider all of the possible ramifications before you decide whether to plead guilty or to fight the charges against you.
Car insurance companies are businesses at their core. They are in the business of taking on risk. The insurance company is continuously repricing the risk that you pose as an individual driver. They will do this even if you have been convicted of a lesser traffic offense, such as speeding. They must collect enough money to cover themselves based on the odds that you will be the cause of a serious accident.
Your car insurance policy comes up for renewal at certain intervals. Every time, the insurance company will give you a new rate based on your individual risk profile. If you have been convicted of a DWI, it goes without saying that your risk profile has increased dramatically. The insurance company must take that into account when setting the premium that they are charging you.
Studies show that the average motorist in New Jersey pays between $1,600 to $1,900 per year for car insurance, as this figure assumes that you have a relatively clean driving record. If there are any other factors, such as a history of traffic tickets or even a DWI, your premiums will increase. The average premium paid by a New Jersey driver who has a DWI conviction on their record is between $2,800 and $3,700. Much depends on the individual insurance company. For example, according to a study from Insurance.com, State Farm has been known to aggressively raise insurance rates when New Jersey drivers have been convicted of DWI.
As you can see, the cost of your car insurance coverage will almost double for a single DWI conviction. That amount is just an average estimate. If there were egregious facts involved in your case, such as an accident that caused serious injury, or you had a very high BAC, your premiums may go up even more.
Under most circumstances, it is possible to get car insurance coverage even after a DWI conviction, but you will be paying considerably more. There is always a possibility that the insurance company may cancel your policy or refuse to cover you going forward. The chances of this outcome increase even more if this was not your first DWI conviction. Most insurance companies will continue to offer you coverage, but it will come at a higher price.
You will be paying more for car insurance coverage after a DWI conviction for a considerable amount of time. There is no exact time frame for how long these rates will stay high, but you can expect to be paying more for at least three years and often far longer. The insurance company may gradually reduce your rates if they see that you have maintained a clean driving record and you have no further traffic tickets or DWI arrests.
Even though you are paying more for car insurance coverage, it is not in your interest to reduce the amount of your policy. If you do not have enough car insurance coverage, and you cause a serious accident, you can end up being personally liable for any shortfall in coverage.
If you have been charged with a DWI in New Jersey, reach out to a Blackwood DWI lawyer at Iannelli Law. We can evaluate your case and help you determine your own legal path forward. For a free consultation, submit our online form or call today at 856-227-2434. Located in Blackwood, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.
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