Best Car Insurance for Bad Drivers

Looking for the best car insurance for bad drivers is no easy feat.

Drivers with at-fault accidents and traffic infractions on their driving record are generally subject to expensive insurance rates, and if you’re a bad driver, providers often recommend that you purchase additional coverage.

The specific rate and insurance recommendations you receive depend on the reasons that you’re considered a bad driver.

While a few speeding tickets have a minimal effect on your insurance rates, multiple at-fault accidents or a DUI on your driving record can lead to higher insurance costs.

Insurance providers also look at your driving record in different ways.

While some place a great deal of importance on your driving record, other providers may consider your previous infractions and accidents less important than other factors.

That’s why it’s important to shop around and compare the rates and policy offerings from several providers before committing to a bad driver’s insurance policy.

You should also have a good idea of the other factors insurance providers take into account when determining your rate, since it prepares you to ask the right questions, helping you get the best insurance rates.

Use the following guide to learn how insurance rate calculations work and to help you get a good deal on your car insurance.

What’s the Cost of Car Insurance for Bad Drivers?

Calculating car insurance rates is never simple, but it’s even more difficult for bad drivers. The risks associated with these types of drivers, such as previous traffic infractions and accidents, are taken into account by insurance underwriters when they determine insurance rates.

In addition to your driving record, other factors affect your premiums, including:

• Your age and gender
• Years licensed
• The make, model, and year of your vehicle
• The condition of your vehicle
• Your average annual mileage
• Your credit history
• Certain conditions of your geographic region
• Other drivers on your policy
• 

It’s important to remember that each insurance provider may use different factors to determine rates. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, many drivers who are involved in fatal crashes have previous infractions or accidents on their driving record, as follows:

• 26 percent previously received speeding convictions
• 24 percent had previous license suspensions
• 20 percent had previous crashes on their record
• 6 percent had previous DUI convictions

Although shopping around for bad drivers’ insurance is the best way to find accurate quotes that are specific to your situation, we’ve gathered information on the average cost of car insurance for bad drivers in California.

This state is highly populated and provides realistic examples of what drivers with bad records can expect to pay for auto insurance.

• A single female living in Alameda County, driving a Toyota Camry with 6 to 8 years of driving experience, one traffic ticket, and one accident, who drives between 12,600 and 15,000 miles per year on average, can expect to pay insurance premiums between $1,109 and $7,306 for a liability-only policy. The average costs in this scenario are $2,514.
• A single male living in Alameda County, driving a Toyota Camry with 16 to 40 years of driving experience, one traffic ticket, and one accident, who drives between 12,600 and 15,000 miles per year on average, can expect premiums between $895 and $3,998 for standard liability only insurance. His average cost would be $1,828.

Although both drivers had one ticket and one accident, the driver with more years of experience received lower quotes.

Companies with the Best Car Insurance for Bad Drivers

When searching for the best car insurance for bad drivers, there’s plenty of top insurance companies willing to write policies for you. Look for a company that gives you the opportunity to reduce your rate by practicing safe driving habits or taking additional driver training.

Progressive is a great insurance option for bad drivers who are willing to improve their driving habits. It encourages better driving with their safe driver discount, which can save drivers up to 31 percent on their premiums after three years with no infractions or accidents. Drivers who qualify for the safe driver discount also qualify for accident forgiveness, meaning that regardless of who is at fault, insurance premiums won’t change after one accident.

USAA encourages good driving behaviors with its premier driver discount, which lets drivers who keep a clean driving record for at least five years to save on their insurance premiums. Drivers under 21 that complete an approved defensive driving course can also qualify for discounted rates.

MetLife has teamed up with the National Safety Council to offer a discounted rate on the NSC’s driver improvement course. As a bonus, drivers who pass the course with a grade of 80 percent or more qualify for a discounted insurance rate. MetLife also offers the same insurance discount to drivers who complete other MetLife approved driver education courses.

QuoteWizard is an online rate comparison tool that lets drivers enter their basic information like age, gender, driving record, and location into an online form. QuoteWizard then collects information from more than 40,000 insurance brokers and return quotes from top insurance companies. Since QuoteWizard lets you compare rates with ease, it’s a great way to research for bad driver-friendly insurance companies.

Esurance offers drivers the opportunity to improve their driving habits with its DriveSense®app, which analyzes and monitors events such as speeding and sudden braking. Drivers who perform well in the DriveSense®app qualify for a discounted insurance rate through Esurance’s good driver discount program.

Liberty Mutual offers drivers an incentive to improve their driving skills by making accident forgiveness coverage available to drivers who’ve maintained a clean driving record for at least five years.

Travelers makes it easy for drivers to save by following safe driving practices and avoiding accidents and infractions. Drivers who remain accident and infraction free for at least three years can save 10 percent on their insurance policy, while those without accidents or infractions for at least five years can save up to 21 percent on their premiums.

Additionally, drivers who install Travelers’ exclusive Intellidrive®app on their smartphone can save up to 20 percent on their premiums. Intellidrive® monitors driving behaviors such as speeding and hard braking events.

Allstate is well-known for its generous accident forgiveness, which is automatically given to all policyholders from the first day of their policy. The company also offers discounted rates to drivers who complete defensive driving courses. One of Allstate’s appealing features is its Safe Driver Bonus, which gives drivers a rebate check that’s sent out every six months to policyholders for remaining accident and infraction free.

State Farm offers a good driver discount to its policyholders, as well as the opportunity to save on insurance premiums when taking advanced driver education or defensive driving courses. The company has a Drive Safe and Save™ app that gives eligible policyholders a chance to earn even more discounts by demonstrating safe driving habits.

Kelly Klee is an expert insurance brokerage. Individuals who are looking for a bad driver’s insurance policy may find that working with a broker is the best choice. Brokers can recommend what type of coverage is best for each driver’s needs and they have access to rates and policy information from top insurance companies across the country.

Brokers act on your behalf through the insurance buying process and help you to find the best possible insurance policy that meet your needs and budget.

They’re also able to monitor the discounts that are offered by each insurance provider and make sure you’re taking advantage of all the discounts that you’re eligible.

How to Reduce the Cost of Your Car Insurance for Bad Drivers

Although bad drivers’ insurance can be expensive, it’s a necessary purchase. Driving without valid insurance is illegal in almost every state in the U.S. and can result in costly fines and fees, license suspension, and even jail time in some states.

Without insurance, you’d be paying for auto repairs and medical expenses out of pocket, and if you have several accidents on record, that’s an especially big risk.

That’s why it’s important to shop around and search for a car policy that covers all of your driving habits.

It’s important to keep in mind that insurance costs don’t have to be incredibly expensive.

Bad drivers who know where to look can find an insurance rate that suits their budget, and can even reduce the cost of their insurance policy by following these tips:

• Insure all vehicles and drivers in your household on the same policy
• Bundle all of your insurance policies with the same company
• Take defensive driving courses and work to improve your driving record
• Increase your deductible
• Reduce your mileage by taking public transportation or carpooling

Once you’ve found the best car insurance for bad drivers and you’re ready to make a purchase, you want to make sure that you receive an accurate rate that includes all discounts.

To do this, have the following information on hand for your insurance provider:

• Your age and date of birth
• Your full home address
• Your driver’s license number
• Information about where you’ll be parking your vehicle when you’re not driving
• Details about your vehicle(s) including make, model, year, condition, mileage, safety features, custom add-ons, and vehicle identification number
• An estimate of how many miles you drive on average per year
• Detailed information about any additional drivers who are included in your policy, including school grades for any teen drivers in your household

Your insurance broker or provider can assure that you’re taking advantage of all discounts you qualify for and make appropriate recommendations on what type of coverage you should purchase.

Now that you know how insurance companies use your driving record when quoting insurance rates, use this information to your advantage.

Find the car insurance that best suits your needs and look for reward programs that help you with your driving habits. Soon enough you’ll see how your rates drop and your driving record improves.