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Professor of Risk Management
25+ years in insurance
Former commercial lines underwriter
Updated
A “bad driver” is someone insurance companies consider a high risk to insure due to their driving history. Common violations that insurers flag as high risk include speeding tickets, driving under the influence (DUI) convictions, at-fault accidents, and lapses in insurance coverage.
Incidents like these tell companies that you’re more likely to file future claims. Insurers usually charge riskier drivers more for car insurance and offer fewer coverage options.
We’ll break down everything you need to know to determine if insurers have labeled you a “bad driver.” We’ll tell you how high-risk car insurance works, the best car insurance companies for high-risk drivers, and how you can lower your car insurance rates today.
No single car insurance company is best for every high-risk driver. The right insurer depends on your driving history, coverage needs, and other factors.
It’s important for high-risk drivers to compare rates regularly. Pricing can vary widely, and rates often change.
Maintaining a clean driving record, taking advantage of discounts, and raising your deductible can help you reduce costs, even after serious violations like a DUI.
You won’t find a single insurance company that performs best for all drivers. High-risk drivers typically encounter a wide range of challenges when shopping for coverage. Some insurers charge high rates and offer limited coverage options. But other companies provide more affordable pricing, better coverage options, and more flexible customer service.
Here are our picks for the best car insurance companies for high-risk drivers.
| User Reviews | 4.3 |
|---|---|
| Our Rating Compare.com's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The objective formula used in these reviews weighs several important factors to consider when choosing financial products and services, including customer satisfaction ratings, ease of use, and a number of other components. | 4.1 /5 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $47/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $88/mo |
Auto-Owners Insurance's score | Industry average | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage options | 3.7 | 3.2 |
| Customer service | 3.7 | 3.6 |
| Discounts | 3.4 | 2.9 |
| Policy transparency | 3.8 | 3.1 |
| Value | 3.5 | 2.9 |
Auto-Owners offers cheap car insurance with a wide range of coverage options for drivers with a DUI. The company offers coverages like accident forgiveness, gap insurance, and diminished value. You can also work with an agent to help you get covered and answer questions along the way.
That said, Auto-Owners earns mixed customer satisfaction scores and has limited customer service hours.
Affordable rates for high-risk drivers
Strong J.D. Power claims satisfaction ratings
Mobile app has mixed reviews
Lower-than-average customer satisfaction
| User Reviews | 3.9 |
|---|---|
| Our Rating Compare.com's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The objective formula used in these reviews weighs several important factors to consider when choosing financial products and services, including customer satisfaction ratings, ease of use, and a number of other components. | 4.7 /5 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $54/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $107/mo |
State Farm's score | Industry average | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage options | 4.4 | 3.2 |
| Customer service | 4.4 | 3.6 |
| Discounts | 4.3 | 2.9 |
| Policy transparency | 4.3 | 3.1 |
| Value | 4.3 | 2.9 |
Customers appreciate the helpful agents and prompt claim handling, but many are unhappy with the constant rate increases, even for safe drivers. Some also reported poor customer service.
State Farm offers competitive rates for drivers with a DUI from a large team of 19,000 local agents. That might be why the company has higher-than-average customer satisfaction scores in every region.
But while the company has affordable rates, it mostly offers bare-bones coverage options. Despite the lack of customizable policies, most drivers can find the coverage they need.
Above-average customer and claims satisfaction scores
Large network of local agents
Diminishing deductible not available
Accident forgiveness not available
| J.D. Power J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale. | 665 |
|---|---|
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $44/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $90/mo |
COUNTRY Financial consistently offers low rates for high-risk drivers, plus SR-22 filings. The insurer also has flexible coverage options, including new car replacement, auto glass coverage, and personal effects coverage.
But COUNTRY Financial is available in only 19 states, and its mobile app has less-than-perfect reviews from customers.
Higher-than-average customer satisfaction
New car replacement coverage available
Available in only 19 states
Mobile apps have mixed ratings
Compare rates and save money, even if you’re a high-risk driver.
As you probably know, your driving history plays a major role in how much you pay for car insurance. Insurance companies look at your record to determine your risk of filing a claim.
Drivers with traffic violations like speeding tickets typically file more claims than drivers with a clean record. Insurers usually check the last three to five years of your driving history, but it varies by company.
Here are the cheapest monthly premiums for different driving records, based on data from Compare.com.
Driving Record  | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Clean record | $140 |
| Speeding ticket | $182 |
| At-fault accident | $187 |
| DUI | $202 |
Rates can vary widely between auto insurance companies, especially for high-risk drivers. Every company calculates rates differently, and some are more comfortable working with riskier drivers. That’s also why it’s so important to compare car insurance rates anytime your driving record changes.
In the table below, you’ll find the cheapest car insurance rates for bad drivers with accidents, tickets, and DUIs on their records, according to data from Compare.com.
Company | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $64 |
| Country Financial | $64 |
| USAA | $69 |
| State Farm | $69 |
| Mile Auto | $88 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $92 |
| Erie | $97 |
| Allstate | $100 |
| National General | $110 |
| American Family | $110 |
| GAINSCO | $112 |
| GEICO | $112 |
| Safeco | $114 |
| Direct Auto | $116 |
| Dairyland | $119 |
| The General | $121 |
| Elephant | $124 |
| Root | $124 |
| Nationwide | $127 |
| Travelers | $132 |
| Bristol West | $134 |
| Anchor | $140 |
| Mercury | $141 |
| Farmers | $142 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $147 |
| Chubb | $153 |
| Clearcover | $160 |
| Liberty Mutual | $169 |
| Plymouth Rock | $178 |
| 21st Century | $184 |
| Shelter | $188 |
| The Hartford | $213 |
| State Auto | $215 |
| CSAA | $216 |
| Amica | $367 |
Company | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Country Financial | $62 |
| Auto-Owners | $63 |
| USAA | $71 |
| State Farm | $72 |
| Erie | $95 |
| Allstate | $101 |
| Mile Auto | $103 |
| GEICO | $108 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $109 |
| American Family | $112 |
| National General | $118 |
| Safeco | $121 |
| GAINSCO | $122 |
| The General | $122 |
| Dairyland | $127 |
| Direct Auto | $129 |
| Root | $130 |
| Nationwide | $131 |
| Travelers | $135 |
| Elephant | $138 |
| Bristol West | $139 |
| Plymouth Rock | $142 |
| Anchor | $146 |
| Farmers | $147 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $151 |
| Mercury | $156 |
| Chubb | $159 |
| Liberty Mutual | $174 |
| 21st Century | $187 |
| Shelter | $188 |
| Clearcover | $188 |
| The Hartford | $207 |
| State Auto | $217 |
| CSAA | $243 |
| Amica | $357 |
Company | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Country Financial | $61 |
| Auto-Owners | $61 |
| USAA | $75 |
| State Farm | $78 |
| Erie | $101 |
| Allstate | $107 |
| American Family | $108 |
| Mile Auto | $108 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $112 |
| The General | $115 |
| GEICO | $117 |
| National General | $127 |
| Direct Auto | $133 |
| Safeco | $134 |
| Nationwide | $137 |
| Dairyland | $138 |
| GAINSCO | $141 |
| Travelers | $141 |
| Bristol West | $151 |
| Mercury | $152 |
| Elephant | $154 |
| Farmers | $156 |
| Root | $157 |
| Clearcover | $162 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $163 |
| Chubb | $170 |
| Anchor | $171 |
| 21st Century | $178 |
| Liberty Mutual | $187 |
| Plymouth Rock | $193 |
| Shelter | $197 |
| State Auto | $204 |
| The Hartford | $222 |
| CSAA | $226 |
| Amica | $381 |
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You can always find ways to lower your car insurance rates, no matter your driving record. Here are some of the best ways for high-risk drivers to lower their rates.
Maintain a clean driving record. A single violation can cause your rates to spike. Avoiding tickets and accidents in the future can lower your rates over time.
Choose a higher deductible. Opting for a higher deductible lowers your monthly premium. But make sure you can afford the extra cost if you need to file a claim, because you’ll pay more out of pocket.
Ask about ways to save. Many insurers offer telematics programs that can help lower your rates. You also might get a discount for taking a defensive driving course.
Try usage-based insurance. Pay-per-mile insurance policies can significantly lower your rates if you don’t drive often.
Compare car insurance quotes. Pricing varies between insurers and changes often. Comparing rates often can help you get the best deal.
Get quotes from multiple insurers and find the coverage you need.
How long it takes to improve your driving record — and lower your rates — depends on the severity of your violation. Minor tickets cause a smaller rate increase than more serious infractions like a DUI.
The length of time violations affect your rates also varies. An at-fault accident from a few years ago might only raise your rates a bit, but a DUI from the same time will likely have a larger effect on your premium.
That said, insurers typically look at the previous three to five years of your driving record when setting rates. So you should see your premium start to dip back down after a few years.
An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility proving that you meet your state’s minimum coverage requirements. Your car insurance company files your SR-22 on your behalf with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). States typically require you to have an SR-22 after serious driving violations, like a DUI or driving uninsured.
An SR-22 isn’t a type of car insurance and won’t replace your auto insurance policy. Drivers typically must comply with SR-22 requirements for one to three years, but requirements vary by state and violation.
Florida and Virginia require drivers to file an FR-44 certificate, which is similar to an SR-22.
When car insurance companies find violations in your driving record, they typically charge more for coverage. Here’s why:
Drivers with speeding tickets, accidents, or DUIs are much more likely to file future insurance claims.[1] [2] [3]
A less-than-perfect record can disqualify you from certain discounts, like a safe driver discount.
When insurers have to do more work, like file SR-22s, they usually charge higher rates.
Violations can affect your rates for years. It takes time to get your rates back down.
Some companies avoid high-risk drivers, reducing your options and driving prices up.
Here are some answers to the most common questions bad drivers ask about getting car insurance.
Auto-Owners, State Farm, and COUNTRY Financial are Compare.com’s top car insurance picks for bad drivers. But the best insurer for you depends on a variety of factors, including your driving history, location, and the car you drive. That’s why it’s important to regularly compare auto insurance quotes from several companies to find the best deal.
Country Financial is the cheapest insurance company for bad drivers, according to Compare.com data. Its rates average $62 per month for drivers with an incident on their record. But the cheapest company overall may not be the cheapest for you, so compare quotes to find your best rate.
Yes. Insurers can refuse to sell car insurance to bad drivers. But you can still find coverage through companies that specialize in working with high-risk drivers or state-sponsored auto insurance programs.
Insurance companies will consider you a high-risk driver after traffic violations, like at-fault accidents, tickets, or DUIs. Insurers typically charge more for coverage if you’re a high-risk driver, and may refuse to cover you at all.
High-risk drivers can usually get car insurance through an insurer that specializes in working with drivers with less-than-perfect records. You may also find coverage through state-sponsored car insurance programs. Comparing quotes from multiple companies is the best way to find coverage for your specific driving record.
Yes. You can get car insurance after your insurer cancels your policy. But you may have limited options, and coverage will likely be more expensive. Acting quickly and avoiding gaps in your coverage can help you avoid even larger rate hikes.
It depends. For example, DUIs can stay on your record indefinitely in Texas.[4] But in California, DUIs stay on your record for 10 years.[5] Check with your state’s DMV to find out how long a DUI will stay on your record.
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
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Professor of Risk Management
25+ years in insurance
Former commercial lines underwriter
At Compare.com, it’s our mission to give you the tools to find the best (and most affordable) insurance for your unique needs and budget. We strive to provide information that’s helpful, clear, and unbiased, and we believe that comparing insurance companies should never put you at risk of spam. Our editorial team — which is made up of experienced writers, editors, insurance agents, and data analysts — has spent thousands of hours researching and creating the coverage overviews, side-by-side comparisons, and detailed reviews you see across our site.
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