I had a similar wake-up call when I was researching insurance impacts after a DUI for a friend. Seems like specialty insurers definitely tighten the screws harder than mainstream providers, probably because they're insuring higher-value or collectible vehicles. From what I've seen, even regular insurers in Idaho can bump premiums 50% or more after a DUI, and that lasts several years. Makes sense they'd be cautious, but it sure puts a dent in the budget...definitely something to keep in mind.
Yeah, insurance after a DUI is like accidentally stepping on a Lego—painful and long-lasting. A coworker of mine got hit with one here in Boise, and he joked about needing a second job just to cover the hike. First year was brutal, premiums jumped almost 60%. It slowly got better each renewal, but the pinch lasted a good few years. Definitely makes you rethink that "just one more" beer...
Got hit with one myself a couple years back in Nampa. Honestly thought people exaggerated the insurance spike until I saw my renewal—felt like highway robbery. Mine jumped about 50% first year, then slowly tapered off. Still skeptical if the rates ever fully return to normal though... definitely learned my lesson the hard way.
Can totally relate to that insurance shock... had a buddy go through something similar and thought he was just exaggerating until I saw the numbers myself. A few years back, I got dinged for speeding—nothing as serious as a DUI, but still enough to make my insurer treat me like I'd stolen their lunch money or something. Here's how mine played out:
- First year renewal jumped about 30%, felt like getting sucker-punched.
- Second year, it dropped slightly, but still nowhere near original rates.
- Took about three full years before things started looking somewhat normal again.
Honestly, I'm still convinced they keep a secret "naughty list" somewhere in their offices. 😂 Classic cars are already pricey enough to insure without giving them extra reasons to jack up rates. Lesson learned: cruise nights are way cheaper than speeding tickets...
Yeah, totally get that feeling about the "naughty list"—pretty sure I've been on it myself. I had a minor fender bender a couple years ago, nothing major, just a small scrape in a parking lot. Thought it'd be no big deal, but my insurance acted like I'd totaled someone's Ferrari or something. My rates jumped around 25% right off the bat, and it took about two years before they even started to budge downward again.
From what I've heard from friends who've dealt with DUIs (thankfully not firsthand experience), it's way harsher than speeding or minor accidents. One buddy said his rates nearly doubled overnight and stayed painfully high for at least three or four years. He ended up shopping around quite a bit because some insurers were slightly more forgiving than others—but honestly, none of them were exactly cheap.
Classic cars definitely complicate things too... insurers already see them as higher-risk or higher-value policies. Add something serious like a DUI into the mix, and you're probably looking at some eye-watering numbers for a while.
On the bright side, though, as long as you keep your record clean afterward, things do eventually settle down. It just takes patience—and maybe fewer heavy-footed moments behind the wheel...
