Good advice there, especially about checking cancellation fees. Insurance after a DUI can be stressful, but hang in there... once you get clarity on the terms, it'll feel way more manageable. You've got this.
Insurance hikes after a DUI can indeed be pretty steep. A couple of years back, a close friend of mine faced something similar here in Idaho. His premium nearly doubled overnight, and he had to switch providers twice before finding one that was somewhat reasonable. Definitely echo the point about cancellation fees—he got blindsided by those initially. Still, with some patience and research, it's possible to find manageable coverage... just don't expect it to be easy or cheap right away.
Had a similar situation myself a few years ago here in Idaho. After a DUI, my insurance premium jumped about 80% overnight—pretty shocking, honestly. I drive a luxury sedan, so the rates were already high, and finding a provider willing to offer decent coverage without astronomical fees was tough. Ended up switching companies after extensive shopping around and negotiating. It's doable, but definitely brace yourself for some sticker shock and lots of legwork...
Totally feel you on this one—had my own "fun" experience with a DUI in Idaho about two years back. Couple things I learned the hard way:
- My premium shot up around 70%, and I was driving an older compact car—not even close to luxury status, haha. So yeah, seems like the spike hits everyone pretty hard regardless of car type.
- Shopping around definitely helps. Took me a few weeks of calling around and comparing quotes, but eventually found a smaller local insurer who was more forgiving.
- Also, ask about defensive driving courses or similar programs. I took one online (super boring, not gonna lie) but it shaved a decent chunk off my premium.
- And watch out for those "cheap" providers—they might seem great at first glance, but coverage can be sketchy. Read the fine print.
Bottom line, brace yourself for some wallet pain and be ready to hustle a bit...but it's not forever. After a few years of clean driving, things slowly start to normalize again. Hang in there!
"Shopping around definitely helps. Took me a few weeks of calling around and comparing quotes, but eventually found a smaller local insurer who was more forgiving."
Yeah, totally agree with this. Local insurers can be surprisingly flexible. Also heard that bundling home and auto insurance might soften the blow a bit...anyone tried that route?
