Good points here, especially about asking insurers directly about forgiveness programs. I had a co-worker who went through this a couple years ago in Idaho, and yeah, the SR-22 was definitely a headache. He ended up having to file one for three years, and his rates nearly doubled overnight. He thought bundling would help soften the blow, but in his case, splitting his policies actually turned out cheaper—go figure.
One thing he mentioned was that some insurers seemed more forgiving if you completed a defensive driving or alcohol awareness course after the DUI. Might be worth asking about that too. And I agree about checking quotes online first; he said it saved him from making a ton of awkward phone calls. Still, every situation seems a bit different... have you already checked if taking one of those courses could help your rates?
Interesting about the defensive driving courses, but honestly, from what I've seen, they don't always make a huge difference. My brother-in-law had a DUI in Boise about four years back and took one of those classes hoping it'd help. His insurer barely budged on the rates—maybe shaved off like 5% at most. He ended up shopping around and found a smaller local company that gave him a better deal overall. Might be worth looking beyond the big-name insurers too...
Yeah, I totally get where you're coming from. Defensive driving courses can be hit or miss when it comes to insurance discounts—I've seen friends go through the same thing. Honestly, insurers seem to treat DUIs pretty harshly no matter what you do afterward. But you're spot-on about shopping around. I've been driving for over 20 years now, and every time my rates jumped (thankfully not DUI-related, just speeding tickets), switching companies always saved me more than any class or loyalty discount ever did.
Smaller local insurers or even regional ones often have more flexibility and better deals because they're competing harder for your business. Big-name companies rely on brand recognition, so they don't always feel the need to offer competitive rates after something like a DUI. Definitely worth spending some time calling around or checking online quotes—you might be surprised at how much you can save by just being persistent and practical about it. Hang in there... insurance headaches are never fun, but there's usually a way to ease the pain a bit.
You're right about shopping around—it's surprising how much difference it can make, especially after something serious like a DUI. The spike in Idaho can be pretty steep initially (I've seen cases nearly double), but it really depends on your insurer, driving record beforehand, and even your age group. Have you checked with smaller local companies yet? Sometimes they're more willing to look at the big picture instead of just checking boxes...it can really help ease the sticker shock.
Also, it's worth asking about how long the DUI surcharge will last—some insurers drop the rates faster than others if you maintain a clean record afterward. I know it's frustrating right now, but hang in there. I've seen plenty of people bounce back from this and eventually get their premiums back down to manageable levels. It's just a matter of patience and persistence, really.
I get what you're saying about smaller companies, but honestly, sometimes the bigger insurers can surprise you too. My cousin had a DUI a few years back, and weirdly enough, his big-name insurer gave him a better deal after some negotiating...so it's worth checking both sides.
