"he found a smaller insurer that seemed like a great deal at first. But when renewal time rolled around, the premium jumped way higher than expected."
Yeah, this reminds me of a buddy who had a similar situation after a speeding ticket—thought he'd struck gold with some obscure local insurer. First year was smooth sailing, but come renewal, his rates shot up like crazy. Makes me wonder if smaller companies tend to lure you in with lower initial premiums and then hike them later on. Has anyone noticed if bigger insurers are more predictable with their rate increases after something like a DUI or ticket?
Yeah, this reminds me of a buddy who had a similar situation after a speeding ticket—thought he'd struck gold with some obscure local insurer.
I've noticed something similar, but I don't think it's necessarily a small vs. big insurer thing. From what I've seen, smaller insurers sometimes have less flexibility in absorbing risk, so when something like a DUI or speeding ticket pops up, they might have to hike rates more dramatically to cover potential losses. Bigger companies usually have broader risk pools, meaning they can spread out the impact a bit more evenly.
That said, bigger insurers aren't always predictable either. A friend of mine had a DUI in Idaho about two years ago, and he was with one of the major national providers. His premium jumped around 60-70% at renewal, which was pretty steep but still within the range he was expecting based on online research. He shopped around afterward and found another big-name insurer that offered slightly better rates post-DUI.
If you're dealing with a DUI or ticket, I'd recommend checking multiple quotes from both smaller and larger insurers at renewal time. Sometimes you'll find surprising deals, even from companies you'd least expect...
Totally agree about shopping around—it's funny how unpredictable insurance companies can be, isn't it? I've seen friends get wildly different quotes from places you'd think would be pretty similar. Makes you wonder if they're just spinning a wheel in the back office or something...
Also, does anyone else feel like insurers have some kind of secret "punishment scale" for tickets and DUIs? A buddy of mine got a speeding ticket (nothing crazy, like 15 over) and his rates barely budged, but another friend got nailed with a DUI and his premiums practically doubled overnight. Same insurer, too. Maybe DUIs are just in their own special category of "insurance doom"?
Either way, it's always worth checking out multiple options. I've had luck with smaller local insurers in the past, but after a ticket or DUI, sometimes the bigger guys surprise you with better deals. Guess it depends on how badly they want your business—or how forgiving they're feeling that day...
"Maybe DUIs are just in their own special category of 'insurance doom'?"
Yeah, seems like insurers treat DUIs as a whole different beast. Had a coworker whose rates shot up dramatically after one—guess insurers figure the risk is way higher. Wonder how long that spike typically lasts...?
Yeah, DUIs definitely seem to be in their own special category. Had a client a couple years back who went through something similar—his rates practically doubled overnight. He was pretty stressed about it, understandably, but after shopping around and making some adjustments (like upping his deductible and bundling policies), he managed to soften the blow a bit.
From what I've seen, the spike usually sticks around for about 3-5 years, depending on the insurer and state regulations. Idaho tends to fall somewhere in that range too. The good news is that if you keep your record clean afterward, insurers gradually ease up on you. My client saw noticeable improvements after about three years of careful driving.
"guess insurers figure the risk is way higher."
Exactly this—insurers see a DUI as a big red flag for future claims. But hang in there... with some patience and smart budgeting moves, things do get better eventually.
