Yeah, that's pretty much what I've heard too. My coworker got a DUI about two years ago, and he said his insurance nearly doubled overnight. He did find a slightly better deal by bundling home and auto with one company, but it wasn't anything huge—maybe $40 less per month. Seems like the best bet is just to ride it out carefully and wait for your record to clear up...
"Seems like the best bet is just to ride it out carefully and wait for your record to clear up..."
Yeah, that's probably the safest route. I've heard similar stories from friends who've had DUIs—insurance companies really don't mess around with that stuff. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if taking a defensive driving course or something similar helps lower premiums after a DUI? I've heard mixed things about that, but it might be worth looking into...
A buddy of mine tried the defensive driving thing after his DUI, and honestly, it didn't do much for his premiums. Might depend on the insurer though...still, probably can't hurt to ask around before shelling out for the class.
My experience was a bit different actually. When my cousin got his DUI, he took the defensive driving course and it did help—not drastically, but enough to notice. The key was shopping around afterward. Some insurers barely budged, but a couple others seemed to appreciate the effort and offered better rates. So, yeah, it might not always pay off immediately, but I'd say it's still worth considering as part of a broader strategy to manage premiums.
"The key was shopping around afterward. Some insurers barely budged, but a couple others seemed to appreciate the effort and offered better rates."
That's interesting, and it can work for some people—but honestly, from what I've seen, shopping around right after a DUI isn't always the best timing. Insurers tend to see recent DUIs as major red flags, so immediately switching might not yield the savings you'd hope for. Instead, I'd suggest sticking with your current insurer initially (assuming they're not hiking your rates sky-high), then reevaluating around renewal time or after about six months to a year. At that point, the DUI isn't brand new anymore, and you've had some time to demonstrate responsible driving habits again. The defensive driving course can definitely help then too—just don't expect miracles right out of the gate. Patience and timing can often be just as important as effort when it comes to lowering those premiums...
