Totally agree with most of your points, especially shopping around. When my older brother got a DUI a few years back, he was pretty shocked at how much his insurance jumped. He was a student at the time, so money was already tight, and suddenly he was looking at premiums that were almost triple what he’d been paying before. Brutal.
Anyway, he did exactly what you suggested—took a defensive driving course right away. It wasn't cheap, but it definitely helped. He also voluntarily installed an ignition interlock device. Honestly, he hated that thing at first (said it was embarrassing when friends were in the car), but after a while, he got used to it. And yeah, insurers seemed to appreciate the gesture.
One thing I'd add from his experience is to check if your insurer offers any kind of telematics or safe-driving apps. My brother signed up for one through his insurance company—it tracked his driving habits like braking, speed, and mileage. Felt a bit invasive at first, but it actually lowered his rates faster than expected because it showed he was driving responsibly again. Might be worth looking into if you're comfortable with that sort of thing.
I do slightly disagree about minor speeding tickets resetting the clock completely though... I mean, yeah, they definitely don't help your case, but my brother got one minor ticket about two years after his DUI and it didn't totally wreck his progress. His rates didn't drop as quickly as he'd hoped that year, but it wasn't like starting from scratch either. Still, better safe than sorry—keeping your record clean is obviously ideal.
Overall though, you're spot-on about insurers being all about risk assessment. It sucks having to jump through hoops to prove yourself again, but it's doable. My brother's rates eventually went back down to something manageable after about three years of careful driving and proactive steps. Hang in there—it feels endless now, but it'll pass quicker than you think.
Yeah, telematics can be a lifesaver for sure, though I get why some folks feel weird about being tracked. Did your brother notice any specific driving habits that helped lower his rates quicker, like braking smoother or driving fewer miles? Curious how detailed insurers get with that stuff...
"Did your brother notice any specific driving habits that helped lower his rates quicker, like braking smoother or driving fewer miles?"
From what I've seen, insurers definitely pay attention to smooth braking and acceleration, but mileage seems to be a big factor too. Has anyone noticed if time of day makes a difference—like driving less at night?
"Has anyone noticed if time of day makes a difference—like driving less at night?"
Funny you mention this... I used to take late-night joyrides (guilty pleasure), and my rates were pretty steep. Cut them out, stuck mostly to daylight hours, and surprisingly saw a noticeable dip. Guess insurers prefer vampires off the road?
I've noticed something similar. When I switched jobs and stopped commuting home late at night, my premiums dropped a bit too. My agent mentioned insurers factor in nighttime driving as riskier—makes sense with visibility issues and more tired drivers out there. Not sure about vampires, but definitely seems like daylight driving helps keep costs down...and I'm all for saving a few bucks wherever possible.
