Yeah, totally get what you're saying about defensive driving classes. I haven't had a DUI myself (knock on wood), but my cousin did, and he said the insurance spike was pretty rough here in Idaho too. He mentioned something about SR-22 forms being required for a while—did you have to deal with that? Seems like another headache on top of everything else. Glad to hear it eases up eventually though... gives me hope if I ever mess up, haha.
"He mentioned something about SR-22 forms being required for a while—did you have to deal with that?"
Yeah, my brother went through the whole SR-22 thing here in Idaho and he said it was a pain—insurance went through the roof for a bit. Curious if anyone knows whether certain luxury brands get hit harder on premiums after a DUI...
From what I've seen, the luxury brand itself doesn't necessarily spike premiums more after a DUI—it's more about the car's performance and repair costs. A friend of mine drives an older BMW sedan, nothing flashy, but after his DUI, his rates jumped similarly to another buddy who has a newer Honda Accord. Insurers mostly care about risk factors like horsepower, safety ratings, and repair expenses rather than just brand prestige...
Yeah, that matches what I've been finding out too. When I was shopping around for my first policy, I asked the agent specifically about DUIs (just being cautious, you know...). They explained step-by-step that insurers mainly look at how risky the car is to insure—like horsepower, accident stats, and repair costs—not just the brand name. So even a modest car can see a big jump after a DUI, unfortunately. Seems like it's more about the driver risk than anything else.
- You're spot on about insurers focusing heavily on driver risk rather than just the car itself.
- Unfortunately, DUIs typically trigger a significant premium increase—often 50% or more in Idaho.
- Good news is, rates usually improve gradually if you maintain a clean record afterward...hang in there.
