Is it true that even if you haven’t had an accident, just one ticket can bump you into high-risk?
Honestly, one ticket usually won’t put you in the “high-risk” pool unless it’s something major, like reckless driving. Most carriers just ding you a bit on your rate for minor stuff, but if you rack up a couple tickets, yeah, that’s when it gets ugly. About local companies—sometimes they do have better rates, but I’ve found it’s more about what discounts they offer and how much personal help you want. Did you check if those local spots have accident forgiveness or anything like that?
Yeah, I got a ticket for rolling a stop sign a couple years ago and my rate barely budged. It’s when you start collecting tickets like Pokémon cards that things get rough. Discounts really make a difference—military, safe driver, whatever you can stack. Local companies sometimes surprise you, but I’ve seen some just as pricey as the big guys.
I get where you’re coming from about tickets not making a huge difference at first, but I’ve actually seen rates jump after just one. Maybe it depends on the company or even the state? My cousin got dinged for a stop sign and her premium went up like $20 a month, which adds up over time. It kinda made me paranoid about getting even a minor ticket.
I do agree with you on the discounts though—those really help. The safe driver one is my favorite, but I’ve noticed some companies quietly drop it if you get a ticket, even if your rate doesn’t spike right away. And yeah, local companies can be hit or miss. I tried one that was supposed to be super affordable, but their quote was higher than my old national plan. Guess it pays to shop around every couple years... you never really know who’s gonna give you the best deal.
