Alaska Auto Insurance After DUI
Reader’s Question:
Will my current auto insurance here in Alaska increase immediately after I get convicted for DUI? How long would I have to pay those higher auto insurance rates?
Galen
Anchorage, AK
Unless your auto insurance policy in Alaska is already up for renewal, your premiums will not increase immediately after a DUI conviction. In general, an auto insurance company runs a check on your motor vehicle record (MVR) if they are renewing your auto insurance policy or if you are a new customer. Once your auto insurance provider notices your DUI, it’s the time that your premiums will increase. Depending on the state laws and the rating systems of the auto insurance companies, your premiums will be affected for a period of three, five or seven years, or as long as the conviction is on your Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) record if the insurance laws in Alaska allow it.
Because of a DUI conviction, auto insurance premiums are likely to increase substantially and you will be considered as a high risk driver by auto insurance companies. On average and depending on the guidelines of your auto insurance provider, the increase on your premiums is 30%.
Your DUI would have a negative effect on your auto insurance as you will be placed in a higher risk group and your rates could stay higher on a number of years after your conviction. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it because you can still shop and compare auto insurance quotes to find the most manageable rates.
Do Auto Insurance Companies in Alaska Check My Credit Report?
Reader’s Question:
I was applying for auto insurance in Alaska and I was surprised to find out that my credit history actually affects my auto insurance premiums. Why is this so? What has credit reports actually have to do with auto insurance?
Isabelle
Anchorage, AK
It may not make sense to you or to any of us to connect credit report, particularly bad credits with higher auto insurance premiums. But, this is a general precaution insurers in Alaska undertake, believing that there is correlation between bad credit and auto insurance. Chances are, if you were not disciplined enough to manage your credits well, you may also be a reckless driver on the road, thereby increasing the risk of insuring your vehicle and you, and therefore ultimately resulting to higher auto insurance premiums. This is why it is ideal to maintain good credit reports so that your records will be clean whenever someone asks for it.
To fix your bad credit, you will have to increase the amount of money you direct to your creditors. A lot of discipline and some sacrifices is necessary but the reward will be fulfilling so there’s something to look forward to. The other option will be to look for a credit consolidation company who will be willing to fix your bad credit for you. Now it does not end there, you have to make sure that you are now paying the consolidation company regularly.