Can getting a seatbelt ticket raise your rates?
As a driver, you know that receiving a moving violation, such as a speeding ticket, will impact your car insurance. But what happens if you are ticketed for something like not wearing your seatbelt? Here is what you need to know about seatbelt violations and your auto coverage.
Receiving a Seatbelt Ticket
Drivers get seatbelt tickets when they drive without wearing their seatbelt. Oftentimes, seatbelt tickets are considered a conditional violation, which means you will not get pulled over for not wearing your seatbelt. However, if you are pulled over for another reason and the officer sees that your seatbelt is not secured, then they will issue you another ticket for the seatbelt violation.
How the Different States Treat Seatbelt Violations
Some states treat seatbelt violations as non-moving violations. This means that they are on the same level as a parking ticket. The following states handle seatbelt tickets in this manner,
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Delaware
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Utah
- Wyoming
It’s also important to know that states issue seatbelt tickets differently. For instance, some states will issue a ticket to the driver if one of their passengers is not wearing their seatbelt. In other states, the passenger will receive the violation.
Seatbelt Tickets and Auto Insurance
If you receive a seatbelt ticket in the aforementioned states, then it will not affect your car insurance costs. Even in other states, seatbelt violations are considered minor infractions. This means that they won’t cause a major uptick in your auto insurance rates. Typically, seatbelt tickets will not increase your rates by more than 3%. To put this increase into context, a major moving violation suck as a reckless driving ticket can increase your rates by over 20%. (This means that, if you are paying $500 a year for car insurance, then a seatbelt ticket may increase your annual rate to $515.)
This is how seatbelt tickets affect your auto insurance. Do you have more questions regarding your car coverage? If so, then contact the experts at Phocus Insurance in Phoenix, Arizona. We are ready to assist you with all your insurance needs today.
