A speeding ticket raises car insurance rates by about 26% on average nationwide, or nearly $507 a year, and by about 18% in Missouri, according to Forbes Advisor’s 2025 analysis of Quadrant Information Services rate data. The size of the increase depends on the violation, the insurance company, and your driving history, and it can last 3 to 5 years.
This post explains how big the increase is, which violations raise rates the most, how long the increase lasts, and how a ticket amended to a non-moving, no-point infraction can keep the conviction off the record your insurance company sees.
How Much Does a Speeding Ticket Increase Your Insurance Rates?
A speeding ticket increases your insurance rates by 26% on average nationwide, or nearly $507 more a year, according to Forbes Advisor’s 2025 analysis. That analysis used Quadrant Information Services rates for large insurance companies and a policy with 100/300/100 liability coverage plus collision and comprehensive.
The same Forbes Advisor study found that the average increase for Missouri drivers was 18%, on an average annual rate of $2,866 for a driver with a speeding ticket. Texas had the lowest state average at 13% and Michigan the highest at 54%, so where you live changes the number a great deal.
These are averages, and your own increase can be higher or lower. Your insurance company will usually apply it when your policy renews, because that is when it checks your driving record. A ticket reduced by a speeding ticket lawyer to a non-moving, no-point infraction is a possible way to avoid that conviction.
How Much Do Rates Vary by Insurance Company?
The increase after a speeding ticket varies widely by insurance company, from 12% to 39% in the same Forbes Advisor study. State Farm had the lowest average increase at 12%, Allstate came in at 14%, Progressive at 29%, and Nationwide at 31%, while Mercury had the highest at 39%.
That spread matters because two drivers with the same ticket can pay very different amounts. Other factors that affect the cost of your car insurance include:
- your age,
- your marital status,
- what state you live in,
- how long you’ve been with your insurance company,
- how many miles over the limit you were driving, and
- whether you have other tickets or at-fault accidents on your record.
Which Traffic Tickets Raise Insurance Rates the Most?
DUI and reckless driving raise insurance rates the most, and speeding comes next, with the increase growing as the speed over the limit grows. An InsuranceQuotes.com nationwide analysis published in 2014 ranked these convictions by the average increase in premium:
| Conviction | Average Increase (2014 Study) |
|---|---|
| DUI | 93% |
| Reckless driving | 82% |
| Speeding 31+ mph over the limit | 30% |
| Speeding 16-30 mph over the limit | 28% |
| Careless driving | 27% |
| Speeding 1-15 mph over the limit | 21% |
| Failure to stop | 19% |
| Failure to yield to pedestrians | 19% |
| Driving in a carpool lane | 18% |
Source: InsuranceQuotes.com nationwide analysis, 2014. Percentages are national averages from an older study and vary by insurance company. The 2025 Forbes Advisor figures give the current national average for speeding.
An earlier 2012 analysis by Insurance.com, which reviewed almost 500,000 insurance quotes from 14 insurance companies, found the same pattern. Reckless driving topped that list, and failure to stop, failure to yield, and a seat-belt infraction followed with smaller increases. The exact percentages from 2012 and 2014 differ, which shows how much the numbers shift with the data and the year.
Does a Missouri Speeding Ticket Raise Rates More Than Other Moving Violations?
A speeding ticket raises Missouri rates less than reckless driving or a DUI, but more than minor violations such as a seat-belt infraction. Even the lowest speeding band in the 2014 study, 1 to 15 mph over the limit, produced an average increase of 21%.
The more serious tickets are also the ones that carry the most points and the biggest legal risk. Careless and imprudent (C&I) driving is 2 points in both municipal and state court, and speeding is 2 points in municipal court and 3 in state court. Andrea Rogers defends serious traffic offenses such as reckless driving and leaving the scene, where a conviction can raise insurance rates more than a simple speeding ticket.
How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Raise Your Insurance Rates?
A speeding ticket can raise your insurance rates for 3 to 5 years, depending on your state and your insurance company. Forbes Advisor reports that traffic violations can stay on your record for 3 to 5 years, and that some insurance companies reduce the surcharge for each year you drive without another violation or an at-fault accident.
The insurance increase and the Missouri points system run on separate clocks. Points on your Missouri driving record drop by 1/3 after 1 year, by 1/2 of the rest after 2 years, and to 0 after 3 clean years. Most convictions stay on the record for 3 years, and a conviction that caused a suspension stays 5 years after reinstatement. The reckless driving record post explains how long that conviction stays.
Do Points Matter as Much as the Insurance Increase?
Points matter because they can lead to a license suspension on top of the higher insurance cost. When you plead guilty and pay the fine for a speeding ticket or other moving violation, points are added to your driving record. If you accumulate too many points within a certain period of time, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked.
- 12 points within 12 months causes your license to be revoked for 1 year.
- 8 points within 18 months causes your license to be suspended for 30 days, if it’s your first suspension.
The full list of what each ticket costs in points is in the Missouri traffic ticket points post.
How Can You Keep a Ticket From Raising Your Insurance Rates?
You can often keep a ticket from raising your insurance rates by getting it amended to a non-moving, no-point infraction before you plead guilty. Paying the fine is a guilty plea, so the conviction goes on your record and your insurance company can see it. An amendment to a violation such as “Illegal Parking” does not add points to your driving record.
Andrea handles traffic ticket cases in municipal courts around St. Louis, and a lawyer can often get most traffic violations reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, even if an accident was involved. The fine on an amended ticket can be higher than the fine on a guilty plea, but in many cases you won’t have to appear in court. Whether a particular ticket can be amended depends on the charge, the court, and the Prosecutor.
Commercial drivers have even more at stake, because points can lead to a CDL suspension or downgrade. Andrea helps CDL drivers with speeding tickets and other violations that threaten a commercial license.
Is It Worth Hiring a Lawyer to Avoid the Increase?
Hiring a lawyer can be worth it when the insurance increase over 3 to 5 years is larger than the cost of the ticket and the lawyer. At the Forbes Advisor averages, a Missouri increase of 18% on a $2,866 annual rate adds up each year the ticket stays on your record. The worth hiring a lawyer post compares the costs in more detail.
If your license is at risk, the stakes are higher. A ticket that is amended before a guilty plea can help you avoid the points that lead to a suspension. The post on getting speeding tickets fixed explains how that works.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does Insurance Go Up for a First Speeding Ticket?
Insurance goes up by about 26% on average for a speeding ticket nationwide, or nearly $507 a year, and by about 18% in Missouri, according to Forbes Advisor’s 2025 analysis. Some insurance companies forgive a first minor violation, and Forbes names Farmers and Travelers as examples, so ask your insurance company about its policy.
How Long Will a Speeding Ticket Affect My Insurance?
A speeding ticket will affect your insurance for 3 to 5 years, depending on your state and insurance company, according to Forbes Advisor. Some insurance companies lower the surcharge each year you stay clear of other violations.
When Does the Insurance Increase Start?
The insurance increase starts when your policy renews or when you buy a new policy. That is when the insurance company checks your driving record and sees the ticket, according to Forbes Advisor.
Which Ticket Raises Insurance the Most?
A DUI raises insurance the most, followed by reckless driving, in the 2014 InsuranceQuotes.com analysis, at 93% and 82% on average. Speeding of 31 mph or more over the limit raised rates by an average of 30% in the same study.
Does a Ticket That Is Dismissed or Amended Raise Insurance Rates?
A ticket that is dismissed does not go on your driving record, so it should not raise your insurance rates. Forbes Advisor makes the same point about a contested ticket. An amendment to a non-moving, no-point infraction does not add points, and it is possible for it to keep the moving violation off the record your insurance company sees.
The Bottom Line
A speeding ticket can raise your Missouri insurance rates by about 18% a year for 3 to 5 years, and more serious tickets such as reckless driving and a DUI can raise them far more. Getting a ticket amended to a non-moving, no-point violation is possible in many cases and is the best way to keep the conviction off your record before you plead guilty.
Andrea handles every call and every case personally. She offers a free consultation with a flat fee price quote up front. She can also give you an estimate of the fines and court costs. Call her at (314) 724-5059 or reach out to The Rogers Law Firm to talk through your ticket.
You can see how the price quote works on the pricing page.
