How a speeding ticket impacts your insurance in Texas

For many Texas drivers, paying a speeding ticket won’t break the bank. However, getting a moving violation can increase your car insurance premium for several years. Texans pay an average of $2,019 per year for full coverage and $565 for minimum coverage, but average rates climb to $2,187 per year for full coverage and $618 for minimum coverage after a speeding conviction. Bankrate is here to help you make sense of a speeding ticket’s impact on your insurance in the Lone Star State.

How much is a speeding ticket in Texas?

Fine amounts for speeding vary by county in the state of Texas. Some locations, like Travis County, charge $10 per mile per hour over the speed limit, while others charge flat fees. Regardless of where you are driving in Texas, speeding in a school zone or construction zone with workers present will double or triple the amount you are fined.

While your exact fine and penalties depend on the specifics of your ticket, expect to pay at least $130 to $300 for speeding in Texas. The faster you’re going, the more you’ll likely pay. If you choose to go to court and contest the charge, you may be required to pay court fees — even if you’re found not guilty.

Texas also has a point system with two points assessed per conviction or three if an accident is involved. If you accrue six or more points on your driving record in a year, you will have to pay a $100 surcharge for three years and $25 for each additional point.

How much does a speeding ticket increase your car insurance in Texas?

Not only does a speeding ticket conviction come with fines and potential points plus surcharge fees, but you may also see your car insurance premiums increase. While the average cost of car insurance in Texas for drivers with a clean driving record is $2,019 per year for full coverage, this increases to $2,187 per year after a speeding ticket.

In general, males typically pay higher insurance premiums than females because males are statistically proven to engage in riskier behaviors behind the wheel. However, the difference in average premiums by gender before and after a speeding ticket conviction in Texas is negligible.

Note that drivers in Texas may see even higher increases in premiums post-ticket if you currently have a good driving discount applied to your car insurance policy. The discount would be removed due to the speeding ticket conviction, resulting in an even higher premium after the speeding ticket surcharge is assessed.

How to lower your car insurance after a speeding ticket in Texas

Fortunately, there are several ways to potentially lower the cost of car insurance — no matter your driving record. Here are a few tactics worth trying.

Get quotes from other car insurance companies

Because each car insurance company uses a unique rating structure, Texas drivers may be able to offset auto insurance increases by shopping around and comparing quotes. Based on Bankrate’s study of quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services, State Farm and Geico offer some of the cheapest rates for drivers after a speeding ticket in TX.

However, keep in mind that your actual rates may vary. Requesting quotes from multiple carriers will help determine which are the cheapest options for you. You may also want to consider aspects beyond price, like a carrier’s financial strength, customer reviews, claims satisfaction, coverage options and discount opportunities.

*Premiums are average annual full coverage premiums for 40-year-olds

Look for discounts

If you’d rather stick with your current car insurance company, ask an agent if there are any discounts you aren’t currently taking advantage of that you might qualify for. Additionally, if you are a homeowner or renter but don’t have your home or renters insurance with the same company, consider bundling your policies. The savings may be substantial and could help offset your premium increase after getting a traffic ticket in Texas.

In addition to bundling policies, here are a few more ways you might be able to save:

• Earn a discount for taking a qualified defensive driving course
• Get a discount for enrolling and participating in your provider’s telematics program
• Purchase insurance for multiple vehicles from the same provider to save on your total insurance costs
• Maintain good grades to earn a good student discount if you’re in high school or college

Frequently asked questions

• • What is the best car insurance company for drivers with speeding tickets?

    The best car insurance company for Texas drivers with speeding tickets will vary. Your driving history, the make and model of the vehicle you drive, where you live in Texas and other factors all affect your car insurance rate. If you get a speeding ticket conviction in Texas, consider shopping with other auto insurance companies to compare quotes and find the best rate.

  • Do I have to tell my insurance company about a speeding ticket?

    No, you’re not legally required to inform your insurance provider about a moving violation. They will find out about it, however, when the policy comes up for renewal. At that point, you will most likely see your insurance premium go up, and you might lose some of your discounts.

  • What is the cheapest car insurance company?

    The cheapest car insurance company for you depends on several factors. Since different insurance providers weigh your driving record, age, gender, vehicle, ZIP code and more differently, it could pay to shop around and request quotes from several companies. To help you get started, Bankrate found that State Farm and Geico offer some of the lowest rates in Texas and could be worth looking into.

• Methodology

  Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits: 

  • $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
  • $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
  • $50,000 property damage liability per accident
  • $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
  • $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
  • $500 collision deductible
  • $500 comprehensive deductible

  To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually. These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), single speeding ticket. Gender: The following states do not use gender as a determining factor in calculating premiums: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania. Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile (40 years) applied. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations.