Posted by duijim in on September 26, 2018
The Georgia State patrol reports that a mother now faces charges or running from law enforcement while her children were unrestrained in the vehicle. A Georgia law enforcement officer was sitting in his vehicle along Interstate 85 when the woman drove past erratically. The officer attempted to pull the woman’s vehicle over under suspicion of DUI, but she kept going, which led to a chase.
The chase took the police through off-interstate streets, with the woman driving through red traffic lights and twice crossing over into to opposing lanes of traffic. Eventually, the law enforcement officer performed a maneuver that pushed the driver off the side of the road. The woman was injured in the resulting accident and subsequently taken to a nearby medical facility. Fortunately, her two young children were not injured in the accident.
While the driver in this case did not have insurance, but if she had, this incident could greatly impact her monthly premium costs. One of the most common questions asked by people who have been charged with driving intoxicated is how the charges will impact their insurance.
How a DUI Will Impact Your Insurance
It is important to understand that automobile insurance policies are a contractual agreement in which a company agrees to insure a driver at a certain rate for a specific period of time. If your rates will increase, insurance companies are required to provide you with notice about when this increase will occur. After being convicted of a DUI, you or an experienced attorney can contact your insurance carrier to determine what effect this charge or a guilty plea will have on your insurance rates.
How Insurance Companies Treat DUI Convictions
How insurance companies treat a drunk driving conviction with regards to motor vehicle insurance rates depends on the severity of the offense involved. Additionally, the severity of a drunk driving conviction also influences the amount by which your motor vehicle insurance rate increases. As a result, you can expect felony convictions to increase your insurance rate more than misdemeanor offenses. The reason behind this increase is that if an insurance company will continue charging you at a higher risk, it often wants to receive a higher premium in return.
The Importance of SR-22s
SR-22s are insurance documents required by many states for high-risk drivers, which include individuals who are convicted of driving under the influence. Sometimes, these forms are referred to as financial responsibility certificates because they guarantee that a driver will be able to pay future claims. A driver’s insurance company proceeds to file an SR-22 with the appropriate state department. Even drivers who are convicted of DUIs and do not own vehicles are sometimes required to purchase SR-22 forms.
Contact a Skilled DUI Attorney
If you are facing a DUI conviction, you likely have many questions including how this will affect your insurance rates. Sometimes, a skilled attorney can even help you plea to a lesser charge which will result in less substantial insurance rates increases. Do not hesitate to contact an experienced attorney at Yeargan & Kert LLC today to schedule an initial free consultation.