Being charged and convicted of a DUI can have serious consequences on your life. Indeed, not only will being convicted of a DUI mean a black mark on your criminal record, but you may also face jail time, fines, mandatory education and rehabilitation classes, and legal fees. What’s more, your car insurance may be impacted, too. Here’s what you should know about how getting a DUI affects your car insurance in Massachusetts, as well as how working with an experienced DUI attorney early on in the process may help you avoid the most severe of consequences.
How a DUI Can Impact Your Car Insurance
The most common way that a DUI will impact your car insurance in Massachusetts is by driving up the costs of your insurance. According to Bankrate.com, the average cost of car insurance without a DUI on your record is $1,233 per year. If a person has a DUI on their record, those costs skyrocket to an average of $2,293 annually, an increase of 87 percent.
Why Do Insurance Costs Go Up After a DUI?
When you have a DUI on your driving record, the offense will be viewable to your car insurance company. Likely, your car insurance company will now view you as a high-risk driver, which makes you more expensive to insure. In some cases, your car insurance company may drop you as a policyholder altogether—not all car insurance companies will insure drivers with DUIs on their record. If this is the case, you may have to find a new car insurance company. You may be limited in the number of companies that will offer you quotes and, as mentioned above, your costs could be quite high.
Other Financial Costs to Think About After a DUI
In addition to the high costs of car insurance—and the fact that you may struggle to find a company that’s willing to insure you—keep in mind that you’ll face other costs associated with your DUI. For a first-offense DUI in Massachusetts, a driver will face a fine of at least $500 and up to $5,000, as well as a driver’s license suspension (there is an associated fee for driver’s license reinstatement). If a driver receives a second or subsequent offense, the amount of the fee will increase each time.
Can Working with an Attorney Help Me?
If you are concerned about fees and the other consequences of being convicted of a DUI, working with an attorney early on is strongly recommended. As soon as possible after being arrested and charged with a DUI, you should call a DUI criminal defense attorney. While there is no guarantee that an attorney will be able to have the charges against you dropped or reduced, an attorney will make sure that you understand your legal options and rights, and that the case against you is fair and that your Constitutional rights aren’t breached throughout the process.
Call The Law Office of Paul R. Moraski Today
If you’re facing DUI charges, our Massachusetts criminal defense attorney is here to help you. Call The Law Office of Paul R. Moraski today for an initial consultation. You can reach us at (978) 397-0011 or online.