What happens to your insurance rates if you receive a ticket?

When you receive a ticket, your insurance rates may increase due to the perceived higher risk associated with your driving behavior. Insurance companies assess risk based on various factors, including driving history. A ticket typically indicates that you have violated traffic laws, which could suggest a higher likelihood of future accidents or claims. As a result, insurers may adjust your premiums upward to reflect this increased risk level.

In contrast, it is not true that rates may decrease due to good behavior following a ticket, as such a decrease typically requires a longer period of safe driving or completion of driver improvement courses. Moreover, insurance rates do not remain unchanged regardless of tickets; any record of violations is taken into account. While safety courses can lead to lower rates, it is misleading to say that rates can only decrease this way, as other factors like a clean driving record can also lead to reductions over time.