When New Hampshire authorities charge you with driving while intoxicated and you wind up with a conviction, know that your wallet may take a hit on the days and months to come. Even if it is your first time facing a drunk driving charge, you may have to pay big fines in addition to jail and court fees, towing costs and other expenses relating to the incident. When you do drive again, you may also have to budget more for auto insurance, because it almost always goes up following a drunk driving conviction.
How much more might you have to pay for car insurance coverage once you have a DWI? Insure.com reports that the average New Hampshire motorist who receives a first-time DWI sees his or her insurance rates increase by more than 60%.
A notable insurance increase
If your driving history was like that of the average New Hampshire motorist, your insurance might have cost you about $1,156 per year before your drunk driving conviction. After, though, you are looking at paying more like $1,858 a year for auto insurance coverage, which amounts to a yearly difference of $702.
The importance of shopping around
Sometimes, your current insurance provider may cancel your policy after a DWI, or it may raise your rates to an unreasonable level. Consider contacting several different insurance providers for quotes when this happens because they all use different methods and variables when deciding how much to charge you.
Statistics show that, in 55% of cases, motorists find that their current insurance providers offer the lowest rates after a drunk driving conviction. In 45% of cases, other providers offer more favorable rates.
