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Reader Question: My Ticket Was Six Months Ago but My Renewal Didn't Change
A reader expected a surcharge and did not get one—was it forgiven?
By Chloe Martin · Staff Writer
Published
Answer in brief
Possibly forgiven as a first minor violation, possibly not yet pulled. She asked; the insurer confirmed it waives one minor violation in three years for long-tenured customers. Worth asking, and worth knowing a new insurer would see it.
"I got a 14-over ticket in March. My July renewal was the same price. Did they miss it?" — reader in Utah
Two explanations: the insurer waives a first minor violation, or it did not pull the record this cycle. She called and learned the first applied—one minor violation in three years is not surcharged for customers with five or more years' tenure. The practical lesson: a waived ticket is a reason to stay put until it ages out, since a competitor would see it on the record. See first ticket and how insurers find out.
Guides referenced in this post
Guide
Your First Speeding Ticket and Insurance
What to expect after a first speeding ticket—whether insurers surcharge it, what to do before paying, traffic school, and how to minimise the effect.
Guide
When and How Your Insurer Finds Out About a Ticket
Insurers pull driving records at renewal and quoting, not daily. How that timing works, whether you must disclose, and what happens if a ticket is missed.