Vocabulary

Glossary

Definitions written for drivers with a recent speeding ticket who want to know what it will cost and how to limit it. Each term links back to the guides where it matters.

Conviction date: The date you paid, pleaded or were found guilty; starts the insurance lookback.
Conviction masking: Keeping a conviction confidential on the public driving record after traffic school, so insurers do not see it.
Defensive driving discount: An insurer discount (5–10%) for completing an approved course, separate from ticket dismissal.
Insurer points: An insurer's internal schedule for weighting violations in pricing; differs from state points.
Licence points: State-assigned values for violations used for licence discipline; insurers mostly rate on the violation itself.
Lookback period: How far back an insurer considers violations—typically three years, five for major.
Major violation: Reckless driving, very high speeds, DUI, driving while suspended; surcharged heavily, often five years.
Material misrepresentation: A false statement on an application that would have changed the insurer's decision; grounds to void coverage.
Minor violation: Insurer category for lower-speed tickets and similar offences; a first one is often not surcharged.
Motor vehicle record (MVR): Your state driving record, which insurers pull at quoting and renewal.
Moving violation: An offence committed while the vehicle is in motion—speeding, running a light, improper lane change. Rated by insurers.
Non-moving violation: Parking, equipment or paperwork offences; not rated by insurers. Some courts reduce speeding tickets to these.
Non-renewal: The insurer declining to offer a new term; common at three or more violations.
Non-standard insurer: An insurer that writes drivers with multiple violations or accidents.
Premium: The price of a policy, per six or twelve months.
Surcharge: A rate increase applied for a violation or accident, usually for three years.
Suspension threshold: The point total at which a state suspends a licence.
Telematics: App or device-based pricing on actual driving; can offset a record.
Traffic school: A court-approved course that, in many states, masks a minor conviction from your record.