I am only eighteen years old and I receive a DUI in Scranton, Pennsylvania, I went through the ARD program and I would like to know if my auto insurance will go up at all?

Charles

Scranton, PA

In Pennsylvania they permit for an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) for 1st offense of DUI. When a DUI offender is accepted into an ARD program the state suspends their charges however they are required that certain court ordered conditions are met. These conditions may include community service, drug and alcohol counseling, etc.

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department states that if you are convicted of an alcohol related violation such as DUI in Scranton, Pennsylvania, whether or not you complete an ARD program, your license will be suspended. This alone is a valid reason for insurance providers to increase rates, non-renew or cancel your insurance policy.

Living a life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania can be so demanding. Maybe that’s just for me because I’m getting ready to buy my teenage daughter her own car. But, of course, I would also have to worry about the auto insurance. What cars for teens would be the best for low insurance rates?

Emily

Philadelphia, PA

In general, the less expensive a vehicle is to purchase, the less costly it is to insure. Typically, vehicles that have high horsepower, high dollar or expensive to repair are the most expensive to insure. Higher horsepower cars are statistically favored by risky drivers that would likely drive the car faster and get into more accidents. That would send insurance rates to go up for everyone who owns a similar car.

Your insurance company might charge you higher rates if the car that you will buy for your daughter is popular target for thieves. Insurance companies feel there is a higher risk for it to be stolen and parts might be in higher demand, thus, would cost more. It would also likely cost more to fix after a collision if it is a high-priced car. This can actually cause insurance to be higher on that type of car. You can get quotes for each car that you are interested in buying for your daughter to find out which one is cheaper to insure. I’m confident enough to say that you can always get an online rate quote for great car insurance in Pennsylvania from this site.

I am under 18 and I receive a DUI in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. If I go through the ARD program, will my car insurance go up at all?

John

Philadelphia, PA

They permit for an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) for first time DUI offenders in Pennsylvania. When a DUI offender is accepted into an ARD program the state will then suspends their charges however they will require that certain court ordered conditions are met. These conditions may include community service, drug and alcohol counseling, etc. In addition to a probationary program the ARD program requires a period of supervision.

The ARD is a one-time alternative to a conviction, trial, and possible mandatory jail sentence for the conviction of driving under the influence in Pennsylvania. There is a $500 processing fee and you can expect to pay a fine, a fee for alcohol safe driving class, court costs,and a probation supervision fee.

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department states that if you are convicted of a DUI, whether or not you complete an ARD program, your license will be revoked or suspended. This alone is a valid reason for insurance providers to increase insurance rates, cancel or non-renew your policy.

A: I can’t say without seeing more information if you will see a rare raise when you begin to file your SR22 form certificate, but I can tell you that most people do see a raise, and that it’s even a possibility which you shouldn’t rule out that your car insurance policy will be completely canceled or your company will decide not to renew it.

There are a couple of instances which might allow you to escape this common pattern. If you have a long history as a customer with your car insurance company, then beginning to file an SR22 form certificate might not have any effect at all. Many companies will allow forgiveness for a first time offense, from things such as traffic tickets to at fault accidents. An SR22 is a little more serious than these, so it would be harder to be forgiven, but some companies do this.

Also, if you have an impeccable driving record and find yourself in what is called the preferred class of car insurance policy holders, then your insurance company may be reluctant to knock you out of that class. Even if you do, your rates might not rise terribly because you will likely become part of the average class rather than the extremely high risk one which most people who file the S22 form certificate are part of.