Chances are, once you get a conviction for driving under the influence in Pennsylvania on your driving record, you hope to start putting your past behind you as soon as possible. For several reasons, though, you may find putting your conviction in your past particularly difficult. You may, too, find that the financial repercussions associated with your crime continue to haunt you long after your day in court.
As you may be well aware, a drunk driving conviction can cost you a substantial amount of money when all is said and done. This typically holds true regardless of whether you are a first-time offender or a repeat one. Pennsylvania DUI fines can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to as much as $10,000, depending on the severity of the offense and your prior record. Also, you may have to pay to install and maintain an ignition interlock device on your vehicle if you have driven while drunk in the past, adding hundreds more in ongoing costs.
Insurance implications of a DUI conviction
While Pennsylvania DUI penalties including fines and ignition interlock requirements can make a serious dent in your wallet, Insure.com attests that you can also expect to have to pay notably more for automotive insurance once you start driving again after a drunk driving conviction. Just how much more may you have to fork over to your insurance provider each year in exchange for coverage?
A significant increase in insurance rates
Pennsylvania motorists convicted for driving under the influence can count on watching their insurance premiums spike significantly in the wake of a DUI. If your driving record was otherwise pretty average before your arrest, you may have paid approximately $2,213 to $2,428 annually for full coverage automotive insurance. After your DUI, though, you can anticipate paying roughly $2,844 to $5,018 per year for full coverage insurance, representing an increase of anywhere from roughly $548 to over $2,500 per year depending on the insurer and coverage type. This automotive insurance DUI increase can persist for three to five years or longer, compounding the financial burden of a drunk driving conviction.
Paying substantially more to insure yourself can be tough, but in some cases, so, too, can finding an insurer who will cover you at all once you drink and drive. Your current insurer may choose not to cover you anymore, in which case you may need to go back to the drawing board to find a provider willing to work with you. Working with an experienced Pennsylvania DUI attorney can help you understand the full scope of consequences and explore options for criminal defense that may minimize these long-term impacts.