How to Tell If You're Going to Be Considered "High Risk" by Your Arizona Car Insurance Company

How to Tell If You're Going to Be Considered "High Risk" by Your Arizona Car Insurance Company

Young drivers are always considered high risk. Are you?

Did you know that a single infraction on your driving record is going to have an effect on your ability to get cheap car insurance? Not in a good way either. It doesn't take much to put you on the "Riskiest Drivers" list at most Arizona car insurance companies, and if you've ever spent time out on Interstate 40 you know how easy it is to be involved in an accident or pick up a speeding ticket despite your best intentions.

It's important to know whether your Arizona car insurance provider is going to view you as high risk or not, since some companies are more risk friendly than others. Here's a sneak peek at what it takes to get on insurance's most wanted and what you have to do to get off.

Arizona's Riskiest Drivers:

1) Teen Drivers: It doesn't matter how good a driver you are (or think you are), if you've been behind the wheel of a car for less than five years you're still learning. Young drivers are exponentially more likely to be involved in a car accident and need to file a car insurance claim that drivers with five to ten years or more behind the wheel.

Teens, give it time-and keep your nose clean. Obey the speed limit, no matter what the car next to you is doing, and try to resist the urge to show off a little when you're out on those dirt roads. If you can keep your driving record clean your car insurance rates are going to plummet after your 25^th birthday. All you have to do is be patient.

2) If You've Been in an Accident that you caused your insurance rates are going to go flying. Accidents resulting from lousy weather are usually considered to be your fault, although your insurer's policies on that may vary. Regardless, if you've been in one accident your insurance rates are going to fly, two or more are going to send you climbing up into the danger zone.

3) If You've Been Convicted of a Traffic Violation you're going to be considered a risk-period. Any Arizona car insurance company you work with is going to look at a traffic violation conviction on your record as being your fault. After all, if it wasn't the judge would have thrown it out, right? It's hard to resist the urge to do 80 down the Interstate, but try. Convictions like reckless endangerment look bad on your driving record anyway, but they can do horrible things to your car insurance rates.

4) If You've Been Convicted of a DUI/DWI you're going to go on a high risk list, no questions asked. Most DUIs stay on your record for seven years, so keep your nose clean. The good news is that after seven years it gets wiped off your driving record and you get a chance to start all over again.

The same can't be said about your criminal record, so the best thing you could possibly do for yourself would be to hand over your keys before getting behind the wheel.

5) If You're Cruising Behind the Wheel of a Souped Up Camaro your Arizona car insurance provider is going to assume that you're not going to be able to resist the urge to show off what your baby can do. Certain types of cars just can't seem to keep themselves out of trouble, no matter how hard you try, and that type of car is going to drag you down with them.

The good news is that the fiscal impact this is going to have on your insurance rates is going to be pretty small as long as you don't prove them right.

Being considered a high risk driver from one side of Arizona to the other is a pain. Not to mention expensive. The best thing you can do for both yourself and your checkbook is to keep your nose clean, follow the rules of the road and avoid giving your insurer the ammunition they need to put you on their own private list of Arizona's Most Wanted.