How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in Arizona

On average, having a speeding ticket on your record will raise your car insurance in Arizona by 28 percent. See below for how much a ticket could affect your insurance rate with various companies.

Note that these are average car insurance costs; actual premiums are slightly different based on your ZIP code, credit score, previous driving record and other factors that affect insurance costs.

If you receive a speeding ticket and it’s on your record, it will raise your car insurance rate by some amount. However, not every traffic ticket will increase your insurance costs, as you may be able to avoid the state adding it to your record — more on this later.

Take a Defensive Driving Course

We’ll go into more detail about the specifics below, but with some speeding violations, you can avoid insurance rate hikes altogether by taking a state-approved defensive driving course. If you’re eligible, taking a defensive driving course not only means you won’t have to pay the speeding ticket’s fine but also that the violation won’t go on your record. If the violation isn’t on your driving record, your car insurance rates won’t increase at all. However, this isn’t an option for everybody and it’s only available for one penalty. Those with bad driving records and multiple violations won’t be eligible.

Get Minimum Coverage

The cheapest option for any driver, whether you have a speeding ticket on your record or not, is to get only the minimum coverage the state requires, which in Arizona is liability coverage in the following amounts.

• Bodily injury liability per person: $25,000
• Bodily injury liability per accident: $50,000
• Property damage liability per accident: $15,000¹

In 2020, the average annual cost of liability coverage in Arizona was only $647 — $395 less than full coverage car insurance.² That said, liability coverage only applies to the other party’s medical costs and property damages, not those of you or your passengers. Saving money on your premium may mean paying more down the line if you get into an accident. Other less extreme options for saving money include dropping add-ons like roadside assistance or lowering the limits on your existing coverages.

Apply Discounts

Every car insurance company offers insurance discounts in some form, including for actions like:

• Bundling home and auto insurance
• Enrolling in usage-based insurance that tracks your mileage and driving behaviors
• Installing anti-theft equipment in your car
• Taking a driver’s education course

Ask your agent or broker how you can save.

Increase Your Deductible

If you have comprehensive and collision coverage, you’ll have to pay a deductible, a dollar amount you set with your insurance agent, before the company will contribute financially toward any losses. One way to lower your car insurance costs is to increase the size of your deductible, but make sure you can pay the higher amount tomorrow in the event you incur property damages. If you can’t pay your deductible, your coverage becomes useless.

Penalties for speeding on public or interstate highways fall to the state government while the consequences for speeding on local roads are up to the municipality.

Public Highways

The speed limits on Arizona’s public highways are 30 mph outside of urban areas and 40 mph in urban areas. However, if you speed less than 10 mph over the limit, you won’t receive a license suspension, revocation or record of judgment. That means insurance companies can’t charge you higher premiums for this civil traffic violation. Rather, you’ll only face a civil penalty: a $15 fine plus surcharges.³

You have three major options after getting a speeding ticket.

Deny Responsibility

First, you can deny responsibility and request a hearing, either by mail or by appearing in court on your scheduled date. You’ll have to pay the assigned penalty before the court date regardless, but at the hearing, the judge will hear from both you and the officer who issued the citation. Note that if you choose this option, you won’t be able to attend driving school instead of paying your fine, even if you’re found responsible.

Admit Responsibility

The easiest option is to admit responsibility and pay the fine, which you can do using the following payment methods.

Note that with this option, your insurance rates may increase, as the violation will go on your driving record.

Attend Defensive Driving School

As an alternative to paying the fine, you can attend defensive driving school before your scheduled court date. Then, unless you’re under 18, you won’t have to appear in court. This is the best option, as the violation won’t appear on your driving record or be reported to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). Classes are offered in person or online. You are eligible if:

• Your violation didn’t result in a serious injury and/or death.
• You haven’t attended a defensive driving diversion course in Arizona in the past year for a violation that occurred in the previous year.

Arizona differentiates civil violations from criminal violations. Below are some examples of moving violations that fall under each category. Committing any of these could affect your insurance rates.

Civil Violations

• Running a stoplight
• Making an illegal turn
• Crossing the street illegally
• Violating a parking meter⁴

Criminal Violations

• Driving on a suspended license
• Driving under the influence
• Driving without insurance
• Reckless endangerment
• Speeding in a school zone
• Vehicular manslaughter⁵

While Arizona won’t punish you for driving 10 mph over the speed limit on public and interstate highways, we always recommend going at or under the speed limit for the safety of you, your passengers and other drivers on the road. Learn more about speeding in Arizona with our frequently asked questions (FAQs) below.