How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Insurance in Georgia

The cost of car insurance in Georgia increases by an average of 6 percent after you get a speeding ticket, although that percentage will vary based on how many miles per hour (mph) you were driving over the posted limit and the insurance company.

If your premiums increase after a ticket, consider shopping around to see if another provider quotes you a cheaper premium.

Although you’ll see an increase in your car insurance premium with a speeding ticket on your record, here’s how to find cheap car insurance in Georgia nevertheless.

Get Minimum Coverage

Georgia requires all its drivers to have liability coverage to pay for injuries and property damages they cause outside of their vehicles. You must get $100,000 worth of liability coverage total, which, on average, costs $1,064 annually (but keep in mind this is an average across all risk levels)². Here are the minimum limits the state requires within that $100,000 total:

• Bodily injury liability coverage per person: $25,000
• Bodily injury liability coverage per accident: $50,000
• Property damage liability coverage per accident: $25,000³

In general, you’ll find the cheapest rates in Georgia if you get minimum coverage. You’ll incur a higher premium for full coverage car insurance, but it also affords you greater financial protection in the event of an accident. It’s wise to purchase higher liability limits—around 100/300/100 or 100/300/50—if you can afford them.

Take a Driver Improvement Course

In Georgia, there is a way to get points removed from your record, which will lower your insurance premium. You can reduce up to seven points every five years by completing a certified driver improvement (defensive driver) course. See the options at https://online.dds.ga.gov/ddsgeorgiagov/locations/driver-improvement-schools.aspx.

Once you complete the course successfully, you can either bring the certificate of completion to your local Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) customer service center or mail the certificate to:

• Georgia Department of Driver Services
• P.O. Box 80447
• Conyers, Georgia 30013

Penalties for speeding in Georgia include fines, points on your driving record, and, in some cases, a license suspension.

Super Speeder Fine

While initial speeding fines differ based on where the violation occurred, wherever you are in Georgia, you may also be subject to the state’s Super Speeder fine, which applies to people driving either:

• 75 mph or higher on a two-lane road
• 85 mph or higher on all other roads

This fine is an extra $200 in addition to the local fines you’ve incurred.

You have two main options after getting a speeding ticket in Georgia: Pay it or contest it.

Pay the Ticket

The easiest way to pay the ticket is online via https://georgiacourts.gov/municipal/locate-or-pay-my-ticket/. You can pay a Super Speeder fine online at https://dds.drives.ga.gov/NewSession. To pay fines over the phone, by mail, or in person, contact your local court.

Contest the Ticket

If you wish to contest the ticket, the process will go as follows:

• Plead not guilty.
• Appear in court.
• Submit your no contest plea.
• Receive a verdict.

Speeding tickets aren’t the only violations that can affect your insurance rates. To lower your auto insurance costs, or at least not raise them, avoid the following traffic violations:

• Driving without a valid license
• Emergency vehicle violation
• Expired or no license plate/decal
• Failure to maintain insurance
• Failure to obey signs or control devices, traffic signals or lights, or flashing signals
• Following too closely
• Reckless driving
• Improper lane usage
• Improper passing on the right, hill/curve, near a bridge/tunnel, or in a no-passing zone
• No proof of insurance

On average, the increase in auto insurance premiums after a speeding ticket in Georgia is modest, at around 6 percent. USAA and Auto-Owners tend to have rates below the state average with a speeding ticket. Check out our guide to the best car insurance companies in Georgia to help you shop around.