Is your insurance affected by seatbelt violations?

Most drivers understand that receiving a moving violation, such as a speeding ticket, will cause their car insurance rates to increase.  But what happens if you get a ticket for a minor issue, such as not wearing your seatbelt?  Here's is how seatbelt violations affect your auto insurance rates. Receiving a Seatbelt Ticket Drivers get seatbelt tickets when they drive without wearing their seatbelt.  Oftentimes, seatbelt tickets are considered a conditional violation, which means you will not get pulled over for not wearing your seatbelt.  However, if you are pulled over for another reason and the officer sees that your seatbelt is not secured, then they will issue you another ticket for the violation. Seatbelt Tickets and Auto Insurance Most states consider seatbelt violations minor infractions.  This means that they won't cause a major uptick in your auto insurance rates.  Typically, seatbelt tickets will not increase your rates by more than 3%.  To put this increase into context, a major moving violation such as a reckless driving ticket can increase your rates by over 20%. (This means that, if you are paying $500 a year for car insurance, then a seatbelt ticket may increase your annual rate to $515.) What to Do After Receiving a Seatbelt Violation If you have been issued a seatbelt ticket, then you have some options for dealing with the situation.  The easiest thing to do is accept the ticket, pay your fine, and let the ticket remain on your driving record.  Before you take this course of action, check with your insurance provider to see how the violation will affect your rates.  If they will overlook the violation, then this is the best course of action for you. If you would like to remove the ticket from your driving record, then you can pay the ticket and enroll in traffic school.  Traffic school is usually pretty inexpensive and can be completed from the comfort of your home.  So, this is a great option for drivers whose insurance costs will be impacted by a seatbelt ticket. Finally, you can try to dispute the ticket in court.  However, unless you have a very strong argument to make, disputing the ticket is not worth it.  Because seatbelt violations are minor infractions, it's faster and often more cost-effective to go with the first two options. This is what you need to know about seatbelt violations and your auto insurance.  Do you have additional questions regarding your car coverage?  If so, then contact the experts at East End Insurance Agency.  We are ready to assist you with all your car insurance needs today.