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Parking tickets are sometimes hard to avoid. That's especially true if you're scatterbrained, always running late, and trying to park in crowded areas, like when I got my first parking ticket in college. After the first stab of fear passed, a new one cropped up: Do parking tickets affect my insurance rates? It's not an unreasonable fear, given that speeding tickets can severely increase your rates.
Luckily for me and you, parking tickets usually don't affect insurance prices, at least not on their own. As long as you pay the tickets on time, they won't even show up on your driving record. But if you don't pay the fine, they can impact your insurance through several indirect routes.
How do parking tickets impact your driving record?
On their own, parking tickets don't impact your driving record. As it turns out, not all tickets are the same.
Most areas of the country differentiate between moving violations — like speeding and driving under the influence (DUI) — and non-moving violations — like parking in a handicapped spot without a placard or having a burnt-out headlight (another common infraction of my youth).
Moving violations are more serious and show up on your driving record. Non-moving violations don't, since they're more about keeping an orderly society rather than being an unsafe hooligan.
Do parking tickets affect insurance premiums?
No, parking tickets normally don't affect your car insurance costs — at least not directly.
Your driving record is one of the key factors impacting car insurance rates, since it tells insurers whether you've gotten caught driving unsafely. Since parking violations don't appear on your record, insurance companies can't see whether you've gotten any.
While parking tickets have no impact on their own, they can affect you in other ways, like if you don't pay them.
When parking tickets can indirectly raise your rates
Unpaid parking tickets can raise your car insurance premiums indirectly in three ways:
- Debt collection: Your unpaid parking tickets can appear on your credit report if you take too long to pay. Your insurance company — and any other creditor — will see that you have debt in collections. This will hurt your credit score, too.
- Suspended license: Some states will suspend your driver's license if you have too many unpaid parking tickets. At that point, this will show up on your driving record, where your insurer can see it. Things get even more serious if you're caught driving with a suspended license.
- Unregistered vehicle: Some states won't allow you to renew your vehicle registration if you have unpaid parking tickets. If you're caught driving a vehicle without a current registration, you could face a more serious fine that will appear on your driving record.
These scenarios come with lots of other spinoff costs and fees, too. You may need to pay impoundment fees to free your car, for example, or reinstatement charges to get your license back. Plus, a damaged credit score means you'll pay more (or be denied) for other types of credit you might apply for, even including things like renting a new apartment.
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Other factors influencing car insurance premiums
While parking tickets likely won't impact your car insurance rates if you pay them on time, many other things will. Let's do a quick refresher so you know what other major factors may be working in your favor or holding you back when it comes to your rates:
- Age: Younger and very old drivers typically pay more than middle-aged drivers.
- Gender: Women tend to pay less than men.
- Location: Urban drivers tend to pay more than rural drivers.
- Vehicle type: Less-expensive cars with higher safety ratings, smaller repair costs, and lower theft risk are cheaper to insure.
- Marital status: Married drivers pay less than single drivers.
- Driving habits: The less you drive — especially during rush hour — the less you'll pay.
- Policy options: Minimum-coverage policies with high deductibles are cheapest, while full-coverage policies and policies with higher coverage limits and lower deductibles cost more.
How to reduce the effects of parking tickets
The best way to avoid parking tickets in the first place is to pay attention and know when and where you can legally park. If you're not sure before you go, take a minute to look up your parking options. Also, leave early so you don't feel tempted to park in a non-allowed spot.
That said, you can't always avoid every parking ticket. The key here is to make sure you handle parking tickets one way or another. It's only when you avoid dealing with them that you'll run into problems. Here are your options:
- Pay it off: Most agencies make it easy to pay off your fine, whether that's online or in person. You may be able to pay with cash, credit card, check, etc.
- Dispute the ticket: Take photos of your parked car before you drive away and then go home to research your area's laws. You may be able to dispute the ticket in traffic court. Also, note any deadlines your area has for contesting tickets.
- Ask for financial help: Many traffic courts are sympathetic to honest people who can't pay all at once. They might offer fine reductions or payment plans if you're proactive about reaching out for assistance.
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Maintaining affordable car insurance coverage
Car insurance costs are going through the roof. Luckily, there are many ways to save on your car insurance. While you might already know about some, there are also many other lesser-known options. Let's take a look:
- Drive safely: This is the biggest thing you can do to keep your insurance costs down. You may qualify for safe driving discounts, and you can avoid potential rate increases and the associated costs of having to file a claim.
- Raise your deductible: If you can afford to set aside extra cash to pay a higher deductible when needed, you'll get a lower overall premium.
- Reduce your coverage: Double-check your insurance policy to make sure you're not paying for extra coverage you don't need. If you're leasing or paying off your car, you'll need a full coverage policy, but if not, you technically only need minimum coverage.
- Buy a usage-based policy: If you don't drive much, consider buying an insurance policy that charges per mile.
- Shop for new insurance quotes: The best car insurance companies charge low rates and make it easy to check your rates online. Shopping around is one of the best ways to make sure you're not overpaying for the same coverage from another company.
- Make sure you're getting all relevant discounts: Check with your insurer to make sure you're getting all the discounts. Many insurers offer an app or device that records your driving, and that could yield big savings.
FAQs
Do parking tickets show up on your record?
No, parking tickets alone don't show up on your driving record. If you don't pay those tickets, though, you could face a driver's license suspension. That definitely will show up on your driving record, which will impact your car insurance rates.
What's the best way to appeal a parking ticket?
Before you leave the parking spot, take many pictures showing how you parked your car. Then, research the specific parking ordinance you broke and cross-reference it with your pictures to see if you have any grounds for an appeal. Also, check the ticket itself and what it legally must contain, since you can dispute a ticket on procedural grounds if the officer left out some required information.
How can I keep my insurance costs low after a parking ticket?
Pay or dispute the ticket right away to ensure your insurance rates don't go up. Parking tickets usually only impact your car insurance if you ignore them.
Bottom line
Rising insurance costs are frustrating, but parking tickets likely won't cause your rates to go up unless you're ignoring them. So, if you get a parking ticket, make sure to pay it or dispute it ASAP so it won't impact your insurance.
If you're facing higher auto insurance rates than you paid before, chances are it's something else. Rates are rising all around for everyone, after all. That makes it especially important to compare rates by getting at least three new insurance quotes every time your policy is up for renewal. Sometimes, it literally pays to switch companies.
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