Is speeding worth the gamble? Maybe not in Nevada, where drivers already pay the fifth-highest rate for full coverage car insurance in the country, and if you receive a speeding ticket, your rate will only go higher. Aside from paying more for auto insurance, drivers with speeding tickets are hit with state fines and can potentially lose their driving privileges. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team breaks down how speeding tickets impact car insurance rates in the Silver State.
How much is a speeding ticket in Nevada?
As of Jan. 1, 2023, Nevada law decriminalized minor traffic violations, making most speeding tickets a civil offense. How much a speeding ticket costs in Nevada depends on how fast you’re caught driving. For example, a 10-over speeding ticket in Nevada will result in a $200 ticket. Civil fines top out at $500, but at that point, you may get dinged with a more substantial infraction than speeding, such as reckless driving, which may be punishable by jail time.
To curb repeat offenders, Nevada also uses a demerit point system for traffic violations. Accumulating 12 or more demerit points within a 12-month period will result in a six-month license suspension. Here’s a breakdown of the number of points that may be added to your license if convicted of speeding:
- 41 mph over speed limit: 5 points and up to a $1,000 fine
- 31 to 40 mph over speed limit: 4 points and up to $1,000 fine
- 21 to 30 mph over speed limit: 3 points and a $305 fine
- 11 to 20 mph over speed limit: 2 points and a $195 fine
- 1 to 10 mph over speed limit: 1 point and a $150 fine
- Speeding in a school zone: 4-6 points and a $415 fine
A speeding ticket typically stays on your record for 12 months before falling off your demerit point total. Suspensions may be longer for drivers who continue to drive recklessly. Should your license be suspended, you can apply for a hardship license. If approved, it will solely allow you to drive to and from work or school.
Aside from state fines, drivers may be concerned about how a speeding ticket will impact future car insurance rates. The average cost of car insurance in Nevada for drivers with clean driving records is $3,194 annually. Drivers opting for minimal coverage pay $1,025 per year.
Insurers calculate drivers’ insurance premiums based on risk. As such, Nevada car insurance companies usually apply a policy surcharge when drivers receive speeding tickets to account for the higher risk associated with that behavior. On average, Nevada drivers are likely to see a 19 percent increase in their full coverage auto policies after receiving one speeding ticket, putting their annual rate at $3,814. Drivers with minimal coverage see an even larger increase of 21 percent, paying an average of $1,238 per year after a speeding ticket.
The cheapest car insurance for Nevada drivers with a speeding ticket
A speeding ticket prompts many drivers to start looking for cheaper car insurance. While price is paramount, there are other considerations to think about. If you have additional driving infractions or several speeding tickets, you may need car insurance for high-risk drivers. Other factors like customer service, benefit options and digital tools may also matter to you as a policyholder.
To make your search for better rates easier, the five cheapest car insurance companies in Nevada for driving with a speeding ticket are below.
| Company | Avg. full coverage rate before speeding ticket | Avg. full coverage rate after speeding ticket | % difference after speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,449 | $1,768 | 22% |
| USAA | $2,263 | $2,658 | 17% |
| Progressive | $2,096 | $2,784 | 33% |
| American Family | $2,428 | $2,743 | 13% |
| Country Financial | $2,714 | $3,275 | 21% |
What to do after a speeding ticket in Nevada
If you receive a speeding ticket, there are steps you can take to limit its impact on your personal finances. Driving history is a strong insurance rating factor, and you will want to evaluate every possible option to keep your insurance rate from skyrocketing. First, you must respond to the speeding ticket. You have up to 90 days to pay the fine, and you may even be able to reduce the ticket to a non-moving violation in court. Below are a few other options available to Nevada drivers:
Contest the ticket
You have the option to contest the speeding ticket by completing a Civil Infraction Response form. However, you would still need to post a bond equal to the penalty and additional fines to schedule a hearing. If you win in court, the ticket will not appear on your driving record, and your auto insurance will not be impacted.
Look for insurance discounts
With a speeding ticket on your record, you may no longer qualify for certain safe driving discounts — at least in the short term. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be barred from all savings opportunities. Some car insurance discounts you may want to ask your provider about are bundling discounts, telematics and affinity discounts.
Shop around for cheaper insurance
Some insurance carriers penalize speeding tickets more than others. So, to increase your odds of finding the right quote for your situation, it might be beneficial to shop around and compare rates with several companies. Car insurance for drivers with tickets can be fairly expensive, but working with an agent may help you find other ways to cut back on your premiums.
Frequently asked questions
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze November 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base) and single speeding ticket.
Gender: The following states do not use gender as a determining factor in calculating premiums: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.
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