A Virginia driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence charge may lead to serious repercussions if it leads to a conviction. Many of these repercussions are financial in nature. Even if you have never received a conviction for drunk driving before, you may still have to pay a fine as high as $2,500 and come up with the money to cover many other related expenses.
The costs associated with fines, court costs, towing and impound fees and other expenditures add up fast. NerdWallet reports that you also need to consider how much more you have to pay for insurance coverage once your insurer finds out about your conviction.
Insurance rate hikes after a DWI/DUI
Before your drunk driving arrest, you may have paid about $960 a year to insure yourself behind the wheel with a typical driving record. After a first-time drunk driving conviction, though, the average Virginia resident with a typical vehicle ends up paying about $1,567 for full insurance coverage. This amounts to an annual increase of $607.
Additional insurance considerations
You may find that your current insurer has hesitations about extending you coverage once you have a drunk driving conviction. If so, the insurance provider may decide not to offer you a policy at all, or it may decide to offer you coverage, but at a very high rate.
It is advisable that you research your options and get quotes from several different insurance providers in addition to your own after a DWI or DUI. Different companies use different variables to determine premiums, so shopping around may help you find the most favorable rate available to you.