Do car insurance companies cover DUI accidents?
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Brandon Frady
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Brandon Frady has been a licensed insurance agent and insurance office manager since 2018. He has experience in ventures from retail to finance, working positions from cashier to management, but it wasn’t until Brandon started working in the insurance industry that he truly felt at home in his career. In his day-to-day interactions, he aims to live out his business philosophy in how he treats hi...
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UPDATED: Nov 29, 2023
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UPDATED: Nov 29, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Not all insurance companies cover DUI accidents
- If you are the impaired driver, there is a high probability of your car accident claim being denied
- If you only have liability coverage and are found to be the impaired driver, you will be responsible for your accident-related expenses
- If you have collision coverage, your insurance company may pay for your accident-related expenses
- After your DUI conviction, you will need to find a high-risk insurance policy by using a comparison tool
When it comes to DUI accidents and getting your car repaired, it depends on your insurance carrier and whether or not you were the one intoxicated at the time of the accident.
If you were not the DUI driver, the other driver’s insurance company should pay for the expenses you incurred as a direct result of the car accident. If you were the DUI driver, your claim may be denied and your insurance canceled.
On top of that, your car insurance rates may go up due to several DUI/DWI convictions. It may also be difficult to get a new policy. If your license was suspended, you may need to have SR-22 coverage to show proof of financial responsibility.
Along with having your claim denied and your insurance policy canceled, you will need to find an insurance carrier that covers high-risk drivers. Thankfully, this can be accomplished by using a car insurance comparison tool.
Just make sure you indicate that you had a DUI accident so that you only receive quotes from insurance companies that are able to write high-risk policies. Begin comparing options by entering your zip code in the comparison tool above!
Can you file insurance claims for DUI accidents?
Being convicted of DUI/DWI means that you were found to be driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances such as illegal drugs. State laws differ in terms of the penalties they impose to convicted drivers of a DUI/DWI offense.
Moreover, every car accident claim, whether it involves a DUI driver or a sober driver, is investigated to determine fault.
When an intoxicated driver is found at the scene of an accident, he or she is usually given a citation or ticket for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They may even be arrested.
In many instances, the driver that received the ticket is considered the at-fault driver. This means that their auto insurance company would be required to pay for the other driver’s accident related expenses.
The responsibility of the DUI driver’s expenses would depend on the driver’s insurance coverage and the limitations listed in his or her policy.
The best rule of thumb is to never drive a car after having a few drinks. It is illegal in all states to drive with a BAC of 0.08 or higher. It can result in your vehicle being impounded and your driver’s license being completely suspended for several months.
If you are convicted of a DUI offense and your license is suspended, your insurance company will be notified. If you are not convicted then your insurance company is not notified.
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Does liability insurance cover impaired driving accidents?
If you are the impaired driver that caused the car accident, you are going to find yourself in a complex and stressful situation. There will be legal consequences in addition to those imposed by your insurance company.
The decision on whether your car will be repaired or replaced depends on your insurance company’s policies and the specifics of your auto insurance policy.
If you only have liability insurance, your car insurance company will not pay for your accident-related expenses.
Liability car insurance only covers the damage you caused to the other person’s vehicle, and since most insurance companies consider an impaired driver to be the at-fault driver, you would be 100 percent financially responsible for paying for the expenses.
Will collision coverage cover a DUI accident?
If you have collision coverage, your insurance carrier may pay to repair or replace your vehicle if you are the at-fault driver. This is because collision coverage pays to replace or replace your vehicle even if you were determined to have caused the accident.
However, some insurance companies specifically exclude DUI and OWIs from their insurance policies. If your current insurance carrier explicitly excludes OWIs and DUIs, your claim will be denied even if you have collision coverage.
If you are found to be guilty of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and causing an accident, you may be declared a high-risk driver, which means you are more likely to get into an accident than someone else of similar status.
Not all insurance companies are able to write high-risk policies. This could result in the cancellation of your current coverage.
How to find a high-risk insurance company
If you are canceled by your insurance company after a DUI and declared a high-risk driver, you will have to find an insurance company that writes high-risk policies.
Thankfully, this process is simplified when you use a car insurance comparison tool to search for high-risk insurance policies.
When you input your information into the tool, you will need to include all of your personal information, the information about your vehicle and your driving record. This includes listing your recent DUI.
If you opt not to list your recent DUI, you could be found guilty of lying on your car insurance application, which would result in additional negative consequences.
Once you submit your information, the tool will return all the available policies in your local area. It is your job to read through those policies to find one you can afford that meets your needs. Once you find one that you can reasonably afford, purchase it online.
Moreover, it’s important to meet the guidelines for minimum coverages in your state. This means having at least minimum liability coverage, but you may need to meet coverage requirements for bodily injury liability per person, bodily injury liability per accident, property damage liability. The minimum coverage requirements vary by state, but aside from liability coverage, you may consider another type of coverage such as personal injury protection, or underinsured motorist coverage.
Compare quotes for high-risk insurance today by entering your zip code below!
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Brandon Frady
Licensed Insurance Agent
Brandon Frady has been a licensed insurance agent and insurance office manager since 2018. He has experience in ventures from retail to finance, working positions from cashier to management, but it wasn’t until Brandon started working in the insurance industry that he truly felt at home in his career. In his day-to-day interactions, he aims to live out his business philosophy in how he treats hi...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything car insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by car insurance experts.