Darrenmower/Getty Getting a DUI is an expensive proposition. There are a number of costs associated with a DUI arrest and conviction, and one of the consequences is more expensive auto insurance. Rates tend to go way up even after just one DUI. The average yearly premium for full-coverage auto insurance in the U.S. is $2,524 for a driver with a clean record. It nearly doubles to $4,850 for someone with a DUI. What if you just want liability? On average, liability coverage jumps by nearly $50. That's not to mention that the minimum coverage some states require of someone with a DUI is a lot more than what they require of other drivers. And that's just your auto insurance. Did we mention that your life insurance can go up as well? That's if your carrier agrees to cover you. It becomes harder to find life insurance for the first 5 years after a DUI. That DUI could even ruin your vacation plans, too, since some countries won't let you enter if you have a DUI. How much your insurance rates increase depends on a lot of things Kali9/Getty Images There are numerous factors that impact how much your insurance rate will increase after a DUI. Where you live is one such factor. Different states have different laws about what they require of drivers after a DUI. For example, Florida requires personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL), but it does not require bodily injury coverage (BIL) from most drivers. However, if you get a DUI, you're required to get bodily injury coverage for at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, as well as $50,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage. Obviously, that's more expensive coverage in and of itself, but add that to the premium increase the insurance company tacks on for DUI convictions, and you're looking at a serious dent to your wallet. Of course, different insurance companies have different rates, and that goes for covering drivers with DUIs on their records, too. According to a U.S. News article, a Progressive customer who had a clean driving record before getting a DUI will, on average, see a jump of nearly $700 per year. Compare that to the average Farmer's customer, who sees a difference of more than $2,500 per year between having a clean driving record and a DUI. That illustrates the need to shop around. But even within the same company, customers with DUIs can see different rates, depending on things like driving history. It's not just your insurance. There are other costs, too. Proxima Studio/Shutterstock After a DUI, paying higher insurance premiums is just the beginning of your increased expenses. There are a whole host of other expenses coming your way, like attorney fees, court costs, extra fines from the state, and even more expensive life insurance. Add that to the price to reinstate your license, which can be headache anyway, even if the state suspends your license for a DUI by mistake. Attorney fees are only part of the picture. Fines for the DUI itself can also climb into the thousands, depending on things like your blood alcohol content and driving history. Then there are the court-mandated education and treatment programs, as well as lost wages and a myriad of little costs like monthly bus fees. Furthermore, most states require you to get an ignition interlock device (IID), or a car breathalyzer, which prevents you from starting the vehicle without a negative breath sample. It's not necessarily a bad thing that a DUI can be so expensive. If the possibility of death and destruction isn't enough to deter someone from driving under the influence, maybe the prospect of going broke will. On the other hand, it's not uncommon for sober drivers to be arrested for a DUI either.
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