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HOME : Just the FAQs Ma'amTickets Cost More Than You ThinkI was rushing from work to take my daughter to her soccer game. I saw the traffic light turn yellow, but I thought I could make it through before it turned red. Wrong! As luck would have it, a policeman spotted me, and gave me a ticket for running a red light. It cost me a $150 fine and three demerit points on my driving record. As if that wasn't bad enough, now my insurance broker is telling me it will affect the cost of my insurance, since I also had a speeding ticket last year. Haven't I already paid for my mistake? And how did my insurer find out about these tickets, anyway? By raising your rates, your insurance company is sending you a "red alert" about your driving habits. While the company will generally forgive one so-called "minor conviction" -- like speeding and running a red light -- it may not overlook two within three years, as you have discovered. A driver with a flawed record like yours is considered a higher risk on the road, and is charged accordingly. Most insurance companies assign their insured drivers a rating up to six stars. To stay at the top level -- and pay the least for your insurance -- you can have no more than one minor conviction in a three-year period. Otherwise, you drop to a lower classification, as you did, and pay more -- generally about 15 to 20 per cent at the five-star level. Any convictions on your driving record remain in the Ministry of Transportation database. If the insurer accesses your record, as yours apparently did, it will take note of any infractions. Most companies check the driving records of all new policyholders, and often perform random checks on existing policyholders. An insured's involvement in an accident may also trigger a database search. So if you want to save money on your insurance, drive safely and reach for the stars -- all six of them! A careless driver pays the price, in more ways than one! Note: Remember, policies vary, so when in doubt, Contact Us.
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