How a Speeding Ticket Affects Insurance in Colorado

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A speeding ticket in Colorado might seem like a minor financial hassle, but it can really pack a punch when it comes to your auto insurance rates. Speeding ticket costs in Colorado range from $30 to $300, depending on the severity of the violation. On top of state fines, the average cost of car insurance after a speeding ticket in Colorado jumps to $4,000 per year for full coverage — a 25 percent increase.

How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket in Colorado?

Full coverage car insurance premiums increase an average of $66 per month after a speeding ticket in Colorado. The good news is that your insurance rates won’t increase right away. Carriers typically analyze your motor vehicle report before your policy renews, so depending on that timeline, you may have some time to prepare for the budget adjustment.

While a speeding ticket will increase your rates, the amount depends on your carrier, and it’s only one of many rating factors carriers consider when pricing your policy. Other factors include age, location and annual mileage. How your insurance company views the other rating factors influences how much of an impact a speeding ticket will have on your car insurance rate.

How speeding tickets impacted insurance for real drivers in Colorado

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

How long does a speeding ticket stay on insurance in Colorado?

In Colorado, speeding tickets will stay on your driving record for seven years. This means it will show up on your motor vehicle report during that time, but it will typically only impact your car insurance rates for three to five years. Your policy will carry a surcharge (financial penalty), with the first year costing the most and the surcharge typically decreasing at each renewal. All carriers will consider a speeding ticket when setting rates, but shopping around can help you find an insurer with a less severe surcharge.

How to avoid an insurance increase after a speeding ticket in Colorado

Unless your policy contains a special endorsement or benefit allowing the carrier to waive the first speeding ticket, your rates will increase. If you can’t keep the speeding ticket off your motor vehicle report, there are other steps you can take to help minimize the rate hike to find cheap car insurance.

Try to keep the speeding ticket off your driving record

The best way to avoid rate increases from a speeding ticket is to make sure that it does not appear on your driving record. In Colorado, you have a couple of options:

• Fight the ticket: To fight a speeding ticket, a driver must enter a not-guilty plea. Either the driver or their traffic attorney must attend court. Depending on the situation and the judge, it is possible to have a Colorado speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving violation or dismissed.
• Deferred sentencing: If this is your first ticket or have kept a clean driving history for three years, you may be eligible for deferred sentencing. In this situation, drivers will either plead guilty or no contest and pay fines and court costs. As long as all fees are paid and any other conditions from the court are met, the case will be dismissed.
• Complete traffic school or defensive driving course: In Colorado, traffic school will not remove the speeding ticket from your record, but it can help reduce points on your driver’s license and may provide savings if your carrier offers a defensive driving discount.

Shop around for competitive rates after a ticket

There are many factors that auto insurance companies consider when determining rates for policies. Comparing quotes from several carriers is one way to potentially find a company that can offer you a more competitive rate based on your driving history. Consider gathering quotes from several companies to see if you can earn a cheaper rate from another company. Average rate data shows that Colorado drivers with a single speeding ticket could save up to $5,500 annually on a full coverage policy by switching insurance carriers.

Drive defensively to avoid future speeding tickets

Speeding tickets can happen even when drivers are doing their best to follow the rules of the road. The best action moving forward is to avoid getting another one. Not only will state fees start to pile up, but several speeding tickets over a short period of time can put your driver’s license and insurance policy in jeopardy. Drivers with speeding tickets may be deemed high-risk and have to secure coverage with a nonstandard carrier. If your lead foot is getting you into trouble, consider enrolling in a telematics insurance program, which can offer discounts and safe driving tips.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the best car insurance company for drivers with speeding tickets?
  

  There is no single company that is always the best insurer for all drivers, all the time. Rates can vary greatly based on factors such as your age, credit rating and driving history, as well as your car’s age, make and model. Each company weighs these data points differently based on its own proprietary pricing algorithm, so you’re likely to get a range of quotes if you inquire about pricing with several companies. This is why insurance experts often recommend that you shop around and compare quotes from a number of insurers to choose the company that offers the best deal for you. Drivers with imperfect records may benefit from looking at companies that specialize in writing high-risk insurance policies, too.

• How many tickets can you get before it affects insurance?
  

  All it takes is one speeding ticket to see your car insurance rates increase. However, you may not see the impact on your auto rates right away, depending on when your policy renews — you should see a rate change with the first or second renewal after receiving the ticket.

• Do I have to report speeding tickets to my insurance company?
  

  No. You are not required to report your speeding ticket to your insurance company, but you do have to answer honestly if you are asked about moving violations. A carrier will discover the moving violation when they run your motor vehicle report, which most carriers do once a year. However, if you are required to file an SR-22 due to your speeding ticket, you will need to contact your insurance agent for them to complete the form on your behalf.

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze April 2025 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 2023 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually. Bundling and paperless billing discounts are applied.

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. Your quotes will differ.

If otherwise specified, the base profile has been modified with the following driver characteristics:

• Credit-based insurance scores:
  

  Rates were calculated based on the following insurance credit tiers assigned to our drivers: “poor, average, good (base) and excellent.” Insurance credit tiers factor in your official credit scores but are not dependent on that variable alone. Four states prohibit or limit the use of credit as a rating factor in determining auto insurance rates: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan.

• Incidents:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket, single DUI conviction and lapse in coverage.

• Mileage:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following differences in mileage: 2K, 5K, 12K (base), 15K and 20K.

• Model:
  

  Unless otherwise stated, rates are for 2023 vehicle models. For new vs used vehicles, we included the following year in our calculations: 2013.

• Age:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18-70 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations. For teen drivers, rates were determined by adding a 16- or 17-year-old teen to their 40-year-old married parents’ policy. The rates displayed reflect the total cost of a driver this age added to their parents’ policy.

• Gender:
  

  The following states do not use gender as a determining factor in calculating premiums: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.

• Status:
  

  Rates were evaluated based on the following marital/family status: single (base), married, 40-year-old married man and woman. Marital status is not a rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts.