Data Show Auto Insurance Rates Rise For DWI Convictions

Drivers who have a few too many drinks at the Labor Day picnic might save thousands of dollars if they take a cab home.

According to data collected by Insurance.com, auto insurance rates in general have been rising, but rates for male drivers with a conviction for driving while under the influence or while intoxicated, called a DUI or DWI, are rising faster. DWI rates generally stay in effect for five years after a conviction.

"It more than pays for a cab ride home if you have had too much to drink," said Sam Belden, vice president of the insurance rate shopping Web site. "It has always been more expensive if you have a DUI than if you don't, and now it is even more acute."

Auto insurers have pointed to rising costs for auto accidents as a factor they are pricing into auto insurance. In its second quarter investors call, Progressive Corp. (PGR) Chief Executive Glenn M. Renwick said that the company has seen increases in both the frequency and severity of auto accidents, and the competitive market is starting to price in the changes.

All drivers have seen increases in the past year, according to Insurance.com data, but the increase is a bit more for drivers with a DWI conviction, especially if it occurred in conjunction with an accident.

In 2009, male drivers with a DWI conviction paid about 24% more per year for auto insurance than did males without violations, up from a 22% differential last year. The rate of increase for a DWI conviction has held steady for women since last year, at 28% higher than the rate for those without any violations.

The national average annual insurance rate for male drivers with a DWI conviction is $2,113, $408 more than a male driver with no violations would pay, according to Insurance.com's data. Women with a DWI pay a $2,199 annual auto insurance bill, on average, or $478 more than if they don't have violations. Add an additional $214 to the annual bill for men if that DWI conviction involved an accident, and about $185 more for women with a DWI conviction with an accident.

The most expensive state for DWI convictions for men is Rhode Island, where a DWI conviction means an average auto insurance bill of $3,485. The most expensive state for women is New Jersey with an average auto insurance bill of $ 3,184 for female drivers with a DWI conviction.