Will a Nevada DUI jack up my car insurance premiums?

Client reviews

Will a Nevada DUI jack up my car insurance premiums?

Picking up a Nevada DUI impacts your car insurance in two ways:

insurance companies will consider you a high risk and will increase your premiums or refuse to renew coverage, and
you must obtain an SR22 before you can get your license reinstated.

You also must maintain the SR22 for three years.

In this article, our Las Vegas DUI attorneys discuss:

1. How much is insurance after a DUI?

Nevada insurance providers increase auto insurance premiums by as much as 50% or more following a DUI. This is because you are considered high risk for car insurance companies to cover. It does not matter if it was only your first DUI, if your blood alcohol content (BAC) was relatively low, and if you caused no property damage.

You are advised to consult with an insurance agent with the Nevada Insurance Department for guidance on how to find fair “high risk” motor insurance rates. According to various websites that compare car insurance rates, State Farm currently offers the lowest post-DUI liability insurance rates.

Closeup of driver looking up car insurance rates on smart phone following a DUI

It is difficult to find cheap car insurance following a DUI.

2. Does Nevada require an SR22?

Nevada law mandates that you obtain SR22 insurance from an auto insurance company as a condition of reinstating your driver’s license following a DUI.¹ (A temporary driver’s license suspension/revocation is a standard DUI penalty.²)

An SR 22 is simply a document showing “proof of financial responsibility.” It shows the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that you have at least minimum coverage, which is:

$25,000 – bodily injury or death of one person
$50,000 – bodily injury or death of more than one person
$20,000 – injury or damage to the property of others³

Note that if you have a non-Nevada driver’s license, you will likely need SR22 insurance to reinstate your license unless you live in one of the handful that do not require it:

3. How long do I have to carry SR22 insurance in Nevada?

Nevada law requires that you maintain SR22 insurance for three (3) years as a condition of reinstating your license following a DUI.⁴

4. What happens to my SR22 if my insurance lapses?

If you let your auto insurance policy lapse before the three-year SR22 period ends, then you lose all credit for the time you maintained the SR22 insurance. In short, the SR22 clock resets to zero. So once you obtain liability coverage again, you will need to maintain SR22 for three years going forward.⁵

5. How long does a DUI affect my insurance in Nevada?

It depends on the car insurer. Some insurers consider only the prior three years of your driving record when determining premiums. Others go back as far as 10 years.

Insurers may also check your criminal record (which is different from your driving record). Misdemeanor DUI convictions must remain on your criminal record for seven years before you can petition to seal it; meanwhile, felony DUIs can never be sealed from your criminal record.

Driver drinking from beer bottle prior to DUI arrest

DUIs carry not only criminal penalties but also insurance penalties.

6. Will my insurance drop me after a DUI?

Following a drunk driving incident, Nevada law prohibits carriers from suddenly increasing premiums or dropping insurance coverage during the existing policy period.⁶ Though once the policy period ends, the insurer can elect to cease coverage – even if the DUI charge is still pending. However, most insurers opt to increase auto insurance rates instead.

7. Do I need an SR22 if I do not have a car?

Yes. If you have no car, you need a non-owner SR22 policy in order to reinstate your driving privileges following a DUI.

8. What other costs are associated with DUIs?

If you get arrested for DUI in Nevada, be prepared to spend money on:

impound fees, which can be $30 a day plus the initial towing fee
license reinstatement fees, which amount to $120 plus a $35 victim impact fee
an ignition interlock device, which costs about $150 to install and another $100 per month to maintain
DUI criminal fines, which for misdemeanors can amount to $1,000 plus court costs
DUI School, which is usually $100 for a first-time offense

This is in addition to an SR22 and increased insurance premiums.

Top auto insurance companies and phone numbers

Insurance Company	Main Phone Number
State Farm	800-STATE-FARM (800-782-8332)
GEICO	800-861-8380
Progressive	800-PROGRESSIVE (800-776-4737)
Allstate	1-877-810-2920
USAA	800-531-USAA (800-531-8722)
Liberty Mutual	1-888-398-8924
Farmers Insurance	1-888-327-6335
Nationwide	1-877-669-6877
American Family Insurance	1-800-MYAMFAM (1-800-692-6326)
Travelers	1-866-336-2077

Additional Resources

Our Las Vegas criminal defense lawyers suggest you refer to the following:

How Much Do Car Insurance Rates Go Up After A DUI? – General discussion by Forbes.
Cheapest car insurance after a DUI – Compilation of insurance choices by USA Today.
What is the best car insurance in Nevada for drivers with a DUI? – State-specific options for getting liability insurance following a drunk driving case by wallethub.com.
Increased Penalties for High Blood Alcohol Content – National Conference of State Legislatures.
State Law: DUI Look-Back Periods – Overview by Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility.
License Reinstatement – Instructions by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.
Alcohol Impaired Driving – General information by the Governors Highway Safety Association.
Alcohol and Drugs – Discussion by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Legal References

NRS 483.525. See Nevada State Dep’t of Motor Vehicles v. Turner (1973) 89 Nev. 514. See Nevada State Dep’t of Motor Vehicles v. Lawlor (1985) 101 Nev. 616.
NRS 483.460.
NRS 485.185.
See note 1.
See note 1.
NRS 687B.145.

Name * Phone * Email * Date of arrest BAC Please attach any citations, booking sheets, police reports or other relevant documents. By checking this box and clicking the “Submit” button below, I agree to the POLICIES AND DISCLAIMERS, and I consent to receive calls and/or texts from or on behalf of Shouse Law Group with regard to the legal services they provide at the telephone number I entered above, even if currently included on a Do Not Call registry. I can withdraw my consent to automated calls/texts at any time as it is not necessary as a condition of service.

Name * Phone * Email * Date of arrest BAC Please attach any citations, booking sheets, police reports or other relevant documents. By checking this box and clicking the “Submit” button below, I agree to the POLICIES AND DISCLAIMERS, and I consent to receive calls and/or texts from or on behalf of Shouse Law Group with regard to the legal services they provide at the telephone number I entered above, even if currently included on a Do Not Call registry. I can withdraw my consent to automated calls/texts at any time as it is not necessary as a condition of service.