Foster City-Based Company Offers Drivers an 'Uh-Oh' Estimator

You'll have to get over the ouch from the speeding ticket you just got on your own.

But a Foster City-based company has just released a tool that can at least make the damage assessment part of the ordeal a little bit more predictable.

Insurance.com’s interactive “Uh-Oh! Calculator” allows you to figure out the average percentage increase to your auto insurance rate for 14 common violations.

An analysis of 490,000 insurance quotes was used to figure out how much the fine that keeps fining will cost you over time.

If their numbers are any indication, it's those convicted of reckless driving and DUI who really give insurance companies the willies - they can expect rate hikes of 22 and 19 percent, respectively.

But did you know tickets for driving without a permit or license are viewed as almost as bad by insurance companies?

Now you do: Expect an 18 percent rate hike for that one.

A seatbelt violation will cost you to the tune of a three percent rate hike.

Here's how much common tickets will impact your rates on average:

1.    Reckless driving: 22 percent
2.    DUI first offense: 19 percent
3.    Driving without a license or permit: 18 percent
4.    Careless driving: 16 percent
5.    Speeding 30 mph over the limit: 15 percent
6.    Failure to stop: 15 percent
7.    Improper turn: 14 percent
8.    Improper passing: 14 percent
9.    Following too close/tailgating: 13 percent
10.  Speeding 15 to 29 mph over limit: 12 percent
11.  Speeding 1 to 14 mph over limit: 11 percent
12.  Failure to yield: 9 percent
13.  No car insurance: 6 percent
14.  Seat belt infractions: 3 percent

"We all make mistakes, and doing so while driving will cost you. Of course, you'll know immediately how much you owe for your ticket, but often you won't know the impact of the ticket on your car insurance rate until you get your renewal from your insurer," Insurance.com Managing Editor Michelle Megna said in a prepared statement.

"The ‘Uh-Oh! Calculator’ helps ease ticket trauma by showing how much more you'll likely pay."

A person's age, type of dwelling, state of residence, marital status, and length of time they've been with their insurer are among the factors the online tool uses to estimate your rates.

The "Uh-Oh"! Calculator" also shows how many points are commonly associated with each infraction and other penalties levied in each state.

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