Just recently I was lucky enough to help an old friend shop his home and auto coverage. This is the best part of my job as it allows me to make sure that my loved ones aren’t getting ripped off or paying for coverages they don’t need.
In this case, my friend had a DUI back in late 2011. I was out with him that night and he made a bad decision by getting behind the wheel and luckily no one got hurt. That incident did some serious damage to his pocketbook as far as short-term costs go. Most never think or talk about the long-term ramifications of that action. DUI’s stay on your driving record for 10 years and over that time period many carriers will not cover you or charge premiums that can be up to 3x what you would pay with a clean driving record!
To break this down a bit further, let’s say my friend would have been paying $100 a month for his auto insurance without the DUI. With it, he now pays $200 a month. Over the course of 10 years that adds up to $12,000! Just a friendly reminder that if you are having a few adult beverages, make sure you get a ride home even if it costs you $50 or so that night, it will save lives and money in the long run.
