An OWI conviction can have many negative impacts on your life. One such impact could be making it more difficult and expensive to insure your car.
So, how does an OWI conviction specifically impact your auto insurance?
Your insurance company may non-renew your policy
Insurance companies consider drivers with OWI convictions high-risk. As a result, your insurance company may decide to “non-renew” your policy after an OWI conviction. If you are still on your parent’s policy, their insurance company may exclude you as a covered driver.
Your rates will probably go up
Whether you can keep your current insurance or must obtain new insurance, you will probably pay more for it. Auto insurance rates increase by an average of 76% after your first OWI in Wisconsin. Depending on the insurance company, this rate increase may last three to five years after your OWI conviction.
You may have trouble finding someone to insure you
An OWI conviction may make it difficult to find an insurance company that will insure you. This is particularly true if you have multiple OWI convictions or other high-risk factors, such as moving violations or multiple at-fault accidents.
If you attempt to get insurance from multiple companies and they all say no, you may be able to get a policy through the Wisconsin Automobile Insurance Plan. You can apply for coverage through the WAIP through any licensed auto insurance company in the state.
OWI convictions will probably increase the cost of your auto insurance significantly and may make it hard to obtain insurance at all. This makes it particularly important to take your OWI defense seriously.