What Groups are Considered High-Risk Drivers?

High-risk drivers include people with limited driving experience, individuals with a history of tickets, reckless drivers, and people who drive certain kinds of vehicles. Drivers in this category sometimes have trouble finding insurance and usually pay higher premiums for car insurance. It can be helpful to work with an insurance broker who specializes in high-risk drivers to get the best deal on insurance, as these insurance professionals know all about the available options for people with different kinds of driving histories.

New drivers include teens who have just received their licenses, as well as adults who got their license later in life. An insurance agency will ask about how many years of driving experience a person has, and can weight premiums accordingly. Teens and young adults are also a risk category, as people under 25 tend to be more likely to get into accidents because of inexperience and other factors.

Tickets are a cause for concern as well, especially if they are for serious infractions. A history of driving under the influence citations makes someone a potentially dangerous driver, as do tickets and tickets for things like speeding and reckless driving. These high-risk drivers are a worry for insurance agencies, as they are more likely to have to pay out on those policies and that can expose the agency to financial risk.

Certain vehicles are also a cause for concern. People with sports cars and motorcycles can have trouble finding insurance because they are considered high-risk drivers. Their vehicles may be more likely to be stolen, and insurance agencies tend to suspect that these drivers will be more likely to speed, get into accidents, and expose themselves to danger because of their choice of car. This is especially true in cases where a person has a history of prior claims on an insurance policy.

High-risk drivers can sometimes pull themselves out of this category by working to improve their records. Simple steps like taking advantage of traffic school to clear tickets can be very helpful, as can exercising caution to avoid accidents. People with a history of driving under the influence may want to consider counseling and other options to help limit the chances of future episodes, and drivers can also take defensive driving courses to demonstrate an interest in preventing accidents and being a better driver. Such courses can reduce insurance premiums and make the agency feel more confident about writing a policy for a driver with some black marks on her record.