State Farm is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States. Many individuals who are arrested for driving under the influence have questions about whether a particular insurance company provides coverage for DUI accidents. Reaching out to an experienced DUI accident attorney can help you learn more about the role insurance companies play in DUI accident cases.
You may hesitate to submit an insurance claim to your insurance company because you were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after the accident. However, you need to make sure that you create a record of your insurance claim. Many people want to know if State Farm insurance covers DUI accidents in California.
Essentially, State Farm Insurance will pay your insurance claim if you were not responsible for causing the DUI accident. However, if you were under the influence of alcohol and you were responsible for causing the DUI accident, State Farm Insurance will deny your insurance claim.
DUI Accidents and Automobile Insurance Rates
Most people who are involved in a DUI accident will see their automobile insurance rates increase after the date of the incident. Intentional acts are not covered by many automobile insurance policies, but negligent acts are covered under these policies. State Farm Insurance may attempt to categorize your DUI accident as an intentional act that is not covered under your automobile insurance policy.
If you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, your automobile insurance rates could be twice as much as they were before your conviction. The following are some of the most common consequences associated with a DUI conviction:
- Paying for Punitive Damages: You may be personally liable for any punitive damages award associated with a civil lawsuit against you. If you are a defendant in a civil lawsuit, your automobile insurance policy will likely not cover punitive damages.
- Loss of Employment: You may risk losing your employment if you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. It can be especially difficult to obtain jobs that involve driving or operating heavy machinery if you have a DUI conviction on your record.
- Ignition Interlock Device Installation: You may regain your driving privileges after you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, but you will likely have an ignition interlock device installed in your automobile. You will be unable to start your automobile if you have any alcohol in your body.
- Jail Sentence: You may be required to serve a jail sentence if you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.
- Losing your Driving Privileges: Your driver’s license may be suspended after you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. It is possible to lose your driving privileges for at least six months.
DUI Convictions and Driving Records in the United States
In the majority of states, a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol will be on your motor vehicle record for three to five years. You will also have a criminal record due to a DUI conviction. Although a DUI conviction will come off of your driving record, the conviction may still influence your automobile insurance rates.
In the State of California, insurance companies may not provide driver discounts for up to a decade after the date of a DUI conviction. Your automobile insurance rates may decrease over time, but it will likely be at least ten years before you can take advantage of automobile insurance discounts.
The Factors State Farm Insurance and Other Insurance Companies Consider
Insurance companies analyze many different factors when they determine the prices of their insurance premiums. The following are some of the most important elements insurance companies consider when setting premiums:
- Does the insured rent or own their home?
- Place of residence (house, apartment, duplex, etc.)
- Driver history
- Years of driving experience
- Whether the insured is single or married
- Gender
- Age
Am I Required to Report a DUI Conviction to an Insurance Company?
In the State of California, drivers do not have to inform their automobile insurance company about DUI arrests. Also, drivers in California do not have to inform their insurers about driver’s license suspensions or DUI convictions. But California insurers may discover information regarding DUI arrests and DUI convictions in the following ways:
- A driver may request that the insurer send the California Department of Motor Vehicles an SR-22 form.
- Another party to the DUI accident may report it to State Farm or to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
- A driver may choose to inform State Farm about the DUI accident.
- State Farm and other insurance companies typically run background checks if a driver applies for a different automobile insurance policy.
- An insured’s current automobile insurance policy may need to be renewed, and State Farm will run a background check on the driver during this time.
Speaking with a knowledgeable Los Angeles DUI attorney can help you understand how best to handle communications with State Farm insurance after you are involved in a DUI accident.
Determining the Cause of the DUI Accident
The best thing a driver can do if they are involved in a DUI accident is to determine which party caused the DUI accident. State Farm insurance may pay on an insurance claim involving a DUI accident if you did not cause the DUI accident. However, if you were intoxicated and you caused the DUI accident, it is possible that your State Farm insurance policy will not provide any payment on your automobile insurance claim.
Speaking to a Los Angeles DUI attorney can help you decide how to deal with the consequences of being in a DUI accident. You may need the assistance of an experienced DUI attorney to help you establish that you were not intoxicated and you did not cause the DUI accident. A skilled DUI attorney can provide you with the tools you need to protect your legal rights.