Do driver’s license suspensions affect your car insurance rates in Ontario?
Consider this scenario:
You’re stopped by the cops…
The cop suspects you’ve been drinking, so he gives you a roadside breathalyzer test…
You fail…
On the spot, you get a 90-day driver’s license suspension.
Automatic license suspension
That’s what happens when you fail a roadside breathalyzer test – You get an immediate license suspension. And, that’s without a trial. You will get arrested, charged, and then when you’re freed to go, you won’t be able to drive home because your driver’s license will be suspended. You’ll have to get a cab or call someone to pick you up.
But you’re not done there. You’ll still have to go to court to answer to the charge. And, if you get convicted in court, you’ll face another license suspension, which is normally one year. And, that will affect your insurance rates.
That’s a lot of suspensions, isn’t it? Well, actually two to be precise.
How do those license suspensions affect your insurance rates?
Well, the first suspension you got at the roadside actually won’t affect you. That suspension is what we call an “administrative suspension.” If you were not convicted of anything, we can’t really hold that against you. The second suspension, the one that you got when you were convicted in court, will affect you. It will affect your rates for 3-6 years, depending on the insurance company.
So that, in effect, is how it works – Driver’s license suspensions affect your insurance rates for up to 6 years. Administrative suspensions do not affect your rate. Another example of an administrative suspension would be having your license suspended due to medical reasons – That won’t affect your rate.
But, what you’re probably really looking for is how much a driver’s license suspension will affect you in terms of dollars and cents. I really can’t answer that in general terms – Every situation is different. Call me and I’d be happy to quote you. My phone number is at the top of this page.
