Getting hit with a DWI charge can turn your life upside down in more ways than one. Beyond the immediate legal headaches, the consequences reach into every area of your life, all the way down to your car insurance. And we understand why you’re worried, as Texas insurance companies aren’t exactly known for their forgiveness when it comes to DWI convictions.
Here’s the brutal truth about DWI car insurance in Texas: a conviction will likely send your insurance rates through the roof for years. You’ll need to file an SR-22 certificate (a special form proving you have insurance), your premiums could double or even triple, and some insurance companies might drop you altogether. A DWI conviction will stay on your driving record for life, but insurance companies typically raise your rates for two to five years, meaning you’ll still feel the impact long after your case is closed.
Feeling discouraged? You don’t have a DWI conviction until a judge or jury says you do. At Thiessen Law Firm, Mark Thiessen, triple board-certified DWI attorney in Houston, has helped countless Texans beat their DWI charges before insurance companies can get involved.
Don’t wait until after conviction to worry about insurance — call Thiessen Law Firm at (713) 864-9000 and fight to keep that conviction off your record.
Will insurance cover your car if you get a DWI?
Yes, your insurance will typically still cover your car if you get a DWI, but the terms, cost, and conditions change dramatically. The moment your DWI conviction goes on record, insurance companies in Texas will often slap you with a “high-risk driver” label faster than you can say “objection.”
This isn’t just about higher premiums — we’re talking about immediate consequences that can drain your bank account and complicate your life in ways you never imagined. Your insurance provider might even cancel your policy outright when it’s time to renew, forcing you to scramble for new coverage at the worst possible time.
Remember, though, all these insurance nightmares only happen after a conviction. At Thiessen Law Firm, we’ve seen countless clients avoid these insurance penalties entirely because we fought their charges and won. Insurance companies can’t penalize you for a DWI that didn’t stick.
How a DWI affects your car insurance rates over time
1. Immediate rate increase
The moment your DWI conviction hits your record, prepare for sticker shock. We’re not talking about a little bump in your premium — most Texas drivers see their rates double or even triple overnight. A policy that used to cost you $1,200 a year could suddenly jump to $3,600 or more. And that’s assuming your current company even decides to keep you around.
This immediate financial gut-punch happens while you’re already dealing with court costs, fines, and possibly attorney fees, creating the perfect storm for your bank account. The worst part? You won’t get any advance warning — just a renewal notice.
2. SR-22 requirement
What is an SR-22 in Texas? An SR-22 is a financial responsibility certificate that proves to Texas officials you have minimum liability coverage after a DWI conviction. Your insurance company files it for you (with an extra fee), and you must maintain continuous coverage; any lapse could immediately suspend your license. This requirement typically lasts two years, but only begins after your license suspension ends, potentially extending the impact of DWI and auto insurance complications to three years or more.
The SR-22 is just one component of the extensive DWI penalties in Texas. With premium increases that can double or triple your rates, additional filing fees, and the inability to shop freely for better coverage, the financial burden adds up quickly. Factor in potential fines up to $10,000, court costs, and mandatory education programs, and a conviction becomes extraordinarily expensive.
3. High-risk driver label
Getting branded with the “high-risk driver” label is like wearing a scarlet letter in the insurance world. This classification follows you everywhere, limiting your options and forcing you into specialized, expensive insurance markets. Regular insurance companies that advertise those friendly agents and cute mascots? Many won’t touch you with a ten-foot pole.
Instead, you’ll find yourself dealing with companies that specialize in high-risk coverage, where customer service often takes a backseat to collecting those inflated premiums. This label sticks with you far longer than most people realize, and shaking it off requires years of perfect driving and patience.
4. Long-term financial strain
The financial impact of a DWI conviction on your insurance isn’t just a one-time hit; it’s death by a thousand cuts over several years. Even after the initial rate spike, you’ll continue paying elevated premiums for at least 3–5 years, and sometimes up to 10 years depending on your insurance company’s policies.
Let’s do the math: an extra $2,000 per year for five years equals $10,000 just in insurance penalties — and that’s not counting the additional fees for SR-22 filings, reinstatement costs, and the inevitable “administrative fees” companies love to tack on. This isn’t just an immediate financial emergency; it’s a long-term drain on your financial future that compounds the already substantial Texas DWI penalties you’re facing.
Continue reading: Is a DWI a felony?
5. Policy cancellations
Here’s a nasty surprise many DWI recipients don’t see coming: your insurance company can and often will cancel your policy entirely when it comes time for renewal. Unlike a rate increase, which at least lets you keep your coverage, cancellation leaves you scrambling to find new insurance while carrying the DWI on your record, which is a brutal combination. And in Texas, driving without insurance isn’t an option unless you enjoy the idea of more tickets, more fines, and possibly losing your license altogether.
When you do find new coverage, expect to pay absolute premium prices for minimum coverage. Insurance companies know you have limited options after a cancellation, and they price their policies accordingly.
How long does a DWI affect your insurance in Texas?
Now for the million dollar question: how long does a DWI stay on your driving record for insurance? The technical answer is that in Texas, a DWI stays on your driving record forever. Yes, you read that right — forever. Unlike some states where convictions eventually fall off your record, Texas keeps that DWI firmly attached to your driving history for life.
Now, most insurance companies won’t look back more than 3–5 years when evaluating your Texas car insurance DWI history, but legally, that record never disappears. This is why Texas has some of the harshest insurance consequences in the nation for DWI offenders. Your rates won’t stay at their post-DWI peak forever, though. If you maintain a clean driving record after your DWI, you’ll typically see gradual improvements in your insurance situation starting around three years of incident-free driving.
5 strategies to lower car insurance after a DWI in Texas
There’s good news: even with a DWI on your record, you’re not destined to pay sky-high insurance rates forever. Texas drivers have several effective options for bringing those premiums back down to earth, including:
- Shop around extensively. Don’t settle for the first quote you get. Contact 5–7 different companies, including smaller regional insurers who might be more flexible than the big national brands.
- Consider usage-based insurance programs. Many companies now offer programs that track your actual driving behavior through an app or device installed in your car. If you can demonstrate safe driving habits over time, you might qualify for discounts that offset some of your DWI-related rate increase.
- Bundle your policies. Combining your auto insurance with homeowners or renters insurance often qualifies you for multi-policy discounts. While this won’t eliminate your DWI surcharge, it can help reduce your overall insurance costs.
- Complete defensive driving courses. Some insurance companies offer discounts for drivers who voluntarily complete advanced defensive driving or safe driver courses. These discounts could help offset some of your rate increase.
- Hire the best DWI lawyer to avoid conviction. Here’s the strategy that trumps all others: avoid the conviction entirely. A skilled DWI defense attorney can challenge evidence, question testing procedures, and potentially get your charges reduced or dismissed. Without a conviction on your record, insurance companies have nothing to penalize you for.
Remember, the best time to address potential insurance problems is before they happen. If you’ve been charged with a DWI but haven’t been convicted yet, focusing on your legal defense now could save you thousands in insurance costs down the road. Even if you’ve already been convicted, implementing a combination of these strategies can help you manage costs while you work toward rebuilding your driving record.
The best insurance against DWI penalties? Thiessen Law Firm.
When it comes to DWI car insurance in Texas, the math is simple: no conviction equals no insurance nightmare. While insurance companies are ready to punish you for years after a DWI conviction, they can’t touch your rates if that conviction never happens.
At Thiessen Law Firm, we’ve built our reputation on keeping DWI charges off our clients’ records entirely, saving them not just from legal penalties, but from years of financial punishment from insurance companies. Our track record of Not Guilty verdicts and case dismissals speaks for itself.
Don’t wait until after conviction to start worrying about your insurance future. Call Thiessen Law Firm today at (713) 864-9000 or contact us online, and let’s keep your driving record — and your insurance rates — right where they belong.
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