If your car insurance premiums have recently become eye-poppingly high, or if you’re finding it hard to get any coverage at all, you may have entered the “Nonstandard” classification — the industry’s term for drivers they consider to be high risk. Let us start by reassuring you that you will not be left without coverage. Chances are InsureMeOnline.com can find you several plans to choose from. But the point of this article is to explain what may be happening to you and why.

When people think of high-risk drivers, they usually conjure up a 20-something, non-college-educated “angry young male.” The truth is, the high-risk, or nonstandard, classification has drivers in it representing every social and economic background on record. Factors that can get a driver moved from standard risk to nonstandard are varied and include all of the following:

• Obtaining a drivers license for the first time. (Drivers with no driving record often start out in the nonstandard classification.)
• Purchasing a high-risk vehicle such as a sports car or, believe it or not, an RV.
• Allowing your car insurance to lapse.
• Having a DUI conviction or multiple smaller violations, such as speeding.

Premiums for all nonstandard drivers are higher than those for standard drivers, starting around 10 to 15 percent higher. But even in the high-risk pool, rates vary significantly. Younger drivers do tend to be charged more than older drivers, and rural drivers pay less than urban drivers. Some nonstandard drivers with more severe violations on their records may be requested to file a form called an SR-22 with their state insurance departments to prove that they have insurance. Not all car insurance carriers will provide an SR-22 to their policyholders, and this can cause a chain of complications to the driver that invariably ends with a hike in premiums (or worse).

The top end of the nonstandard class carries insurance premiums that are more than three times the regular premium rate. Once you’re way up in this range, getting down again can take some time. If you’ve managed to establish a truly terrible driving record, you’ll probably be stuck with your state’s assigned-risk pool, which is where drivers wind when absolutely no one is willing to insure them. These drivers pay the highest rates of all, so anyone facing this possibility should make absolutely sure there are no other options before accepting their fate. Plenty of car insurance carriers offer nonstandard policies, and you may be surprised to find that your driving record isn’t as far gone as you feared.

Don’t despair. People redeem their driving records and get themselves reclassified every day. It just takes a little time. But in a nutshell, the opposite of whatever got you into this mess is going to be your ticket out: Slow down, don’t drink and drive, avoid getting into an accident, and pay your premiums on time. Find out if a defensive driving course will speed up your redemption. If you can keep a clean record for three years, most insurance carriers will drop you back to the standard risk class.

Meanwhile, keep shopping for a lower rate. The more quotes you consider on a regular basis, the better your chances are of climbing back down out of the stratosphere ahead of schedule. InsureMeOnline.com can help by getting you the largest selection of quotes from multiple insurance companies at one time that you’ll find anywhere. Get started right now at no cost.