The True Cost of a Traffic Ticket

We hear it often, “But it was just a minor ticket!” At the time a minor ticket might appear to be just that, until you receive your insurance renewal.

Most companies include a minor conviction discount in your premium. This discount can be up to 15% and all it takes is one minor ticket to lose it for the next three years. If you have more than one minor ticket or a major or serious/criminal ticket the increase could be much more and you run into the possibility that standard auto insurers will not over coverage.

The following is a chart of the most common increases on your policy as a result of a ticket. The surcharges will vary from company to company.

Minor Ticket15% per ticket
Major Ticket25% per ticket
Serious/Criminal Ticket100% per ticket
Examples of a Minor Ticket
  • Fail to carry insurance card CAIA
  • Speeding up to 49km over the speed limit
  • Fail to stop at stop sign or red light
Examples of a Major Ticket
  • Fail to report accident
  • Speeding 50km to 60km over limit
  • Driving with no insurance
  • Class G1 unaccompanied by qualified driver
Examples of a Serious/Criminal Ticket
  • Speeding 60km over the speed limit
  • Impaired driving
  • Careless driving
  • Driving while license suspended