GEICO doesn’t publish a blanket yes-or-no answer for drivers with a DUI. Its own guidance says a DUI can have a major impact on your rates and may limit which options are available to you, but it stops short of saying GEICO will or won’t offer you a policy. Underwriting after a DUI is handled case by case.
That’s typical for auto insurers: your full driving history, the state you live in, and the specific policy you’re applying for all factor into the decision, not the DUI alone.
Key Takeaways
- GEICO says a DUI can have a major impact on rates and may limit your options, without guaranteeing a specific outcome either way.
- GEICO doesn’t publish a blanket accept-or-decline rule for DUI drivers. Applications are reviewed individually.
- If your state requires an SR-22 or FR-44 after a DUI, that filing fee is a separate, one-time charge on top of whatever your premium becomes.
- If no standard insurer will write you a policy, ask about your state’s assigned-risk plan or its equivalent, which exists for drivers who can’t find coverage elsewhere, though it typically costs more.
What GEICO Says About DUIs and Rates
GEICO’s own guidance on rates says plainly that “a DUI can have a major impact on your car insurance rates,” calling out “significantly higher premiums due to increased risk.” The same guidance says accidents, speeding tickets, and DUI convictions typically push premiums up, and that a DUI “may limit which car insurance options are available to you.”
Expect your renewal or new-quote premium to increase significantly compared with your rate before the conviction. GEICO doesn’t publish a percentage for that increase, and there isn’t a reliable universal figure to apply to your situation, since it depends on your full record, your state, and the coverage you’re buying.
Underwriting Is Individual, Not Automatic
GEICO doesn’t publish a list of DUI-specific underwriting rules, such as a waiting period or a fixed number of years before you’re eligible. It reviews applications individually, so two drivers with a DUI on their record can get different offers based on the rest of their driving history, the vehicle and coverage they’re applying for, and their state’s rules.
What to Expect When You Apply
Disclose the DUI when you apply rather than hoping it goes unnoticed. Ask whether your state requires an SR-22 or FR-44 to reinstate or keep your license, since that’s a separate filing from the policy itself. If one applies, the one-time filing fee is added to your insurance premium as its own charge, and GEICO doesn’t publish a set dollar amount for it.
Get an actual quote with the conviction disclosed, in writing, rather than assuming a price. Ask what documentation GEICO needs, whether every driver and vehicle on the policy is affected or just the one involved, and whether any existing discounts are still available to you.
If GEICO Can’t Offer You a Policy
GEICO’s site doesn’t say what happens if it declines to offer coverage. Generally, though, the Insurance Information Institute explains that state assigned-risk pools exist for exactly this situation: insurers that take part must accept the drivers the state assigns to them, so drivers who can’t find a policy elsewhere still have a route to coverage, though premiums in these pools run well above standard rates. Ask your agent or your state insurance department how to find your state’s plan if you need it.
How Long a DUI Follows Your Record
GEICO’s general guidance says driving violations typically stay on your record for about three to five years and can affect discount eligibility during that time. A DUI conviction can stay on your state driving record, and sometimes your criminal record, longer than that, and those are separate from what GEICO uses to rate your policy. See how long an accident stays on your GEICO insurance record for more on GEICO’s own look-back period, and check with your state for how long the conviction itself stays on file.
A clean record afterward is the main thing you control. Ask GEICO to re-quote periodically as time passes, and compare car insurance quotes from other insurers if GEICO’s price or terms don’t work for you, since high-risk pricing varies more between companies than standard pricing does.