If you have caused a crash, filed a claim, or received a citation for a major violation, you might be a candidate for high-risk auto insurance. Auto insurance for risky drivers is usually expensive, but the degree of extra cost you receive may depend on your insurance company, your driving history, and the state in which you drive.
What goes into car insurance prices for bad drivers in Montana:
- At-fault accidents
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Racing
- Reckless driving
- Montana driving laws
Auto insurance after an at-fault accident in Montana
If you're deemed at-fault for an auto collision, you can expect your auto insurance rates to go up. In Montana, the average insurance premium following an at-fault accident is $2,093, compared to the national average of $2,012. A major accident such as an at-fault crash can stay on your insurance record for as long as three years!
MONTANA CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS AFTER AN AT-FAULT COLLISION
| Location | With At-Fault Accident — Annual Rate | No At-Fault Accident — Annual Rate | Yearly Rate Increase |
| Montana | $2,093 | $1,615 | $478 |
| National Average | $2,012 | $1,397 | $615 |
The best car insurance company after an at-fault accident in Montana is USAA. USAA’s usual price increase after an incident is $1,220, leading to a rate 58 percent less expensive than the average among all companies. If you've been at-fault in a collision in Montana, avoid Mid-Century and Allstate, which sit at the pricier end of the spectrum.
CAR INSURANCE RATES FOLLOWING AN AT-FAULT ACCIDENT IN MONTANA — CHEAP COMPANIES
| Insurer | Annual Rate With an At-Fault Accident |
| USAA | $873 |
| State Farm | $1,159 |
| National Farmers Union Property | $1,909 |
| Mid-Century | $2,218 |
| Allstate | $2,228 |
Does getting a speeding ticket in Montana result in higher car insurance rates?
One of the violations that earns drivers the "high-risk" tag is speeding. In Montana, you can expect to see your costs grow by $340 per year after a speeding ticket, to an average annual rate of $1,954.
MONTANA CAR INSURANCE PRICES FOLLOWING A SPEEDING TICKET
| State | With a Speeding Ticket — Annual Rate | No Speeding Ticket — Annual Rate | Yearly Rate Increase |
| Montana | $1,954 | $1,615 | $340 |
| National Average | $1,727 | $1,397 | $330 |
The foolproof way to get cheap auto insurance after getting a ticket for speeding is to shop around and weigh your options. The cheapest auto insurance after a speeding ticket in Montana is available via USAA. USAA’s average premium after a violation is $1,092 less than the state typical. If you are cited for speeding in Montana, Mid-Century might not be the most affordable option.
CAR INSURANCE PRICES AFTER SPEEDING IN MONTANA — AFFORDABLE CARRIERS
| Company | Annual Premium After a Speeding Citation |
| USAA | $862 |
| State Farm | $1,091 |
| National Farmers Union Property | $1,684 |
| Allstate | $1,794 |
| Mid-Century | $2,044 |
How does a ticket for distracted driving impact car insurance rates in Montana?
A distracted driving citation means you should expect your car insurance rates to rise. In Montana, auto insurance rates typically increase by $243 per year. That's a 15% increase from the average annual premium in Montana, and 41% more than the U.S. average cost of car insurance after a distracted driving citation.
MONTANA CAR INSURANCE RATES WITH A DISTRACTED DRIVING TICKET
| Location | With Distracted Driving — Annual Rate | No Distracted Driving — Annual Rate | Annual Rate Increase |
| Montana | $1,858 | $1,615 | $243 |
| National Average | $1,570 | $1,397 | $173 |
The easiest way to get affordable car insurance following a distracted driving infraction is to compare policies from different carriers. The cheapest auto insurance car insurance company after being cited for distracted driving in Montana is USAA, with a typical rate of just $862 per year, 54% less than the average distracted driving insurance premium among top insurers.
AUTO INSURANCE RATES AFTER DISTRACTED DRIVING IN MONTANA — AFFORDABLE PROVIDERS
| Insurer | Annual Rate With Distracted Driving |
| USAA | $862 |
| State Farm | $1,024 |
| SAFECO | $1,097 |
| National Farmers Union Property | $1,684 |
| Allstate | $1,794 |
How does a citation for racing impact Montana car insurance rates?
Racing is treated as an extraordinarily serious offense. Car insurance carriers often penalize racing citations severely — in fact, Montana car insurance premiums go up by an average of $640 per year following a ticket for racing. That represents a 40% increase from the average annual car insurance premium in Montana!
| Location | With a Racing Citation — Annual Rate | No Racing Citation — Annual Rate | Yearly Rate Increase |
| Montana | $2,255 | $1,615 | $640 |
| National Average | $2,397 | $1,397 | $1,000 |
If you have been cited for racing, do your homework and seek out the most affordable rates. In Montana, start your search by checking out SAFECO, offering rates 61 percent cheaper than the state average after a racing violation.
CAR INSURANCE RATES AFTER A TICKET FOR RACING IN MONTANA — AFFORDABLE COMPANIES
| Insurance Company | Annual Rate With Racing |
| SAFECO | $887 |
| State Farm | $1,091 |
| USAA | $1,285 |
| Allstate | $2,176 |
| National Farmers Union Property | $2,315 |
How does a citation for reckless driving impact Montana car insurance rates?
Among the most serious driving violations, reckless driving is a certain way to pay more for auto insurance. Insurance companies increase rates by $682 per year after a ticket for reckless driving. That's 42% greater than the average car insurance rate in Montana, and 41% less than the national average price increase for a reckless driving ticket.
MONTANA AUTO INSURANCE PRICES WITH A RECKLESS DRIVING CITATION
| Location | With Reckless Driving — Annual Rate | No Reckless Driving — Annual Rate | Yearly Rate Increase |
| Montana | $2,297 | $1,615 | $682 |
| U.S. Average | $2,395 | $1,397 | $998 |
If you have a reckless driving offense on your record, shop around to find the most affordable price. In Montana, the most affordable insurer after a reckless driving offense is SAFECO.
AUTO INSURANCE PRICES AFTER RECKLESS DRIVING IN MONTANA — CHEAP COMPANIES
| Insurer | Annual Rate With Reckless Driving |
| SAFECO | $887 |
| USAA | $910 |
| State Farm | $1,091 |
| Allstate | $2,176 |
| National Farmers Union Property | $2,315 |
If you are seeking auto insurance as a high-risk driver, your best option is to do plenty of research and compare policies from trusted insurers.
Montana Driving Laws
Driving laws in Montana are put into place to keep the roads safe. If you live in Montana or find yourself regularly driving in the state, it pays to know the rules of the road. This can help keep you safe and on the right side of the law.
Speeding in Montana
When Are You Speeding in Montana?
Montana is a state with many open highways and vast expanses. It can take hours to travel from one town to another. As such, the state’s speed limits tend to be higher than average, especially on highways in rural areas. While limits can be adopted by local authorities, below you’ll find the basic guidelines proposed by Montana:
- 80 mph on interstate highways (outside of urban areas)
- 65 mph on interstate highways (in urban areas)
- 70 mph (daytime limit on all other highways)
- 65 mph (nighttime limit on all other highways)
- 25 mph in urban areas
Motorists are allowed to exceed the speed limit by 10 miles per house in order to safely pass another vehicle on the interstate.
Penalties for Speeding in Montana
If you are caught breaking Montana speeding laws, you are guilty of a misdemeanor and can expect the following penalties:
- First conviction: a fine between $10 and $100
- Second conviction (within one year of first): a fine between $25 and $200
- Three or more (within one year of first): a fine between $50 and $500
Reckless Driving in Montana
What is Reckless Driving in Montana?
The state of Montana has two separate distinctions for this type of driving behavior, reckless and careless. There are subtle differences between the two, though both are illegal and carry their own penalties.
- Reckless driving is defined as operating a vehicle with a “willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.” This also applies in cases where drivers endanger highway workers as well.
- Careless driving is defined as driving in a way that unreasonably endangers “the life, limb, property, or other rights of a person entitled to the use of the highway.”
Penalties for Reckless Driving in Montana
Reckless driving carries the following penalties:
- First conviction: Up to 90 days imprisonment and/or a fine between $25 and $300
- Second conviction: Imprisonment between 10 days and six months and or a fine between $50 and $500
If reckless driving results in death or serious injury to another person, the penalties increase dramatically and include the following:
- A fine of up to $10,000
- Imprisonment for up to one year
Careless driving penalties include the following:
- First conviction: a fine between $10 and $100
- Second conviction (within one year of first): a fine between $25 and $200
- Third or more (within one year of first): a fine between $50 and $500
If careless driving results in the serious injury or death of another person, the punishment increases to the following:
- A fine of up to $5,000
- Up to six months incarceration
Distracted Driving in Montana
What is Distracted Driving in Montana?
Distracted driving encompasses any behavior that may take your mind off the task of driving. Montana is a notoriously gorgeous state and it can be easy to find yourself gazing out the windows of your car. However, if your eyes are glued to a beautiful mountain vista, that means they aren’t on the road.
Unfortunately, Montana is one of the few remaining states that has not banned texting while driving, a form of distracted driving that is dangerous and, at times, deadly. Montana currently has no laws on the issue, allowing anyone--including minors--to legally write and send messages from their mobile phones while behind the wheel.
Penalties for Distracted Driving in Montana
Because Montana has no laws that ban texting and driving, there is no clear penalty for potentially dangerous driving behaviors, though police may charge drivers with reckless driving, especially if their behavior causes an accident.
Racing in Montana
What is Racing in Montana?
The law is quite clear when it comes to racing in Montana. The state says that no driver is allowed to engage in “any motor vehicle speed contest or exhibition of speed on a public highway or street” unless they have permission from the proper authorities.
Penalties for Racing in Montana
If you are found guilty of breaking Montana racing laws, you will be guilty of a misdemeanor and can expect the following penalties to apply:
- A fine between $50 and $500
- Up to six months in jail
At-fault Accidents in Montana
What is an At-fault Accident in Montana?
Liability minimums are set at the following limits:
- $25,000 coverage of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident
- $50,000 total coverage of bodily injury to or death of two or more people in a single accident
- $20,000 covering destruction of property of others in any one accident
Penalties for At-fault Accidents in Montana
Provided that you carry the proper insurance coverage, the penalties that you are likely to face for an at-fault accident include rising insurance premiums. If you carry only the minimum liability limits, however, and the resulting damages exceed those limits, you could very well find yourself personally responsible for covering the excess damages.
If you are found to be driving without proper insurance coverage, you can expect the penalties to be quite steep.
First offense:
- A fine between $250 and $500
- Up to 10 days imprisonment
Second offense:
- $350 fine
- Up to 10 days imprisonment
- 90 revocation of license
- Five points added to your driving record
Third offense:
- $500 fine
- Imprisonment for up to six months
It’s important to note that, while the above fines can be quite steep, if you cause an accident and do not carry insurance, you will be personally liable for any and all damages. This can make the fines listed seem downright cheap by comparison.
DUI in Montana
What is a DUI in Montana?
Montana’s DUI laws are very robust. They go to great pains to ensure that the laws are clear and the penalties stiff. The basic definition of a DUI in Montana is operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Montana considers a driver to be under the influence if their operation of the vehicle is impaired by any (or multiple) of the following:
- Prescription drugs
- Alcohol
- Illicit drugs
- Marijuana (even medical users)
- Any other drug
While the official blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is .08%, if there is evidence that you are impaired by drugs or alcohol, you can be charged with a DUI even if your BAC is below that limit.
A driver is guilty of an aggravated DUI in the following circumstances:
- Commission of multiple DUIs
- Have a BAC greater than .16%
- Refusal to take a breathalyzer
- Driving with a suspended/revoked license
Penalties for a DUI in Montana
Penalties for driving under the influence in Montana are justly stiff. Along with the following criminal penalties, you will also see you insurance rates rise. If convicted of a DUI, you can expect ten points to be added to your record for each offense, as well as the following penalties:
First conviction:
- 24 hours to six months in jail
- A fine between $600 to $1,000
- Six-month suspension of license
- Possibility of an ignition interlock device*
- Mandatory chemical dependency course (A-C-T Phases)
Second conviction:
- Seven days to one year in jail
- A fine between $2,400 to $4,000
- One year suspension of license
- Ignition interlock device for at least 45 days
- Mandatory 24-7 sobriety program
Third conviction:
- 30 days to one year in jail
- A fine of between $5,000 to $10,000
- One year suspension of license
- Ignition interlock device for at least 90 days
- Mandatory 24-7 sobriety program
* In place of the ignition interlock, a judge could order vehicles owned by the offender to be seized.
Sources and references:
- https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2019/01/31/montana-kills-minor-texting-law/2736323002/
- https://leg.mt.gov/
- https://dojmt.gov/driving/insurance-and-verification/
- https://www.mdt.mt.gov/visionzero/docs/dui_penalties.pdf
