Hello everyone.

Thank you for your time to help me who has totally no experience to deal with a ticket.

I was caught by police driving at 60 km/h in a 50 km/h zone one King St. W., Hamilton.

They asked for my license and ownership but no my insurance and gave me a $40 ticket contrary to HTA 128.

The police told me there will be no points deducted and it will not increase me insurance.

I planned just to pay for the ticket. However, some of my friends said that as long as it says "speeding" on the ticket, the insurance will be raised.

Now I am totally lost and do not know what to do....

Can anyone give me some advice? I wouldn't mind pay the $40 but will this situation increase my insurance at all?

Thank you for your time!

You'll have to contact your insurance provider to find out. Some will ignore your first ticket, others may increase your rates. It actually has nothing to do with the fact that it's a speeding ticket. Any ticket (i.e. expired licence plate sticker, burnt out headlight) can increase your rates.

Stanton wrote:

You'll have to contact your insurance provider to find out. Some will ignore your first ticket, others may increase your rates. It actually has nothing to do with the fact that it's a speeding ticket. Any ticket (i.e. expired licence plate sticker, burnt out headlight) can increase your rates.

Thank you! It seems it was not responsible for the police to say "no point, no increase insurance"

Did the officer look like an insurance agent?

Think for yourself first and foremost. You might want to contact your insurance company and ask some very general questions about how they increase rates based in tickets.

Most people, police included, are of the belief that no demerit points equals no insurance increase. The belief is probably reinforced by the fact that most providers overlook a driver's first minor conviction or never find out about it the first place. I truly don't think it's a case of the police being deceitful versus simply misinformed.

Decatur wrote:

Did the officer look like an insurance agent?

Think for yourself first and foremost. You might want to contact your insurance company and ask some very general questions about how they increase rates based in tickets.

Thank you! If the company will increase the insurance, do you have an idea roughly how much would that be? or it varies a lot among companies? I have a clean record before.

will need to think how to communicate with insurance provider towards this issue.

Stanton wrote:

Most people, police included, are of the belief that no demerit points equals no insurance increase. The belief is probably reinforced by the fact that most providers overlook a driver's first minor conviction or never find out about it the first place. I truly don't think it's a case of the police being deceitful versus simply misinformed.

I agree. I don't think police would lie.

I will try to communicate with my insurance provider first. This record will stay in my file for 3 years right? Does that mean if my insurance provider would increase my premium, it will last for 3 years?

Thank you for your time!

Why would you communicate with your insurance provider ? Leave it for them to find it out if and when they do a check on renewal. One ticket isn't going to break the bank on a premium and my agency don't increase at all for the first.

argyll wrote:

Why would you communicate with your insurance provider ? Leave it for them to find it out if and when they do a check on renewal. One ticket isn't going to break the bank on a premium and my agency don't increase at all for the first.

so would you suggest me just pay for the ticket or go on the court? Thank you!

Hi Timoc

in case of reiterating, I recently got a ticket so spent my whole weekend googling.

1> (insurace confirmed with me months ago b4 offence that) demerit point is not relevant, it's the conviction, HOWEVER, they come as minor, major and serious. IF you have only 1 minor, chances are your insurance company will let you off or at most load you by no more than 15%. This is a MINOR offense, BUT it is still a conviction. Apparently copps are more likly to ticket you after your first ticket.

2> Cops are NOT supposed to tell you WHAT will effect your insurance becuase THEY DONT KNOW

3> if you can fight it and have it REMOVED then fine, but a paralegal will cost you $400+ including any fine and unless they can CONFRIM they can

get it removed and NOT just down graded its not worth it? If you have a clean record chances are they could be kind

4> BTW the option 2 on the ticket, if you go there they can do nothing OTHER than negiotae, you STILL have to go to court after youve seen the prosecutor,

several places I've seen said that its just to get your hopes up

sure others will chime in

oh another point...

IF you DONT WANT the insurance company to increase your fees, here is a thought.

1> lay low and DONT contact your insurance. THEY will run a DMV on you IF they want, sometimes at re-newal, sometimes not.

IF they ASK YOU you must TELL them (only if you get convicted) but if they DONT ASK YOU , the nyou dont need to tell them.

DONT change your insurance companies, cars etc.

Sometimes this is harder, they can't pro rate your charges.

From what I understand, this should not cause you any problems even if you have to make a claim, because at that time you then tell them.

I have heard 2 sources, 1> You must tell them 2> Dont tell them they will find out.

Apparently 1's> argument is that you insurance will be void 2> says not.

I'm not at expert but thats what I've been finding, others again can chime in

my very first year in Canada (over 3 years now)

I got a 3 pointer for an incorrect uturn, paid it,

nothing happened with the insurance, and it came off after 2 years, 3 for insurance purposes,

bugger that a few months after running clean I got anther ticket DOH

The problem is IF you start accuiring convictions, (NOT POINTS) I believe if you have 3 convictions (of any kind) THEN they could refuse you at renewal

TimoC wrote:

argyll wrote:

Why would you communicate with your insurance provider ? Leave it for them to find it out if and when they do a check on renewal. One ticket isn't going to break the bank on a premium and my agency don't increase at all for the first.

so would you suggest me just pay for the ticket or go on the court? Thank you!

bobajob wrote:

oh another point...

IF you DONT WANT the insurance company to increase your fees, here is a thought.

1> lay low and DONT contact your insurance. THEY will run a DMV on you IF they want, sometimes at re-newal, sometimes not.

IF they ASK YOU you must TELL them (only if you get convicted) but if they DONT ASK YOU , the nyou dont need to tell them.

DONT change your insurance companies, cars etc.

Sometimes this is harder, they can't pro rate your charges.

From what I understand, this should not cause you any problems even if you have to make a claim, because at that time you then tell them.

I have heard 2 sources, 1> You must tell them 2> Dont tell them they will find out.

Apparently 1's> argument is that you insurance will be void 2> says not.

I'm not at expert but thats what I've been finding, others again can chime in

I did some digging on this very issue. I spoke with the Insurance Biard of Canada who said that you did need to proactively call your broker. Then I spoke with my broker and told them what I had been told and they said I didn't have to. What an industry !

bobajob wrote:

Hi Timoc

in case of reiterating, I recently got a ticket so spent my whole weekend googling.

1> (insurace confirmed with me months ago b4 offence that) demerit point is not relevant, it's the conviction, HOWEVER, they come as minor, major and serious. IF you have only 1 minor, chances are your insurance company will let you off or at most load you by no more than 15%. This is a MINOR offense, BUT it is still a conviction. Apparently copps are more likly to ticket you after your first ticket.

2> Cops are NOT supposed to tell you WHAT will effect your insurance becuase THEY DONT KNOW

3> if you can fight it and have it REMOVED then fine, but a paralegal will cost you $400+ including any fine and unless they can CONFRIM they can

get it removed and NOT just down graded its not worth it? If you have a clean record chances are they could be kind

4> BTW the option 2 on the ticket, if you go there they can do nothing OTHER than negiotae, you STILL have to go to court after youve seen the prosecutor,

several places I've seen said that its just to get your hopes up

sure others will chime in

Wow! Thank you so much for your comprehensive suggestion! After having your suggestion, I might need to soberly think twice about this issue. Again, thank you!