If you receive a DUI in Georgia, your auto insurance rates are bound to rise: it's just a question of how much more you'll pay. But shopping carefully and comparing rates provides some opportunities to reduce your car insurance costs, even after a DUI.

Finding cheap car insurance in Georgia with a DUI: a guide

Finding cheap auto insurance soon after a DUI violation is anything but straightforward. In fact, a DUI usually brings about a bigger premium increase than any other driving violation — more than an at-fault accident, racing, or reckless driving. Georgia is an especially bad state in which to commit a DUI: its insurance price hikes are some of the nation's stiffest.

The best cheap car insurance after a DUI in Georgia

If you've been convicted of a DUI or DWI offense in Georgia, it’s important to weigh all of your insurance options thoughtfully. Car insurance premiums in the wake of a DUI can fluctuate substantially by company. For example, the cheapest auto insurance company with a DUI in Georgia, State Farm, offers yearly prices 44% less than the state average insurance premium with a DUI conviction. The next-most affordable insurer for auto insurance after a DUI in Georgia is Georgia Farm Bureau, while the most expensive insurer is GEICO, at 55% above average.

CHEAP CAR INSURANCE COMPANIES FOR DRIVERS WITH A DUI

There’s no auto insurance company in particular offering low-cost DUI car insurance. The most effective strategy to limit your losses post-DUI citation is to assess your options.

Compare car insurance policies online or contact your insurance professional to weigh your choices and find a suitable DUI insurance policy.

Learn more about car insurance and DUI violations.

How will a DUI impact car insurance in Georgia?

In Georgia, a DUI will raise your yearly auto insurance premium by an average of $1,236. That’s 11% more than the United States average premium hike after a DUI.

CAR INSURANCE WITH A DUI IN GEORGIA — AVERAGE ANNUAL COST

Georgia DUI regulations

The legal drinking limit in Georgia is a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%. Commercial drivers are held to an even stricter limit of 0.04%.

Georgia is also a zero-tolerance state when it comes to underage drinking and driving. Those under 21 years old must have a BAC less than 0.02%.

A BAC of the legal limit or higher means you are driving under the influence in Georgia.

DUI penalties in Georgia

Georgia imposes mandatory minimum jail time for DUI. In addition, the lookback period in Georgia is 10 years.

The penalties for a first-time DUI offense in Georgia are:

• 24 hours to one year in jail
• Fines of $300 to $1,000
• Up to one year of a suspended license
• A mandatory minimum of 40 hours of community service
• A mandatory substance abuse evaluation

Second-time DUI offenders are subject to:

• Two days to one year in jail
• Fines of $600 to $1,000
• Up to three years of a suspended license
• At least 30 days of mandatory community service
• A mandatory substance abuse evaluation
• Possible mandatory attendance in a DUI reduction program
• Possible requirement to install and use an ignition interlock device

Those charged with a third DUI offense are declared "habitual offenders" and are subject to penalties, including:

• 15 days to one year in jail
• $1,000 to $5,000 in fines
• License revocation for five years
• A minimum of 30 days of community service
• A mandatory substance abuse evaluation
• Possible mandatory attendance in a DUI reduction program
• License plate confiscation
• Name, address, and photo published in a local newspaper at offender's expense

DUI penalties for underage drinkers in Georgia

Penalties for a first-time DUI offense when underage in Georgia are:

• 24 hours to one year in jail
• $300 to $1,000 in fines
• Suspension of a driver's license for six months to one year (or until 17 years old if younger than 15)
• A minimum of 20 hours of community service
• A mandatory substance abuse evaluation
• Participation in a DUI reduction program

A second underage DUI offense leads to:

• Three days to one year in jail
• $600 to $1,000 in fines
• A suspended license for 18 months (or until 18 years old if 15 or younger)
• A minimum of 30 hours of community service
• A mandatory substance abuse evaluation
• Participation in a DUI reduction program

A third DUI offense while under the legal drinking age results in:

• 15 days to one year in jail
• Fines between $1,000 and $5,000
• A suspended license for five years (or until 18 years old if 15 years old or younger)
• A minimum of 30 hours of community service
• A mandatory substance abuse evaluation
• Participation in a DUI reduction program