NC Insurance and License Points - Mercogliano & Associates, PA

In North Carolina, if you are convicted of certain driving offenses, you may get points on your insurance and/or your driver’s license. If you get insurance points following a traffic conviction, automobile insurance companies have the right to increase your insurance premiums. The North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) created the Safe Driver Incentive Program (SDIP) in 1957 to govern the issuance of insurance points. The NCDOI regulates insurance rates for drivers in North Carolina based on the number of points they receive during a three (3) yeah “Experience Period.” This “Experience Period” is defined as a three (3) year period immediately preceding either the date of application (for individual’s applying for coverage), or the preparation of the policy renewal (when an insurance company is preparing to renew an existing policy). The following chart provides an overview of the surcharges that can, and likely will, be assessed against a North Carolina driver after obtaining insurance points.

Points	% of Rate Increase	Cost if Basic Rate is $100
1	30%	$130
2	45%	$145
3	60%	$160
4	80%	$180
5	110%	$210
6	135%	$235
7	165%	$265
8	195%	$295
9	225%	$325
10	260%	$360
11	300%	$400
12	340%	$440

Not all traffic offenses carry insurance points. The NCDOI has stated, however, that the following violations may carry points:

Points	Traffic Violation
12	Manslaughter or negligent homicide Prearranged highway racing or knowingly lending a motor vehicle for prearranged highway racing Hit-and-run resulting in bodily injury or death Driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or more Driving commercial vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of .04 or more Driving while impaired Transporting illegal intoxicating liquor for sale
10	Highway racing or knowingly lending a motor vehicle for highway racing Speeding to allude arrest
8	Driving during revocation or suspension of license or registration Aggressive driving
4	Reckless driving Hit-and-run resulting in property damage only Passing a stopped school bus Speeding in excess of 75 mph when the speed limit is less than 70 mph Speeding in excess of 80 mph when the speed limit is 70 mph or greater Driving by a person less than age 21 after consuming alcohol or drugs
3	At fault accident resulting in death, or total bodily injury to all persons in excess of $1,800; OR resulting in total property damage (including damage to the insured’s own property) of $3,000 or more
2	Illegal passing Following too closely Driving on the wrong side of the road At-fault accident resulting in total property damage (including damage to insured’s own property) in excess of $1,8000 but less than $3,000 Speeding more than 10 mph over the speed limit provided the total speed is in excess of 55 mph, but less than 76 mph Speeding 10 mph or less in excess of speed zone of 55 mph or greater
1	All other moving violations At fault accident resulting in bodily injury to all persons of $1,800 or less; OR resulting in property damage (including damage to insured’s own property) of $1,800 or less Speeding 10 mph or less in excess of speed limit of less than 55 mph

The SDIP does not charge insurance points for the following traffic offenses:

An accident, provided all of the following are true:

Speeding 10 mph or less over the posted speed limit, provided all of the following are true:

One PJC for each household every three years; however:

There isONLYproperty damage;
The amount of damage is $1,800 or less;
There is no conviction for a moving violation in connection with the accident;AND
No licensed operators in the household have convictions or at-fault accidents during the Experience Period. (An insurance company may require that the insured be covered by that company for six continuous months).

The violation did not occur in a school zone; AND
There is not another moving traffic violation for the Experience period (an isolated PJC will not count as a prior conviction for purposes of this exception)

A second PJC may cause points to be charged according to the underlying convictions

It’s important for you to know and understand the consequences of a traffic conviction as it relates to your insurance costs. You made need a Prayer for Judgment Continued (PJC) to prevent points from accumulating on your insurance. Call Mercogliano & Associates, PA today to determine whether you have a PJC available.

Driver’s License Points

If you are convicted of certain driving offenses in North Carolina, the DMV will allocate driver’s license points against your driving record. Accumulation of several DMV points can result in certain consequences. For instance, a motorist who accumulates seven (7) DMV points against his license may be required to attend a driver improvement clinic. The clinic costs $50.00 to attend. Once the driver attends the clinic, three (3) points will be deducted from his license. A driver who accumulates twelve (12) DMV points within a three (3) period can have his license suspended. A person who accumulates eight (8) DMV points within a three (3) year period, following a previous revocation, can have his license re-revoked. If your driver’s license is suspended under the DMV point system, it may be taken for:

Sixty (60) days for the first suspension
Six (6) months for the second suspension
Twelve (12) months for the third suspension

Once your driver’s license is reinstated, all previous DMV points are canceled. Points are given for the following driving offenses:

Driving Offense	DMV Point Value
Passing a stopped school bus	5
Aggressive driving	5
Reckless driving	4
Hit and run (property damage only)	4
Following too closely	4
Driving on the wrong side of the road	4
Illegal passing	4
Failure to yield right of way to pedestrian pursuit	4
Failure to yield right of way to bicycle, motorcycle, or scooter	4
Running a stop sign	3
Speeding in excess of 55 mph	3
Failure to yield right of way	3
Running a red light	3
No driver’s license or license expired for more than one (1) year	3
Failure to stop for siren	3
Driving through safety zone	3
No liability insurance	3
Failure to report accident where such report is required	3
Speeding in a school zone	3
Failure to properly restrain a child in a restraint or seat belt	2
All other moving violations	2
Littering while using a motor vehicle	1

**Please note that point values differ for convictions obtained while operating a commercial motor vehicle.

For more information regarding the intricacies of North Carolina’s traffic laws, please contact a trusted attorney, like the team at Mercogliano & Associates, PA. We can be reached by phone at 919-552-2501, via email, or through our contact form. Our primary service area includes Harnett and Wake counties.