After an arrest for DUI, there is much more to be considered than just the potential penalties that could be incurred upon conviction for such charges. In addition, defendants will need to consider implications such as those that could affect insurance premiums and more. Unfortunately, the repercussions of a DUI conviction in the state of Florida can last much longer than the time that is spent in jail or on probation for a conviction of this nature. In fact, the implications that an arrest can have on an insurance premium could be felt even if a conviction is ultimately avoided.
A DUI defendant is not legally required to notify his or her insurance provider of an arrest for DUI; however, insurance companies have many methods of finding out this kind of information whether or not it is expressly given to them by the defendant at hand. Any criminal charges that are made for driving under the influence in Miami will be connected to DMV records, and an insurance provider has the ability to run checks on these records.
Persons who are up for renewal on their insurance coverage are at particular risk of having their DMV record scanned, because this is often a normal procedure for insurance companies when looking into renewing a person's coverage. Any DUI conviction within the past ten years will inevitably show up when a scan of this nature is run, thus exposing a DUI charge to the insurance company, whether or not it was originally provided to the insurance carrier.
Insurance companies can also access the DUI record of a client if he or she failed to report to one or more of the hearings associated with his or DUI charges. When a defendant does not appear at a hearing, an FTA – or failure to appear – can appear on his or her record for up to ten years. If this happens, the insurance company will have easy access to documentation of the FTA, thus indicating a probable arrest for DUI. While this may not seem extremely concerning, it can dramatically affect a driver's motor vehicle liability coverage in the long run.
Automobile liability coverage is issued by private insurance companies, many of which are concerned with nothing more than maintaining a high profit for their company. Because these profits are decreased when the insurance company is forced to pay out on a claim for one of the people it insures, a DUI can be detrimental. As such, the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles might attempt to suspend the driver's license of a DUI defendant, even before his or her case is resolved.
Regardless of whether or not the DUI charges of a defendant are reduced or dismissed, the defendant could still face a serious increase to his or her premium. Therefore, it is imperative that defendants in Florida immediately seek the representation of a Miami criminal defense attorney from our firm. When a professional DUI defense attorney is involved in the case early on, the DUI charges of a defendant stand a much better chance of being resolved favorably.
After an arrest for DUI, there is much more at stake than just a conviction. In addition to the penalties that could be sustained at this time, an unfavorable increase to the defendant's insurance premium could also be at stake. To avoid this, as well as the potential jail time, hefty fines, and community service that could come from an ultimate conviction, we urge you to contact a Miami DUI lawyer at Parks & Braxton, PA. Our legal defense team is available 24/7 to help with your case. On nights, weekends, and holidays, our firm can be contacted for a free consultation and review of your case.