North Carolina Insurance Points & Driving Record

The state of North Carolina has what’s known as a Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP). The SDIP is used to encourage North Carolina motorists to drive safely. The incentive? Lower insurance rates. When you’re convicted of moving violations (like speeding or illegal passing) or you’re involved in at-fault accidents during the experience period, you will have “SDIP points” added to your driving record. The number of points you receive corresponds with the severity of the violation (you’ll get more points for DWI than aggressive driving). With each addition of points to your record, you stand a chance of having your insurance premium go up. 

So how many points will you get for the offense you committed? Some examples of moving violations and the points associated with them include:

• Speeding 10 MPH or less over a speed limit that’s lower than 55 MPH: 1 point
• Following too closely: 2 points
• Causing an accident that results in death or total bodily injury of over $1,800: 3 points
• Reckless driving: 4 points
• Driving while your license or registration is revoked/suspended: 8 points
• Speeding to elude arrest: 10 points
• Hit-and-run that results in bodily injury or death: 12 points

For a full list of convictions and the points they carry, visit the North Carolina Department of Insurance website.

Exemptions

There are some circumstances when you will not be charged SDIP points. These situations include:

• An accident, if all of these are true:
  • There is only property damage.
  • The damage amounts to $1,800 or less.
  • You are not also convicted of a moving violation in conjunction with the crash.
  • No licensed drivers in your household have moving violation convictions or any involvement in at-fault accidents during the experience period.
• Speeding 10 MPH or less over the speed limit, if all of these are true:
  • The offense did not take place in a school zone.
  • You do not have another moving violation for the experience period.
• Your household is allowed to have 1 Prayer for Judgment Continued (PJC) every 3 years.
  • Please note that a second PJC may cause you to get insurance points.

How Much Will My Insurance Go Up?

Think a 1-point violation won’t do that much damage to your premium? Think again: even 1 point could lead to a 30% increase in your insurance rate. 4 points could mean an 80% increase, and by the time you’re at 12 points, you could be facing a 340% increase! That’s why it’s so important that you drive safely to avoid these points altogether.