A hit and run conviction in Georgia adds 4 points to your license and typically raises insurance rates 35-65% for 3-5 years. Here's what carriers charge and how to find coverage.
What a Hit and Run Does to Your Georgia Insurance Rate
A hit and run conviction in Georgia adds 4 points to your license and raises your insurance premium by 35-65% on average. The increase shows up at your next renewal, not immediately. Most carriers apply the surcharge for 3-5 years from the conviction date, which extends 1-2 years beyond the 2-year window Georgia keeps the points on your DMV record.
The dollar impact depends on your base rate before the conviction. A driver paying $110/month jumps to $150-180/month. A driver already carrying multiple violations and paying $190/month moves to $255-315/month. Preferred carriers like State Farm and GEICO typically assess a 40-50% surcharge. Standard and non-standard carriers like The General or Acceptance Insurance often quote lower absolute premiums than a preferred carrier's surcharged rate once you cross 4 total points.
Georgia's hit and run statute covers leaving the scene of an accident with property damage or injury. The 4-point assignment applies whether you struck another vehicle, a fixed object, or a pedestrian. If the incident involved injury or significant property damage, prosecutors may file additional charges that carry their own point assessments and insurance consequences.
How Long the Points Stay on Your Georgia Record
Georgia removes hit and run points from your DMV record 2 years after the conviction date. Your insurance surcharge lasts longer. Most carriers apply the rate increase for 3-5 years based on their internal lookback period, not the DMV schedule.
The 2-year DMV window matters for license suspension risk. Georgia suspends your license at 15 points in any 24-month period. A hit and run conviction at 4 points leaves you 11 points from suspension. A second 4-point violation within 2 years puts you at 8 total points. Three violations totaling 15 points triggers suspension, a $210 restoration fee, and potential SR-22 filing if the suspension exceeds 30 days.
Your insurance rate does not automatically drop when points fall off the DMV record. Carriers re-rate your policy at each renewal based on their own claims and violation databases, which retain the conviction for 3-5 years. You can request a rate review after 3 years with most carriers, but the surcharge typically persists until their internal lookback expires.
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Which Carriers Write Policies for Drivers with Hit and Run Convictions
Preferred carriers like State Farm, GEICO, and Progressive typically continue coverage after a first hit and run conviction but apply the 40-50% surcharge. Policies renew automatically unless you accumulate additional major violations. At 6-8 total points or two at-fault accidents within 3 years, preferred carriers often non-renew and route you to their non-standard subsidiaries.
Standard-tier carriers like Nationwide and Allstate write 4-point drivers but quote higher base rates than preferred carriers before applying surcharges. The surcharged preferred rate and the standard base rate often land within $20-40/month of each other for the same coverage limits.
Non-standard carriers like The General, Acceptance Insurance, and Dairyland specialize in 4-15 point drivers. Their base rates run higher than preferred carriers for clean-record drivers, but they apply smaller percentage surcharges for violations. A non-standard carrier quoting $175/month with no surcharge beats a preferred carrier's $220/month surcharged rate. Non-standard policies typically require 6-month terms with full payment upfront or monthly installments at 15-20% APR.
Shopping matters more after a hit and run conviction than before. Rate spreads between the lowest and highest quotes widen from $30-50/month for clean records to $80-150/month for 4-point drivers. Request quotes from at least one preferred carrier, one standard carrier, and two non-standard carriers to map your actual options.
Whether Georgia Requires SR-22 After a Hit and Run
Georgia does not require SR-22 filing for a hit and run conviction alone. SR-22 triggers in Georgia when your license is suspended for points accumulation, DUI, reckless driving, or driving without insurance. A first hit and run at 4 points does not reach the 15-point suspension threshold.
If you accumulate 15 points within 24 months and your license is suspended, Georgia requires SR-22 filing for 3 years after reinstatement. The filing itself costs $15-25 through your carrier and adds $300-800/year to your premium depending on the carrier and your total violation history. The SR-22 requirement begins when you reinstate your license, not when you reach 15 points.
Drivers who let their insurance lapse after a hit and run conviction face a separate penalty. Georgia suspends your license for driving uninsured and requires SR-22 for 3 years after reinstatement, even if you have not reached 15 points. The suspension also resets your 2-year points window, extending the timeline before older violations expire.
What You Can Do to Lower Your Rate After a Hit and Run
Georgia allows drivers to complete a defensive driving course to remove up to 7 points from their DMV record once every 5 years. The course removes points only if you complete it before accumulating 15 points and facing suspension. A 4-point hit and run conviction drops to 0 points on your DMV record after course completion. Your insurance surcharge does not automatically drop.
The defensive driving reduction affects your license suspension risk, not your insurance rate timeline. Carriers base surcharges on their own violation databases, which record the conviction regardless of DMV point removal. You must request a rate review from your carrier after completing the course and provide a certificate of completion. Some carriers reduce the surcharge by 10-20% after course completion. Most wait until their standard 3-5 year lookback expires.
Shopping at each renewal produces the largest immediate rate reduction for 4-point drivers. Carriers weight violations differently. One carrier's 50% surcharge becomes another carrier's 30% surcharge for the same conviction. Non-standard carriers often quote $40-90/month less than surcharged preferred rates for drivers at 4-6 total points. Request quotes 30-45 days before each renewal to compare rates while your current policy remains active.
How Georgia's Point System Builds Toward Suspension
Georgia assesses points for moving violations and at-fault accidents on a rolling 24-month window. Hit and run convictions add 4 points. Speeding 15-18 mph over the limit adds 2 points. Reckless driving adds 4 points. An at-fault accident with property damage over $500 adds 0 points to your DMV record but appears on your insurance record as a surchargeable event.
You reach suspension at 15 points within any 24-month period. Points fall off 2 years after the conviction date, not the violation date. A hit and run conviction on March 1, 2024 expires March 1, 2026. A second violation on February 15, 2025 starts its own 2-year clock and expires February 15, 2027. The 24-month suspension window evaluates your total points at any given moment, not calendar years.
Georgia suspends your license for 6 months at 15 points for drivers 21 and older. Reinstatement requires a $210 fee, proof of insurance, and completion of a defensive driving course if ordered by the court. If the suspension exceeds 30 days, Georgia requires SR-22 filing for 3 years after reinstatement. The SR-22 clock starts when you reinstate, not when you were suspended.
