How does the New York Point and Insurance Reduction Program Work

Getting a traffic ticket is stressful for anyone but the State of New York has a program to make it a little less stressful. New York’s Point Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) gives drivers an opportunity not only to reduce any points they may have received as a result of getting the ticket but to get a reduction on their auto insurance rates too. To understand how the system works, it may be helpful to understand the New York traffic infraction point system.

The state adds up all points in an 18 month period based on the date of the traffic offense. If you accumulate more than 11 points in an 18 month period, you will be summoned to a DMV hearing after which, your license may be suspended or revoked.

For example:

• In January, you receive a speeding ticket (11 to 20 mph over the speed limit) and receive 4 points. In March of the following year, you receive a ticket for improper passing and receive an additional 3 points. You now have 7 points and if you receive another ticket within the next three months, you could be in danger of having your license suspended.

In spite of the point totals, there are situations, such as three speeding convictions in an 18 month period or a DWI, that will result in a mandatory license suspension or revocation.

Removing Points

New York drivers may reduce up to four points in an 18 month period by attending an approved Point Insurance Reduction Program, also known as a defensive driving course. The six hour course is designed to help drivers examine their own driving behavior and provides information and tools to help a driver deal safely with various driving situations. No matter how experienced a driver may be, we all develop bad habits over time and taking a refresher course is always beneficial.

As of 2009, drivers in New York have two options for taking the course:

• A traditional classroom environment over one or two days.
• Alternate Delivery Method (ADM) via their home computer or other approved ADM method. Drivers have 30 days, after registering, to complete the course.

(Note: motorcyclists must take the course via the classroom setting.)

There are several important points to remember about the PIRP:

• The course must be connected to a traffic violation within the current 18 month period and can’t be “banked” for future violations.
• The PIRP won’t affect calculation of points or reduce points for the "Driver Responsibility Assessment" program.
• The PIRP won’t prevent mandatory license suspension for DWI or three speeding tickets in an 18 month period.
• Your course provider must report the course completion to the DMV within 10 weeks of course completion. To verify that that the course completion has been entered in your driving record, you may order your driving record on-line or request a copy of your record from any DMV office.

Insurance Reduction

Completing the PIRP course has the added benefit of reducing your auto insurance rates by 10%. Your course provider should provide you with a completion certificate within 45 days of completing the course; you must then provide the completion certificate to your insurance provider to receive the discount.

• If you provide that completion certificate to your insurance provider within 90 days of the course completion, the 10% discount will be retroactive to the date you completed the course.
• If you provide proof of course completion to your insurance provider more than 90 days after course completion, the rate reduction will be effective from the date you provided the course completion certificate.

There are a couple of points to remember about the insurance reduction:

• The PIRP won’t keep your insurance from raising your rates due to annual rate increases or as a result of a collision; it only reduces the base rate of your auto insurance by 10%.
• The rate reduction only applies to the principal operator of a vehicle who completed the PIRP course; it doesn’t extend to other family members named on the policy who may drive the car.