You need auto insurance if you want to drive legally. Problem is, you have accidents and speeding tickets in your past. Your driving record is far from perfect. This means one thing: Your insurance premium will be higher.

Before deciding what to charge, auto insurers will take a careful look at your driving record, looking for past accidents and speeding violations. The reason? They’re searching for those drivers who are the riskiest, the ones most likely to get into future accidents.

These risky drivers cost insurers more money than do drivers with clean driving records. When drivers get into accidents, they often call on their insurance providers to cover the costs of repairing their cars and, at times, the damaged vehicles of other drivers. This cuts into the yearly profits that auto insurers make.

To cover themselves, auto insurers charge drivers with bad driving records higher premiums. This way, insurers still benefit financially from providing insurance to these risky motorists.

Where does this leave you? First, you have to be ready to pay a higher insurance premium. That’s simply the cost of having a checkered driving record. If you want to change this, start compiling a better driving record immediately. This means no more accidents and no more speeding tickets.

Secondly, shop around. This is the best way for motorists with spotty driving records to land the best insurance costs. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever for consumers to shop for auto insurance. You can instantly compare quotes from competing insurance companies online, a process that takes just minutes.

For instance, you can use this Web site to shop around for the lowest insurance rates. Simply enter your basic information and location and hit "return." You’ll soon see rates from several insurers. And some of these rates might be more affordable than you’d think.