If you want to drive along the highways or side streets of Albany, NY, you’ll need auto insurance. New York State law requires all drivers to carry adequate auto insurance.

But drivers with bad driving records might find it challenging to qualify for the right auto insurance policy.

Finding auto insurance won’t be a big challenge. Auto insurers will be glad to provide insurance even to those drives with bad driving records. But finding an affordable auto insurance will prove difficult. If you have accidents or speeding tickets on your driving record, you might be surprised at how much insurers will charge to provide you with the auto insurance required of New York motorists.

There’s a reason for this: Drivers with bad records are riskier for auto insurers. That’s because they are more likely to get into accidents that require insurance companies to pay out damages. To protect themselves from this financial risk, auto insurers charge drivers with bad records extra dollars.

This doesn’t mean, though, that bad drivers have to settle for overpriced auto insurance. Today, it’s easier than ever for drivers to shop for the right insurance policy. Credit for this goes to the Internet. Today, motorists can quickly compare auto-insurance rates from several policies, all from the comfort of their computers.

This is a change. In the past, consumers would have to call individual insurers, ask about their rates and provide their own information. It was an inefficient way for drivers to shop for the lowest insurance rates.

The shopping process today, though, takes just seconds, even for consumers with bad driving records. Consumes, for instance, can instantly compare insurance rates at this Web site. Just by entering their basic information, they can view rates from several competing insurers.

This is especially important for drivers with accidents or speeding tickets in their past. There is no better way for such drivers to land the lowest possible rates.