If you’ve picked up a ticket or been in a fender-bender in Huntersville or North Carolina, you’ve probably heard about “points.” Here’s the part most folks miss:

• DMV points affect your license and potential suspensions.
• SDIP points (insurance points) affect your wallet—they’re used by insurers to surcharge your premium for convictions and at-fault crashes.

This post breaks down how SDIP works right now, highlights 2025 changes, and gives you practical steps to save money (and mistakes to avoid).

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SDIP, in Plain English

What it is: A rate plan created through the NC Rate Bureau and approved by the Department of Insurance that lets insurers add a surcharge to your premium based on recent convictions and at-fault accidents.

What it isn’t: SDIP points are not DMV points. They don’t suspend your license. They change what you pay.

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How Long Do Insurance Surcharges Last?

• Standard look-back: Insurers consider the prior 3 policy years for convictions and at-fault crashes.
• New for policies effective 7/1/2025: If a conviction carries 4 or more SDIP points (other than “speed-only” offenses), the surcharge sticks for 5 policy years, not 3.

Example: A 4-point reckless driving conviction on a policy effective 8/1/2025 would likely affect premiums for five renewals, not three.

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At-Fault Accidents & the Updated Dollar Thresholds

To be SDIP-chargeable, an accident must meet both fault and dollar criteria:

• At-fault generally means more than 50% at fault under NC fault rules.
• New dollar amounts: The plan now uses $2,300 and $3,850 thresholds (replacing the older $1,800/$3,000 figures) to sort accidents into 1-, 2-, or 3-point categories.

Why it matters: A difference of a few dollars in medical bills or repair estimates can push you into a higher point band.

Practice tip: If your totals are near a threshold, get final bills/estimates in writing. We often win or lose the point band on documentation.

“Non-chargeable” crashes: The plan lists several scenarios where no SDIP points apply (even if there’s a claim)—for example, not at fault, certain very small claims, a limited first-minor accident, legally parked vehicle struck, wildlife strikes, etc. We check every fact pattern.

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What Do Points Cost? (Surcharge Ladder)

The surcharge is a percentage added to your base premium. Here’s the standard ladder:

Points	% Increase	Example: $300 base
1	30%	$390
2	45%	$435
3	60%	$480
4	80%	$540
5	110%	$630
6	135%	$705
7	165%	$795
8	195%	$885
9	225%	$975
10	260%	$1,080
11	300%	$1,200
12	340%	$1,320

The actual dollar impact depends on your policy’s base rate and any safe-driver credits already applied.

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Common Offense & Accident Groupings (Client-Friendly Overview)

Heads-up: The exact mapping comes from the NC Rate Bureau plan. Use this as a guide—and verify the specific offense code before you publish a rigid chart.

12 SDIP points (very serious)

• DWI / BAC ≥ 0.08 (≥ 0.04 in a CDL CMV)
• Manslaughter or negligent homicide arising from driving
• Prearranged highway racing (or lending a car for it)
• Hit-and-run with injury or death
• Transporting illegal intoxicating liquor for sale

10 SDIP points

• Highway racing (non-prearranged) or lending a car for it
• Speeding to elude arrest

8 SDIP points

• Driving while license or registration revoked/suspended
• (Confirm any other 8-point designations in the current plan before listing)

4 SDIP points

• Reckless driving
• Hit-and-run with property damage only
• Passing a stopped school bus
• High-end speeding (e.g., > 75 mph when the limit < 70; > 80 mph when the limit ≥ 70)
• Under-21 driving after consuming alcohol/drugs (post-0.00 laws)

3 SDIP points (higher-dollar at-fault crashes)

• At-fault crash with total bodily injury (BI) (all persons) > $2,300, or total property damage (PD) (including your own) ≥ $3,850

2 SDIP points (mid-level moving / mid-range at-fault)

• Illegal passing; following too closely; driving left of center
• At-fault crash with total PD > $2,300 but < $3,850
• Speeding > 10 mph over if the total speed exceeds 55 mph but < 76 mph
• Speeding ≤ 10 mph over in a 55+ mph zone

1 SDIP point (lower-level moving / small at-fault)

• All other moving violations not listed above
• At-fault crash with total BI ≤ $2,300, or total PD ≤ $2,300
• Speeding ≤ 10 mph over in a zone < 55 mph

Medical bills used only for diagnostics (e.g., X-rays to rule out injury) don’t count toward BI if properly documented.

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PJCs (Prayer for Judgment Continued): Smart Tool—or Trap?

• A PJC can sometimes prevent insurance points, but it has limits: household/frequency caps and offense exclusions.
• New for 7/1/2025: For the inexperienced safe driver discount (see below), any conviction—even with a PJC—blocks eligibility for 5 years.
• Bottom line: A PJC can help on the license side, the insurance side, both, or neither. It’s strategy, not magic. Get advice before you use it.

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New & Young Drivers (Licensed on or after 7/1/2025)

• The subclassification plan may apply an “inexperienced driver” surcharge for up to 8 years (previously 3).
• An inexperienced safe driver discount may be available after 3 full years of incident-free driving—but any at-fault accident or any conviction (including a PJC) blocks the discount for 5 years.

For parents in Huntersville & Lake Norman: One small mistake can be expensive for years under the 2025 rules. A short call before court may save thousands.

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5 Common Scenarios (and What We Do)

1) “It was just 9 over. That won’t matter, right?”
Maybe—but in a 55+ mph zone, even ≤ 10 over can be 2 points. We often secure a reduction that avoids SDIP points entirely.

2) “I wasn’t at fault in the crash.”
We gather documentation (police report, statements, estimates) to prove >50% fault rests elsewhere. If you’re not at fault, no SDIP points should apply.

3) “The repair was $3,870—so I’m at 3 points?”
Not necessarily. We scrub totals and what counts toward the threshold. A re-estimate or diagnostic coding can be the difference between 3 and 2 (or 0) points.

4) “Should I just use my PJC?”
Not always. A PJC can block your teen’s future inexperienced safe driver discount under the 2025 rule. We propose smarter plea structures when that matters.

5) “My insurer says I’m chargeable.”
We don’t take the carrier’s classification on faith. SDIP has non-chargeable exceptions—we push for the right category with the right documents.

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What To Do If You’re Cited or In a Crash

• Call us before you plead. We check both DMV and SDIP exposure and chart the least-cost option.
• Don’t assume fault. Fault is a legal conclusion, not just what someone said at the scene.
• Document everything. Bills, estimates, and medical coding decide your point band.
• Use PJCs strategically. The wrong PJC can cost you more in 2025 and beyond.
• Ask about non-chargeable exceptions. Many clients avoid SDIP points with precise proof.

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A Note on Accuracy

This summary tracks the plan structure used in North Carolina and highlights 2025 changes, including the 5-year surcharge window for convictions with 4+ points (other than speed-only) and the $2,300 / $3,850 accident thresholds. The NC Rate Bureau’s plan governs the exact offense mapping, exceptions, and definitions. Before you decide, get a tailored review of your charge and facts.

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Talk to a Local Lawyer Who Actually Builds SDIP Strategy

Adkins Law, PLLC is a local Huntersville firm serving Mecklenburg County and the Lake Norman communities (Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and surrounding areas). We don’t just “handle tickets”—we design outcomes that protect:

• Your license (DMV points & suspensions)
• Your premium (SDIP insurance points & surcharges)
• Your future (PJC strategy, young driver discounts, and long-tail 2025 changes)

Here’s how we help:

• Ticket triage: We map your charge to current SDIP and DMV rules, explain options in real dollars, and aim for point-free resolutions.
• Accident reviews: We analyze fault, scrub dollar thresholds, and pursue non-chargeable treatment and beneficial reductions where the facts support it.
• PJC decisions: We advise whether a PJC helps—or hurts—under today’s rules, especially for new or youthful drivers.
• Teen/parent counseling: We provide a clear game plan to minimize 8-year inexperienced surcharges and keep the inexperienced safe driver discount within reach.

If you’re in or around Huntersville, don’t navigate traffic violations alone. One consult can save you years of surcharges. Reach out to Adkins Law, PLLC to speak with an experienced traffic attorney about your matter.