A recent study, comparing insurance premium increases from driving with a suspended license and driving without any license, found that insurance companies tend to treat driving with a suspended license as a more serious offence.

While having a prior conviction of driving without a license could increase your premium when you get an insurance quote by up to 35 percent, those with prior convictions of driving with a suspended license can expect up to a 75-percent increase in their insurance premiums.

The study found that insurance providers view drivers with tickets for driving with a suspended license as a potential safety risk. That’s based on a California DMV statistic that says a driver with a suspended license is four times as likely as a licensed driver to be involved in a fatal accident.

So if you lose your license, or it’s suspended, think about the day you’ll get it back. Do you want to pay nearly double what you would have for car insurance? If not, take the bus.