Sunday, April 19, 2020

When Do You Need An SR-22?

An SR-22 is actually not insurance: it is a certificate proving that you have insurance that you must get in certain situations. When you are instructed to get an SR-22 certificate, you must comply or face serious repercussions from the court and the state.

Reasons

If you are involved in certain traffic violations, you must file an SR-22 form before you can legally drive once more. If you receive a DUI or DWI conviction, you will be required to provide proof of insurance and an SR-22 before you can regain your driver’s license. You will likely be required to get an SR-22 if your license has been revoked or suspended or if you have exceeded the allowed number of points against your license. You may also be instructed to file this form if you have been in a bad car accident.


Process

Many insurance companies will file the form for you if they accept you for coverage. In most instances, the state will require you to show proof of an SR-22 and insurance coverage before they will reinstate your license. Although insurance companies do not generally issue policies if you do not have a current license, they make exceptions in this instance. They will usually give you a short period of time after issuing a policy to prove that your license has been reinstated. If you do not meet that deadline, your insurance will be canceled. Once you get insurance, you still cannot legally drive until you have your license back. If you are caught driving on a suspended license, you will suffer serious penalties.

Cost

Any driver required to file an SR-22 is considered high risk, so you will incur extra expenses. The cost of filing for an SR-22 is generally around $25. In addition, your insurance rates will almost undoubtedly rise due to your tickets and/or convictions. You will have to maintain this insurance for approximately three years, depending on your state’s regulations. After your period is up, it is your responsibility to make sure the SR-22 is removed from your record.

Being required by a court to obtain an SR-22  is part of the penalty you receive for serious traffic violations. You must file this form and obtain insurance before you can regain your driving privileges. Many insurance companies offer SR-22 services, but the coverage each offers can vary. Remember, the SR-22 is simply a Certificate of Financial Responsibility. The liability insurance is the same type coverage any driver might purchase, so do comparison shop.

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