Is SR-22 Insurance the Same for Everyone: Here’s 7 Things You Should Know
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Reports show that a not-at-fault accident can hike your insurance by as much as 16.66%.
If you have been in an at-fault accident—your insurance rates are likely to go through an even more dramatic rise.
Besides this, accidents and traffic violations can also cause you to require an SR-22 certificate. If you do not get one, you could be at risk of losing your license.
It’s important to note that not everyone needs an SR-22. However, if you do, you must purchase SR22 insurance within the deadline period.
If you want to find out more about SR22 insurance, keep reading. We are going to take a look at what it is, who needs it, how to get it, and more.
1. What Is SR-22 Insurance?
Firstly, what is SR-22 insurance? Contrary to its name, SR-22 insurance is not insurance. Instead, it is a service that you can take out on your existing coverage.
Once you apply for SR-22 insurance, your policy provider will issue you with an SR-22 certificate. They will also inform your state of any updates or changes to your policy.
The purpose of an SR 22 certificate is to inform your state that you have at least the minimum of coverage. If your coverage lapses, your insurer is obliged to notify the state.
2. Who Needs SR-22
As mentioned above, not everyone needs to have SR-22 insurance. Most drivers do not. However, several circumstances may cause you to require an SR 22 certificate.
If any of the below apply, you could need SR-22 insurance:
- You have a DUI
- You have been in an at-fault-accident
- You have committed other traffic violations
- Your driver’s license points are low
- You have to take out high-risk coverage
- You were caught driving without insurance
- Your license was suspended and it is being reinstated
In short, if your driving record has been compromised, you might need to get an SR 22 certificate.
SR-22 is court- or state-ordered. If you need SR-22, then you will be notified by the court, or by your state’s DMV.
3. How to Find out If You Need an SR 22 Certificate
In most cases, you will know if you need an SR 22 certificate, as the state must inform you. However, in the rare case that you might not know, such as a sudden change of details—then you might want to check.
To do so, simply contact your local DMV and check on your status. They will be able to tell you if you need to obtain SR-22 insurance, and if so, by what date.
4. Where to Get It
The best place to start to get SR-22 is with your insurance provider. Most big insurers do not provide SR-22 insurance. You may be asking why?
Generally speaking, drivers who need SR22 are classified by insurers as high-risk. If this is the case, you will need to inquire with other insurance agencies.
Once you find one that provides SR-22 insurance, you have the choice to take out just the SR-22 insurance or shift your insurance needs to the new provider.
If you have bundled insurance that you do not want to change, then you can opt for non-owner car insurance. This will meet SR-22 requirements, while still allowing you to retain your original insurance package.
However, take note that if you have been in an accident or committed a serious traffic offense, your existing coverage is likely to go up. In some instances, it might more than double. If this is the case, then you might want to change insurance providers to get the best price.
Things like traffic violations, DUIs, and at-fault accidents will place you into the high-risk driver’s category. High-risk driver’s insurance is notoriously pricey. However, if you shop for the best deal, you might be able to save substantially.
5. What It Costs
SR-22 insurance is not expensive. The average cost is around $25. Insured ASAP offers SR-22 insurance for as little as $19 per month.
However, what tends to happen when the court or state orders SR-22 insurance is that your premiums will rise. As mentioned above, DUIs, violations, and accidents, will spike your premiums, as well as other things that can cause you to need an SR-22 certificate, such as discovered coverage lapses.
Therefore, while the SR-22 insurance cost will be negligible, your overall auto insurance is likely to be a lot more, especially if you don’t take the time to find a good high-risk insurance deal.
6. State Laws and SR22 Insurance
It is important to know that not all states require SR22 insurance. However, most states will have their own version of coverage related requirements and forms.
The states that don’t use the SR-22 form are:
- Delaware
- Kentucky
- Minnesota
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
If you are moving states and carrying SR-22, usually, you will need to maintain compliance in your old state. For this, you will need to take out an out-of-state SR22 filing with an auto insurance carrier that is nationwide.
7. How Long Will I Need an SR 22 Certificate?
The good news is that, in most cases, you won’t need SR-22 insurance forever. SR-22 certificates are generally required for between 2-5 years. The average amount of time that SR-22 is needed is three years.
The exact time-frame that you will have to carry SR-22 insurance depends on your state. Also, the type of offense that you committed can also have an impact.
Other influencing factors include at what point the clock starts on your SR-22 time. Some states deem your time to start from the date a traffic offense happened, and others from the ruling.
Do You Need SR-22?
If you have found out that you need SR-22, figuring out where to take out SR-22 insurance can feel daunting. However, there is no time to delay. If you are caught driving after the SR-22 deadline, in some states, you may have your license taken away.
Fortunately, you are in the perfect place to get started with your SR-22 certificate. Request an SR22 quote online today and start comparing your options.
If you have any questions feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help.
