Reader’s Question:

I was in a car accident and my insurance had been canceled. I live in Owensboro Kentucky. What will happen to me?

Rick

Owensboro, KY

There are penalties in KY for driving uninsured. For a 1st offense you are cited to go to court and can be fined between $500 up to $1000 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days or both.

Your Kentucky license plates and vehicle registration can be suspended for 1 year or until proof of insurance is presented. It is also possible that you will lose your license for up to one year. For each subsequent violation of being uninsured the penalties increase.

It was best to get auto insurance in Owensboro Kentucky now before going to court since this might help your situation. There might be penalties other than the ones I have mentioned since you were involved in an accident while driving without insurance.

If you caused the accident you will likely need to call the other party so that you can reimburse them for the damages caused to their car. Remember that it is essential to have continual insurance coverage on your vehicle.

Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance

Reader’s Question:

I had an accident recently but I do not have car insurance. The DMV in Virginia wants an SR-22 certificate sent to them. What questions are on that SR22 form? Am I gonna have to pay for that accident?

Janice

Virginia Beach, VA

The SR-22 is simply a form of financial responsibility proving that you are carrying a certain type of liability coverage. It is not a form with questions that you have fill out but it is the one that your insurance company would fill out and file for you with the state of Virginia showing you had the required insurance coverages.

Normally if you were at fault in the accident you would be held personally liable for the damages the vehicle and driver sustained. If you did not pay the other party on your own the other driver could seek a judgment in court against you. If the other driver had insurance to take care of their damages their insurance company could come after you (subrogate with you) for the monies they paid out for the accident you caused.

Reader’s Question:

I got DUI conviction by the DMV but the court dismissed the charges of a DUI. How am I going to clean my record? How much is it going to be to get an SR22? I’m in Anaheim, California.

Anne

Anaheim, CA

To be able to remove a moving or traffic violation from your driving record, you will need to contact CA Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) should be able to advise you if you are required to carry an SR22. The CA DMV will be able to inform you as well on how to go about cleaning your driving record. If you will still require an SR22 in California, you should be able to buy an SR22 from an insurance company licensed to do business in California. You may ask any car insurance representative on the cost of getting an SR22 car insurance policy.

Reader’s Question:

What happens if I cancel the sr22 before the required period?

Peter

Thank you for asking Peter.

State laws differ so I would sugges that you check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or other state agency that is mandating you to obtain an SR-22 to get more information on what will happen if you terminate it before the end of your required time period.

In most states if you have your SR-22 cancelled, terminated or just decided to not carry it for the full period of time you were supposed to have it, your license will be suspended or revoked.

Acquiring and maintaining an sr-22 is required in many states to have your license reinstated. If you do not keep up the SR22 then your driving privileges will be suspended or taken away.

Since the penalty for canceling a SR-22 before the time period varies by state your DMV will be able to give you the the information that you need.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Reader’s Question:

How do I remove the sr22 from my policy?

Betty

Thank you for asking Betty.

State’s procedures differ but generally if your time period required by the state to carry your SR-22 is completed you should notify your insurance company so that it can be remove from your policy.

Before you contact your insurance cmpany to get the SR22 removed from your policy you may want to contact the department of motor vehicles (DMV) first, to make sure it is okay to cancel your SR-22 insurance. The DMV might need to send you documentation which you would need to show your insurance provider so that they would know that it is now okay to take off this sr22 or financial responsibility certificate/form from your insurance policy.

In most states the insurance provider will send the state a SR-26 when you cancel your SR-22 coverage. This form shows the cancellation of SR-22 or financial responsibility certificate insurance.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Reader’s Question:

Can you give me the reasons for the DMV to require drivers to carry an sr22?

Jean

Thank you for asking Jean.

The reasons that an SR-22 may be mandated by the state vary depending upon the laws and statutes of the state. In most states the sr22 is required to restore your license after a DWI or DUI conviction.

The SR22 is a form that shows that an individual has financial responsibility on his/her vehicle through car insurance. Generally, it is required by the DMV for drivers who are high risk. Other states have their own reasons that require drivers to acquire and carry the SR-22. Some general reasons a state might require you to file an SR-22 form:

* DUI or DWI (drunk driving or under the influence of drugs)
* serious moving violations such as reckless driving
* compiling too many DMV points in a short period of time
* being termed a habitual traffic offender
* causing an accident while uninsured
* reinstating your license after a suspension or revocation

To get more information under what circumstances your specific state requires the SR-22 contact your local Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV).

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Reader’s Question:

I just want to know how long does the DMV requires me to carry the sr22 after conviction of DUI? I live in VA.

Dan

Thank you for asking Dan.

In Virginia, the time one must carry a SR-22 may vary in but usually it must be held for 3 years after a DUI/DWI convictions.

According to the VA Department of Motor Vehicles site when three years have elapsed from the effective date of the suspension or revocation, the DMV relieves the owner of the vehicle of the requirement of furnishing proof of financial responsibility or sr22. To verify this information regarding your specific case you may contact the contact the VA DMV.

I most states, being convicted of driving while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving while intoxicated and maiming are all kept on your driving record for 11 years.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Reader’s Question:

Do I get notification from the DMV if the time period to carry an sr22 is up already?

Michael

Thank you for asking Michael.

Whether the DMV will notify you or you need to contact the DMV about removing the SR22 depends upon laws in the state and Department of Motor Vehicles guidelines. There may be some states where the Department of Motor Vehicle will send notification that you are no longer required to maintain the SR-22, while other states may not require their DMV to do so.

If the DMV is not required to notify you when the time period to carry the SR-22 is completed then likely you were told when you started carrying the SR-22 when you would be able to cancel it.

I would suggest that you verify with the DMV to know if your SR-22 time limit is over and if so how to go about removing it. You may also need to talk to your insurance company about removing it or you may need to provide your insurance agent with any documentation from the DMV that you are no longer required to carry the sr22 and its okay to have it removed.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Reader’s Question:

My son was required to carry an sr22 because he received 12 points. Can you please tell me what an sr22 is. Thank you.

Denver

Thank you for asking Denver.

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles states that a form S-22 insurance certificate is required for three years from the ending date of the suspension for which it is required. This financial certificate or sr22 is also required during the 6 months when a person is issued a provisional driver’s license.

According to the SC driver’s manual some suspensions require SC motorist to file SR-22 insurance before their driver’s license can be reinstated. SR-22 insurance is a proof of financial responsibility for the future. If you are mandated by the state to file SR-22 insurance and you fail to maintain that coverage, your driving and/or registration privileges will be suspended and you may be required to pay up a reinstatement fee of up to $400.

You may contact the SC Department of Motor Vehicle to get information on the exact state laws regarding your son’s loss of driver’s license due to getting too many points and the reason he needs to acquire the SR-22.

Goodluck!

MariCAR