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 acquired a certified copy of my driving record which shows that I have no infractions in the last three years but I was in an accident about a year ago in a different state. When I go for auto insurance will they be able to know this or is all they check is my DMV record?

Ross

Appleton, WI

Most states are part of the Drivers License Compact or Agreement which permit them to transfer violation or infraction information between Motor Vehicle Agencies. It could be that your home state or state in which you had the accident is not part of this agreement and therefore the information did not transfer. Or it could be that the system is backed up and that the information will eventually come through and be listed to your DMV record.

Your auto insurance carrier might not show the accident if it is not showing up on your DMV record however if you put in a claim or had a claim filed against your insurance policy it is likely that shows up in their records. If the insurance carrier asks about your record it is always better to be truthful and upfront so that you can obtain an accurate quote.

Reader’s Question:

I have a question. I am leaving the USA in two months, and my auto insurance ends in this month. Can I insure my vehicle only for two months?

Jared

Jackson, MS

Typically, auto insurance policies are only written for 6 months or 1 year. So instead of searching for a 2 month policy, you instead will likely need to renew for six months and then cancel your insurance policy once you no longer need it.

In most states, if you own a motor vehicle here in the US and want to continue to have it registered then you will be required to continue car insurance on the vehicle. If you will be putting the vehicle in storage or putting it somewhere else where it will not be required to have registration on it then you can take off the car insurance and turn in your license plates.

Since state laws vary, if you are leaving a vehicle behind when you leave the US check with the Department of Motor Vehicles of the state where the car is registered to see what they require of you as the car owner with regards to car insurance.

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:

Hi. I just want to know if there are some states that do not mandate sr22? Thanks.

June

Thank you for asking June.

SR-22s guidelines varies in different state, which means the requirements in one state may not apply in another state. However you can expect an SR-22 or financial responsibility in every state except for these states:

1. Delaware
2. Kentucky
3. Minnesota
4. New Mexico
5. Oklahoma
6. Pennsylvania

These states do not require SR-22s, but if you have an SR-22 and then move to one of these states, you still have to continue to meet the requirements of the SR-22 state where the violation was committed.

North Carolina and New York do not require SR-22 filings. Most cariers do not offer out-of-state SR-22 filings for insurance policies in these states.

To get more information about a specific state and their financial responsibility laws or rules regarding a SR-22, you contact that state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or insurance regulatory body.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

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:

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