My mother asked me to know about SR22 Insurance, because she had heard it from her friends and maybe SR22 Auto Insurance is good for my father who drives in Washington. Is SR22 really good for my father and how does it protect him in case of violations and accidents?

Jade

Everett, WA

SR22 Auto Insurance is not for everybody who drives but for those who are high risk drivers whose driver’s license has been suspended. The Department of Motor Vehicles usually requires SR22 filings for three years depending how serious the violation is. In Washington, SR22 auto insurance is provided by the car insurance company and it provides a certificate that the insured has the minimum liability coverage that the state has required.

SR22 auto insurance is needed in Washington if the driver is driving without any car insurance which results to the suspension of the driver’s license. You cannot get car insurance if your driver’s license is suspended therefore, you need to have SR22 auto insurance. But in any case that you did not maintained the coverage, the DMV will be notified by your car insurers and your driver’s license will be again suspended and might cause you another penalty.

But if your driver’s license has been suspended due to drunk driving, you also need SR22 auto insurance and after being informed that you need it to get your license back, you must first obtain minimum liability coverage for your own vehicle and a non-owner’s liability coverage if you don’t own any car. The cost of your insurance is also based on the seriousness of our violation, the place you live, the length of your driving experience and driving record.

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

Since I was required to get SR22 here in Illinois, do I need to get higher liability coverage for my auto insurance? How do I get this kind of insurance and how can I get the best deal on it?

Billy

Peoria, IL

Even if you are required to get SR22 insurance in Illinois, the minimum liability auto insurance coverage will still be the same and that would be $20,000 for bodily injury for one person; $40,000 for bodily injury for two or more persons; and $15,000 for property damage.

In order to quickly get SR22 Illinois, you must be able to find a good auto insurer providing cheap SR22 insurance policies. But you should realize that not all auto insurance companies provide auto insurance with SR22, so approaching a specialized SR22 insurance company is recommended. Usually, the filing fee for SR22 insurance in Illinois hovers at the price range of $30-$50.

You should shop around online or by simply calling around various auto insurance companies in order to get the best deals for your auto insurance with SR22. Doing this would help you get an SR22 Illinois insurance that is just right for your budget. After purchasing SR22 insurance, the auto insurance company would send an electronic letter to the Illinois DMV to confirm that you now have SR22 insurance. You would also get your copy of your SR22 insurance through snail mail.

I’m helping a friend get an sr22 insurance. Where can we find sr22 insurance companies?

Diane

Nashville, TN

There are plenty of ways that you can find sr22 insurance companies.

First, you can refer to the website of your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DMV is the government agency that requires the sr22, a certificate that shows that a driver, who has committed certain violations, has minimum liability coverage for his vehicle. Without the sr22, a driver will have his license revoked and his privileges suspended.

Since the DMV compiles all sr22 certificates per state, they have already compiled a list of sr22 insurance companies that can adequately process the filing of the said document. Their website also shows the satisfaction ratings of these sr22 insurance companies, as well as how much they charge for their services. By using the DMV website, you can be assured that your chosen insurance provider will be able to do the job.

Another option would be to scour your area’s Yellow Pages for listings of insurance companies. A number of traditional insurance providers usually advertise their services through this time-tested publication. In doing so, you not only get the best possible rates but also be assured that the company abides by the state’s insurance rules and regulations.

Finally, try to ask friends who also drive using the sr22 certificate to see who they got as their insurance provider. Make sure to ask if they found the company’s service satisfactory so you can omit them from your shortlist if they did not.

We just bought a new car last month and we want to insure it with liability with SR22 filing in another insurance company here in Berkeley. Is it practical to do this even if the old car is insured with the old car insurance company we have? If I have an SR22, what should I do next here in California?

Kevin

Berkeley, CA

It is really impractical to avail car insurance with a different SR22 filing in two different car insurance companies. We all think that if we do this it could make our payment lower which is wrong for we are going to pay coverage twice. If you are going to ask just one car insurance company for both of the cars you have with both SR22 Filing, you would notice that it will be the same amount or much lower than what you pay for two different car insurance company. And one thing you should do is to look for a car insurance company who doesn’t take advantage of how much you can pay but those who can handle each and every situation that you encounter, DUI or not.

In Berkeley, the best thing you could do next once you have included SR22 in your insurance is to take a copy from your car insurance company the proof that you have SR22 to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and speak with an attendant just to make sure that your SR22 is in the computer. Usually, car insurance companies file your SR22 Filing up to two weeks. Just make sure that you pay your policy and review any letter from your car insurance company to have more information or premiums to tear a SR22 insurance company. And of course, you have to make sure that all of your cars are registered and insured in your name.

I receive a ticket for intoxicated driving. I am 20 years old and I was wondering how much my auto insurance in  Colorado will increase because of this?

Green

Loveland, CO

If you are convicted of intoxicated driving which is a type of DUI offense then your car insurance rates are likely to increase a decent amount. Certain violations may cause an insurance company to turn down the policyholder for insurance coverage or to pay high-risk insurance rates.

According to the Department of Transportation in Colorado, your car insurance could go up 30 % on average if you have a DUI offense on your motor vehicle record. With a driving under the influence conviction car insurance rates tend to increase and you will likely be now classified as a high risk driver.

The best way to find the cheapest car insurance rates after you have been convicted of a DUI is to shop around. Make sure you ask for any discounts available to you. This can be for safety features on your vehicle, driver improvement or traffic class, anti-theft devices, etc.
Another easy way to lower your annual premiums is to have a higher deductible amount.. Like a $1,000, is what I carry personally.

Now, if you are a claim free and safe driver like I am, you could be saving a ton of money each year on your premiums.  People fail to realize that the deductible amount is only paid when they file a claim and their insurance company pays that claim.

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 (subjugate with you) for the monies they paid out for the accident you caused.

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

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

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