What is an SR22 Form?

When a person has to file an SR22 form, insurance companies and the DMV are a part of the insurance coverage details. Most insurance companies will ask, in their list of questions, if a person is required by the state to file for an SR22. If the answer is yes, the person requesting insurance does not have to send any information to the DMV, because that insurance company will file the form on his or her behalf. An SR-22 is also known as a certificate of financial responsibility.

An SR-22 form filing is proof that a person that has had a license suspended, for any reason, has the state required insurance coverage to operate an automobile. Generally, an insurance form like the SR22 is required for those who have been convicted of a drinking and driving violation, but some people have their license suspended due to medical reasons, too, and are required to have insurance with a company that will file this form via the DMV.

An SR22 form might be required for from one to five years. It might depend on what violation occurred or what each state has set for requirements. As with most traffic related violations, insurance rates will be higher than they were before the incident occurred. If a person already has insurance at the time of a conviction and he or she is required to file this type of form when the license is reinstated, the rates will be higher. Regardless of the type of violation or length of the SR-22, the insurance requirements generally remain the same.

How Long do I Need to Keep My SR-22?

Some insurance providers do request that a person locate a new company, but that rarely happens. It is a good idea to ask insurance agents if they have SR-22 filing services. If a person has more than one OUI on his or her driving record, usually within a three year period, the rates could be a lot higher. There are some ways that a person can gain extra points back onto the driver’s license. An insurance agent can offer information about this and about discounts that are available.

An SR-22 form basically means being responsible for someone and validating that the person has the proper insurance to drive his or her vehicle, as required by the state in which he or she resides in.

An insurance company that works with these forms will verify that the person is covered and if the person fails to make premiums, the company is responsible for reporting this to the DMV. Some people do continue to make premiums on existing insurance, especially if a vehicle is worth a lot, because the vehicle needs to be covered for life occurrences that might happen.

It might be a good idea to contact the company and change the policy, especially if the vehicle is not driven for a while. Otherwise, the insurance premiums will remain the same. If a vehicle is not being used at all, then that person can get lower rates.

SR-22 Form Requirements Vary from State to State

Auto insurance laws, and therefore SR-22 laws, vary from state to state, as it is a state regulated issue.

In many states, carrying an SR-22 is required for 5+ years, but in some states, it is only 2 years, such as in Iowa, Missouri, and Texas. But North Dakota comes in first requiring only 1 year.

Typically the DMV in your state will mail you the SR-22, however, if you move out of state an any point, you may need to coordinate with the new state’s DMV to ensure the SR-22 filing is transferred correctly, since most state DMV’s do not share this type of data automatically.

If you do not carry an SR-22 insurance policy, it will only make issues worse because your insurance company is required to report to the DMV, and failing to keep your insurance up to date can actually cause your license to be suspended, and therefore your driving privileges’ revoked. This is much worse of a situation than if an ordinary person lets their auto insurance lapse. Driving without insurance can lead to even larger fines or jail time.

If you do get notified, be sure you understand all the processing and maintenance requirements of your SR-22 filing, as well as any other items you are responsible for.

Getting an SR-22 Insurance Quote

Getting an insurance quote for SR-22 is straight-forward. When deciding the policy to buy, you can choose liability only (meaning your car is not covered in an accident) or full coverage. Liability only is therefore going to cost a lower rate. Start your search with us today by entering your zip code above!