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This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.
Driving is both a privilege and a responsibility. The average vehicle is over 2,200 pounds, making it something that must be handled with extreme care. Unfortunately, things happen, and sometimes the consequences are severe.
There may come a point where you must seek out SR-22 insurance to get back to driving again, so it’s important to know the extra steps required.
Simply put, SR-22 insurance is proof of financial responsibility, not a separate type of insurance. Think of it this way: if you didn’t know someone, would you trust them with your vehicle? Are they the type of person you’d usually surround yourself with?
SR-22 insurance is essentially where the car insurance company provides official documentation to your home state to confirm that you have car insurance covering the minimum state requirements.
SR-22 Insurance Fees and Requirements
Every insurance company will have a filing fee for producing an SR-22 for your home state, and needing SR-22 documentation puts you in a higher-risk category. Whenever the insurance company has additional risk, additional premium costs are soon to follow.
How far back do insurance companies look? Even if you were to switch insurance companies, they will generally all look back at least three years before the search date to ensure they have information on your driving record, accident history, claims, and motor vehicle report.
The filing fee charged by the insurance companies is per person, not per policy. So if you and another driver on the policy both need SR-22 documents, the insurance company will charge two filing fees, not just one.
Important Info on SR-22 Impact
Keep in mind that the severity of the premium increases depends on the merits of your accident history. For example, being cited for DUI carries more severe consequences than too many speeding tickets, even though both cases will place you firmly into the high-risk category.
If you left the scene of an accident and had your license suspended because of it, you’ll also have to file an SR-22. This is also the case if you got caught driving without car insurance: The state will require that you have legal proof of having insurance at all times, and this requirement lasts up to three years from the incident.
Who needs to get an SR-22?
Not every driver needs an SR-22, of course. Generally speaking, the state will send notice that an SR-22 is necessary, or the concern will come up as a result of a court action.
Typically speaking, the SR-22 covers specific adverse violations, such as the following:
- Accidents caused by uninsured drivers: if your policy lapses and your insurance is canceled, you will get a ticket for this and trigger an SR-22 event.
- DUI convictions: going to court for a DUI is a serious matter, which is why legal representation is strongly suggested.
- Very reckless driving: disregard for other drivers on the road is a serious offense and can lead to needing documentation as well.
While the need for additional SR-22 documentation doesn’t last forever, it does represent a time as a high-risk driver.
Handling SR-22 Concerns Mid-Policy
Sometimes being proactive is the best thing you can do when it comes to handling SR-22 insurance concerns. If your license is being suspended or revoked, get ahead of it by letting your insurance company know. Chances are good that they will advise you on the next steps.
Some insurance companies do issue cancellations based on things like DUI or an excessive amount of moving violations, but this is on a case-by-case basis. The more open you are with the insurance company, the better.
Can you hide from the insurance companies? Not a chance. They all have databases to search for this type of information. It wouldn’t take long to find out you or someone on the policy had additional traffic violations or caused an injury-based accident.
It’s wise to report all accidents to the insurance company so a claim is started every single time.
A Note on Claims on Serious Accidents
The aftermath of an accident is stressful, especially when you know your actions contributed to the outcome. While it is human to want to hide from the insurance company, being honest is the best way to go. A serious accident needs to be reported right away.
When the other parties involved are injured or there’s significant property damage due to being under the influence or speeding, this is where insurance companies need to step in quickly. Not filing a claim doesn’t make the accident go away.
The best thing you can do at the scene of a serious accident is to take photos, call the police, check on all parties, and be honest. If you have your insurance card and your policy is active, be sure to let the other party know that information. Any witnesses on the scene should also be documented.
Taking care of this claim the right way the first time is not only the right thing to do, but also a great way to build your self-confidence and prepare yourself for future claims.
The Road Ahead
While some fear being judged because they need SR-22 insurance, the truth is that a bad accident can happen in the blink of an eye.
No driver is perfect all the time, and this proof of financial responsibility is just one obstacle between you and the open road. Being able to drive is often seen as a sign of freedom. You can go where you want to go and do the things that you need to do.
As long as you get serious about the steps necessary, it doesn’t have to hang over your future. Once again, insurance companies do limit themselves to a limited time for looking back, anywhere from three to 10 years, depending on the severity of the incidents.
So while you can’t change the fact that some serious consequences have happened, as long as you practice good driving habits and avoid speeding tickets or DUIs, you’re on your way to better rates over time. Plenty of people have found themselves facing issues and just stuck it out until they could get better rates again.
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Luke Williams writes and researches for the SR-22 insurance comparison site, SR22InsuranceQuotes.org. His passions include best practices for insurance and remediating high-risk insurance premiums.