Why should you consider adding SR22 insurance? SR22 is insurance to add coverage for those who may be involved in a DUI accident or those who have suspended licenses or other violations on their driving record. This insurance will be required in many cases with troublesome driving records and is not cheap.
Special Insurance for Californians
The California Department of Motor Vehicles requires an SR-22 after a driver has a DUI offense or other high-risk driver violations reported on their record. This form will be filed by a person’s insurance company when they get insurance from them. This form is really proof that a person has financial responsibility covered after they have a DUI incident. There is usually a $15 to $25 fee charged by insurers to file an SR-22 form.
You might need to see more here to become acquainted with this insurance requirement after a DUI. With a DUI, the California Department of Motor Vehicles takes away the offender’s driver’s license for a period of time. They will not reissue that license unless the driver has an SR-22 form filed. This form must be filled out and filed by an insurance company. You cannot do it yourself.
If a driver is dropped by their existing car insurance after receiving a citation for reckless driving or DUI, they have a real problem. To get a driver’s license reinstated, a person must find a new insurance company that offers SR-22 insurance. This insurance can be very expensive. It can be very confusing and stressful to sort through different companies’ SR-22 insurance policies to determine what they actually cover. Premiums are high, so everyone must make sure that expensive premium gives adequate coverage.
Finding a good insurance agent who has access to multiple insurance companies is important. A good agent can review all the available SR-22 policies and help the driver choose the one that best meets their needs and budget. The policy chosen must meet California’s minimum requirements.
Who needs SR-22 Forms Filed and For How Long?
Anyone who is convicted of committing a bad traffic violation like reckless driving or a DUI will have their driver’s license temporarily taken away for an average of four months. id god Then, they are required to have an insurance company file an SR-22 form and proof of insurance. The SR-22 form is a required addition to regular car insurance. Not all car insurance companies are willing to provide SR-22 forms.
These are the dangerous violations resulting in a ticket or car accident that led to a requirement for SR-22 forms:
- A DUI conviction
- Reckless driving conviction
- Driving without insurance coverage
- Driving with a suspended driver’s license
The average time a driver is required to have SR-22 insurance is three years, but that depends on the seriousness of the violation. This three-year period does not start until the driver’s license has been reinstated with this coverage.
It may be hard to find an insurance carrier willing to file an SR-22 form. If that happens, a driver that is now considered high-risk can opt for insurance coverage through California’s Automobile Assigned Risk Plan.
Can a Driver Get Regular Insurance After SR-22 Forms Are Required and the Time Is Over?
After the three years or other required period of time has ended for required SR-22 car insurance coverage, the driver can switch to regular insurance if they can find a company willing to cover them. A driver is usually not considered a “good driver” with lower premiums for ten years after a serious offense. This means that insurance will still be higher than before the offense. Shopping around for reasonable insurance rates will take some time and the right insurance agent.
