SR22 Insurance: Cost & Cheap SR-22 Insurance Quotes - 101

Everything You Need to Know About SR22 Insurance: Introduction

It’s essential to know everything you can about car insurance before you decide to head out, compare quotes and pick a policy. There are also certain forms of car insurance that are saved for special cases and which aren’t used by the general public that frequently. SR-22 insurance is one of these, and it is the topic of this guide.

We’re going to start off by discussing what SR-22 insurance is in the first place and then we’re going to take a look at how long you’ll need to hold an SR-22 insurance certificate. We’ll finish up the guide by exploring how much you can expect to pay for your SR22 form and then we’ll discuss the reasons why you may need SR-22 insurance.

What is SR22 Insurance?

Most people new to owning a car might have been told by their mates or family about getting an SR22/Bond but don’t really know what it is or where to start. SR22 insurance is not car insurance, but rather a certificate that displays proof of car insurance policy ownership and could also mean a consumer’s evidence of financial responsibility. SR-22 specifies what the minimum requirements of driving in your state are, which is pretty handy. 

"SR" in SR22 stands for Safety Responsibility.

SR-22 insurance is technically not an insurance policy. Rather, an SR-22 form is a CFR, which stands for Certificate of Financial Responsibility. Giving out SR-22 forms is the responsibility of the Department of Motor Vehicles of the state in which the driver resides, and the process has to be arranged through them.

You may need an SR-22 if you get caught committing a major violation while you’re driving. In the vast majority of cases, drivers who are caught and convicted of a DUI must get an SR-22 form so that they can get their license back and legally drive in the future.

What the SR-22 actually does is show that a driver is currently meeting the minimum insurance requirements. Keep in mind that these depend on the state that you’re living in. 

Since drivers who are convicted of certain offenses are seen as more of a risk than others, SR-22 forms ensure that other motorists are financially safe because these drivers have their insurance policies confirmed.

Over the course of an SR-22, the insurance company that is covering a driver will keep a file with the state DMV. This file will contain any updates to the driver’s insurance policy. If the auto insurance coverage of the driver lapses, then the DMV will know about it and they will revoke the driver’s license.

Read more: SR22 Insurance in California

How Long Does SR22 Car Insurance Last?

Since it will take some time to rebuild the trust required for the DMV to assume that you’re maintaining minimum auto insurance coverage, you’ll have to hold SR-22 insurance for a minimum amount of time. You’ll have to hold an SR-22 CFR for a period of three years before you’re allowed to drive without one.

Of course, there are potential extenuating circumstances that can increase the amount of time that you have to hold your SR-22 form. For example, if there are any lapses in coverage over the time that you’re holding your SR-22, it’s possible that you end up having to hold it for longer.

Keep in mind that three years is merely the most common amount of time that states mandate you having to hold an SR-22 form. Since these limits are determined by state DMVs, it is up to them to determine when you’re considered financially responsible enough to be trusted with your own car insurance.

If you’re caught for a major offense like a DUI, many states will increase the amount of time that you have to retain your CFR. In most cases, states will mandate that you hold your SR-22 for about five years.

Also, throughout the three to five years that you’re holding your SR-22 form, you can expect to deal with heightened insurance rates. This will be in addition to the insurance hike that you got for the violation that initially resulted in the SR-22 form.

Reasons Why You May Require SR22 Insurance

Here are some of the reasons why you’d need to get a CFR like an FR-44 or SR-22 filing:

DUI

One of the most common reasons for holding this kind of car insurance is getting caught driving under the influence or driving while impaired. You’ll typically be punished more extensively for drunk driving than you will for other reasons like driving without insurance or even driving without a license.

Driving Without Insurance

A driver needs an SR-22 if they get caught by a police officer while driving without insurance. In some cases, if it’s due to a mistake or a temporary lapse in coverage, then you may be able to get off without the need for an SR-22. However, if there was clearly intent in driving without insurance, your license will instantly be suspended.

Driving Without a License

Much like driving without insurance, a driver needs to demonstrate clear intent in driving without their license to have their license suspended and require an SR-22. If you just forgot your driver’s license at home, then you can typically expect to get away with driving without it as long as you provide the police department with evidence of your license.

Average SR22 Insurance Cost: How Much Is SR-22 Insurance Per Month/Year?

The cost of an SR-22 form depends on a variety of factors, and in most cases, actually filing for the coverage isn’t all that expensive. Here’s a table of the expenses you can expect to cover so that you can regain your driving privileges:

Keep in mind that the exact cost of your SR-22 will depend on a range of different factors. If you already know how much your insurance cost before getting an SR-22, you can expect the price of your car insurance to rise by over 50% after you have your CFR.

The hike in your premiums is due to insurance providers having less trust in you after committing a violation that required an SR-22 in the first place. The more risk that an insurance provider takes when giving you a policy, the more you’ll pay for it because that increases the risk of them paying out.

SR22 insurance form filing cost is between $20 to $50 and is necessary for high risk drivers. 

The average cost of SR22 insurance is about $167 per month and $2,000 a year, depending on the state and the insurance company.

National Average SR22 Insurance Cost Per Year By Company

Average SR22 Insurance Cost Per Year By State With One DUI

The driving violation that you've made and required you to have SR22 increases your auto insurance rates by 90% on average for SR22 with one DUI. See below: