What is an SR-22?
SR stands for safety responsibility. The SR-22 may be required to reinstate driving privileges after an uninsured car accident or a conviction, such as a DUI. The SR-22 is a form filed by your insurance company and sent directly to the state. The form is filed electronically, but not all insurance companies do it instantly. It’s important to have auto insurance in place, and you should know how long it will take to get the SR-22 to the state (and process it) before you go down to DMV to get your license back.
If you try to get an SR-22 from an insurance giant such as State Farm or Allstate (for example), you’ll find that it’s incredibly expensive. On the other hand, Effective Coverage works with many different carriers and has a fit for nearly everyone. We can give you an affordable SR-22 in a matter of minutes. We understand this is a difficult time in your life and that you want to get the paperwork taken care of quickly.
What do I need to know about filing an SR-22?
Did you know there’s also something called an SR-26?
This is what the insurance company files with the state when your coverage is no longer in force. For all intents and purposes, it amounts to an order to suspend your license immediately. If you are required to make a financial responsibility filing, you’re also required to maintain that financial responsibility filing in good standing on an ongoing basis. If you don’t do this, your license is suspended again. Financial responsibility insurance can be expensive, but consider the cost of not having it. New York, for example, will charge you $75 or more for each suspension in order to reinstate your license. If you pay your insurance late twice (and have to reinstate your license as a result), it costs you more than a month of insurance would!
This requirement follows you for quite some time, as well.
Generally, the SR-22 is required for three years, but it can be longer based on circumstances. If you had an uninsured car accident or drove drunk without insurance, you may be required to carry an SR-22 for five years or more. If you move to one of the few states (Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, New York, and North Carolina) that do not have SR-22 requirements of their own but your previous state did require it, it will follow you to the new state. This means even if the new state doesn’t have a mechanism to require an SR-22 initially, it will still be required of you if you got one in another state.
What if you don’t own a car but still need an SR-22 to keep your license?
You can still get an SR-22 even if you don’t own a car. There’s a type of policy called a named non-owner policy? It provides you with liability coverage for any vehicle you drive but doesn’t give you any physical damage coverage. It’s often a first step to getting your license back, and a named non-owner SR-22 is available from Effective Coverage. In fact, having your auto insurance and renters insurance with the same company can get you bundle discounts on your car insurance and your renters insurance!
If you have questions about how to file an SR-22, or need assistance with anything else, just call (800)892-4308 or click to get covered - whether you need renters insurance quotes online or coverage anywhere else!
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