If you recently got a citation, you might be wondering if you need SR22 insurance and what exactly that coverage is. Well, we’re here to help.
Namely, insurance companies use SR22 to ensure your state’s motor vehicle or insurance department that you’ll have coverage for a specific period. However, if you don’t, the insurer will notify your state, which could result in your driver’s license being suspended or revoked.
You’ll find the complete guide here, together with advice on choosing the most affordable company that offers an SR22 certificate.
What Is SR22 Insurance?
First things first—it’s not a form of insurance. It is a certificate that accompanies your regular auto insurance policy. In fact, it serves to reinstate your driving privileges and prove that you have adequate liability limits.
In other words, this type of coverage pays for the property damage and bodily injuries you inflict upon others in an accident.
What’s also worth mentioning here is that you can have SR22 insurance without a vehicle.
Namely, non-owner SR22 coverage is a policy created by carriers to protect the drivers who don’t have a car but are state-mandated to file at SR22 as a confirmation of financial responsibility.
Most often, your insurance company files your SR22 with the local Department of Motor Vehicles on your behalf. You have to acquire SR22 after a serious violation.
However, in Florida and Virginia, an FR-44 form is used instead of SR22. It usually requires significantly higher liability limits than the minimum in these two states.
What Are the Three Types of SR22 Insurance?
- Owner: This certificate is for drivers who own and operate their vehicles.
- Operator: It’s an SR22 certificate for drivers that use a rented or borrowed car. It’s often called non-owner SR22 insurance.
- Owner/Operator: This form is a mixture of the previous two, created for those who drive their vehicle but also rent or borrow a car from time to time.
How Does SR22 Auto Insurance Work?
The local court or authorities will order you to provide an SR22 certificate. Likely, the nearest DMV department will notify you about the order. Once you’re aware of it, you must inform your insurance company that you need an SR 22 insurance certificate.
In general, not all US insurers provide this certificate, but most do. So, you’ll need to make a one-time payment, which is usually $25 on top of your regular premiums.
All in all, an SR22 certificate most often lasts for three years. Furthermore, you will not need to make any additional payments at each renewal.
When Do You Need SR22 Car Insurance?
You must get SR22 or FR-44 if a serious violation pushed you into the high-risk driver category. Then again, the exact details vary depending on your home state. Overall, some of the most common violations that require SR22 are as follows:
- several offenses in a short period of time (e.g., three or more speeding tickets in six months or less)
- reckless driving
- DUI or DWI convictions
- driving without insurance or with inadequate coverage
- a hardship license or a suspended license
- several at-fault accidents or violations
- paying child support ordered by the court
How Long Do You Need to Have SR22 Insurance?
In general, the exact time span varies between two and five years based on your home state. Nonetheless, in most locations, it’s for three years.
That said, there are some things you should be aware of if you want to lift the requirement for SR22 insurance successfully.
Namely, you should not let your policy lapse or expire while you have SR22. If that happens, your insurance company will have to notify the government. Likely, the authorities will pause your required time.
However, this can potentially result in the suspension of your license. Furthermore, committing additional serious violations will extend your SR22 period and increase your premium even more.
How Much Does SR22 Insurance Cost?
In general, SR22 is a relatively inexpensive certificate to file, costing anywhere from $25 to $50, depending on the state. In addition, the fee is charged separately for each individual on the policy. Also, you will definitely have to pay more only if you let your coverage lapse.
The SR22 insurance costs somewhere around $62–$122 a month. That said, SR22 insurance rates are significantly more expensive than regular car insurance quotes.
More specifically, the reason behind this is that these drivers present a considerably higher risk than ordinary ones.
As a matter of fact, SR22 is designed for drivers convicted of a DUI/DWI offense. Let’s not forget that America faces costs of over $130 billion annually because of drunk drivers.
In Colorado, for example, anyone who is a high-risk driver has to have SR22 insurance. For instance, the SR22 insurance in Colorado is somewhere around $25. However, the cost isn’t always the same, as it depends on a few factors:
- gender
- age
- location
- credit score
- car model
What’s also worth mentioning is that you have to keep your SR22 active for three years in Colorado, as is the case for most states. That said, if the certificate is inactive in any part of those three years, you have to get a new certificate and start the three-year period again.
Now, take a look at the table below to see how much each major violation increases your premium on average.
Companies That Offer SR22 Insurance
Not all insurance companies offer an SR22 certificate. Nonetheless, there is a sufficient number of them, meaning you’ll be able to choose a high-quality insurer that’s also affordable. Therefore, below is the list of well-known insurance companies and whether they provide SR22:
Company Name | Provides SR22 Certificate |
Amica Mutual | No |
USAA | Yes |
Erie Insurance | No |
Auto-Owners Insurance | No |
GEICO | Yes |
The Hartford (AARP) | Yes |
Progressive | Yes |
Travelers | Yes |
Nationwide | Yes |
Safeco | Yes |
AAA | Yes |
State Farm | Yes |
Allstate | Yes |
Esurance | Yes |
MetLife | No |
(AAA) CSAA Insurance Group | No |
American Family | Yes |
Liberty Mutual | Yes |
Farmers | Yes |
Mercury | Yes |
21st Century | Yes |
Acceptance Insurance | Yes |
The General | Yes |
SafeAuto | Yes |
Infinity Insurance | Yes |
Direct Auto Insurance | Yes |
Dairyland Insurance | Yes |
The Cheapest SR22 Insurance by Company and State
The price of SR22 is relatively low and regulated by the state, meaning there’s no difference depending on the insurer. However, because you are a high-risk driver, you will be paying substantially more for any other protection plans.
That’s why shopping around and exploring multiple options is more important than ever. Believe it or not, high-risk drivers can save thousands by choosing the right insurer.
Therefore, we have made a list of ten companies that provide the cheapest SR22 insurance quotes and compare their prices.
Company | Annual Rate |
Farm Bureau | $886 |
Erie | $892 |
USAA | $911 |
American Family | $1,049 |
Country Financial | $1,133 |
State Farm | $1,178 |
Progressive | $1,240 |
AAA | $1,469 |
GEICO | $1,576 |
Travelers | $1,696 |
As we can see, Farm Bureau offers the lowest annual cost of SR22 insurance.
In terms of states with cheap SR22 coverage, Ohio has the most affordable SR22 insurance — $824 per year. There, Grange offers the lowest SR22 price. Moreover, the SR22 insurance in California has an annual average cost of $1,830. There, the cheapest SR22 provider is Mercury.
In addition, State Farm is a good option for those seeking cheap SR22 insurance rates in Florida. Arizona is also on the list of states with the most affordable SR22 quotes, with Progressive being the cheapest insurer for this coverage there.
Another state with cheap rates of SR22 insurance is Illinois, with State Farm being the best insurer in terms of low rates.
Overall, it would be best if you were sure to base your final decision on the quality of the company’s customer service and its financial strength.
So, when you find yourself making a claim, you’ll realize how important these two factors are when it comes to finding the best auto insurance.
Alternatives to SR22 Insurance
Many insurance forms work in a similar manner to SR22, depending on your location and the nature of your violation.
SR-21 Insurance
According to USInsuranceAgents, SR21 is needed after a car crash or a severe violation to confirm you had auto insurance during the incident. Namely, Georgia, Indiana, and Florida are among the states that require an SR21 certificate.
SR-22A Insurance
This form of SR22 insurance is used in Texas, Georgia, and Missouri. As a matter of fact, it’s required for repeat offenders who violate financial responsibility law. Namely, in Georgia and Texas, they will have to pay a six-month car insurance premium at the beginning of the term.
FR-44 Insurance
FR-44 is required in Virginia and Florida. The SR22 insurance Progressive offers, for instance, isn’t the only certificate the company provides you with. This company can also provide you with FR-44.
In general, a policy with FR-44 has to carry much higher limits due to the low minimum insurance in these states. However, it essentially serves the same purpose as SR22 insurance.
Certificate of Financial Responsibility
This is just another name for SR22, meaning it refers to the same certificate that confirms you are appropriately insured.
SR-50 Insurance
This certificate is used only in Indiana, and it does the same thing as SR22. In other words, it provides proof of adequate coverage and enables you to reinstate your license.
People Also Ask
Can my regular insurance and SR22 come from different insurance companies?
Yes, this is possible. In detail, your car insurance company is the one that will be filing SR22 on your behalf, meaning it’s simpler to choose everything from one insurer.
Moreover, the only situation where you should select another company is if the current one is not aware of your recent violations. Furthermore, you can save on your premium if you do that.
Can you drive someone else’s car with SR22?
Yes, you can, since SR22 covers any car you drive. However, there is one condition — you have to have Operator or Owner/Operator as your SR22 coverage.
Generally speaking, this certificate is available in most states, and it is a type of SR22, covering you when you drive any vehicle, no matter who owns it.
So, you don’t even have to own a car to be able to get SR22. In fact, purchasing a policy with high enough liability limits is sufficient.
Does SR22 increase insurance rates?
SR22 by itself usually costs only $25, and it lasts for three years. However, if you’re in the position where you need SR22 insurance, your rates will already be significantly above the average.
That’s because SR22 is only a certificate that proves you are adequately insured after a severe violation. So, the violations themselves will likely cause your premium to skyrocket.
Can I get SR22 without having car insurance?
No, you can’t. Namely, this isn’t possible because SR22 is a certificate that proves you have appropriate car insurance.
On the other hand, having SR22 insurance without owning or driving a car is possible. In other words, you will need to get a non-owners SR22, which lets you operate vehicles you are renting or borrowing.
However, before getting SR22 coverage without a car, you have to meet your state’s state-mandated car insurance requirements. Namely, that’s a basic liability or minimum coverage in most states.
Is SR22 insurance the same as full coverage?
No, it isn’t. More specifically, full coverage usually refers to an insurance plan that includes a variety of coverages that provide complete protection for you, your passengers, and your vehicle.
On the other hand, SR22 insurance means a high-risk driver’s insurance company had requested an SR22 certificate — a state-issued form confirming someone has the minimum amount of vehicle insurance needed by law. Overall, your insurance company has to file your SR22 insurance form with the authorities as proof that you are adequately insured.