WalletHub, Financial Company
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Insurance companies find out about DUI by checking a driver’s record before selling or renewing a policy. Drivers are not legally obligated to inform their insurance company when they are convicted of DUI, and the insurer will not receive a notification from the state DMV. However, once a DUI is on a driving record, an insurance company is certain to find out about it, so it’s always best to upfront after being convicted.
Whenever you’re looking to buy a new insurance policy or renew an existing one, the insurance company will check your Motor Vehicle Report (MVR), which is a report of your driving history from your state’s department of motor vehicles. Exactly when your insurance company will find out about your DUI depends on when and how often they run your record, but they’ll eventually see it. Your insurer will also find out about your DUI if you require an SR-22 or FR-44, which are state-issued forms that serve as verification of insurance for extremely high-risk drivers.
As tempting as it might be to keep quiet about your DUI conviction, you should contact your insurer to find out what to do moving forward. If your current insurance company decides not to renew your policy, you’ll need to look for high-risk coverage elsewhere. Since high-risk insurance costs more than a normal policy, it’s best to get as many quotes as possible. If you struggle to find a company that will insure you, you might need to temporarily get a policy through a nonstandard insurer or your state’s assigned-risk pool while your driving record improves.
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