SR-22 Insurance Guide

An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility that verifies a driver is carrying the minimum amount of car insurance required by their state. Drivers are typically required to file an SR-22 form with their state if they are convicted of a major moving violation or caught driving without insurance. Depending on the state, drivers are required to have their SR-22 form on file with the DMV for 1-5 years.

If your state requires you to file an SR-22, you should expect to pay more for car insurance, since you'll be designated as a high-risk driver. However, if you practice good driving habits, your rate will go back down once you no longer need the SR-22.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to SR-22 insurance.

SR-22 insurance costs an average of $62 to $122 per month, depending on the insurer and the offense that led to the SR-22 requirement. The DMV in your state will also charge a one-time fee to file the necessary paperwork. 

It costs $25 to $50 to file an SR-22 form with the DMV, depending on the state. In addition to proving you have enough coverage to drive legally, the  SR-22 flags you as a high-risk driver, which explains why your insurer will charge you more than the average policyholder for coverage.

SR-22 Insurance Cost by Company

Factors That Affect SR-22 Insurance Costs

Premiums vary based on infraction, company, state, and individual driver. How much coverage you buy also makes a difference in cost. For instance, if you only buy the minimum amount of insurance required by your state, you can fulfill your SR-22 requirement for a lower price than if you purchased a full coverage policy. And since you only need to have an SR-22 for 1-5 years, depending on the state, your premium will eventually go back down.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's complete guide to SR-22 insurance.

SR-22 insurance is so expensive because it's mainly required for high-risk drivers who have recently been convicted of a major moving violation, like DUI or reckless driving. Drivers considered to be high-risk will inevitably pay higher premiums due to their increased likelihood of filing a claim.

On average, SR-22 insurance costs between 3% and 278% more than a standard policy, depending on the state and the specific offense that leads to the SR-22. For example, a DUI conviction raises premiums by an average of 105%, while a reckless driving offense raises premiums by an average of 91%.

Even though SR-22 insurance is expensive, you'll only need to have it for 1-5 years, depending on your state. After that, your rate will start to go back down again. To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to SR-22 insurance.

The difference between SR-22 and regular insurance is that SR-22 insurance is for high-risk drivers who are convicted of major moving violations, while regular insurance is for anyone who drives a car. The underlying insurance coverage is the same, but the SR-22 designation will make that coverage more expensive. An SR-22 is a form that an insurer files with the state to show that a driver has the legally required amount of insurance. Regular insurance does not require any sort of form.

Key Differences Between SR-22 Insurance and Regular Insurance

People who drive under the influence, drive without insurance, or are habitual traffic law violators may end up needing an SR-22 to help reinstate their license or meet their state's legal requirements. SR-22 insurance usually costs significantly more than regular insurance because of the high-risk designation that comes along with offenses such as DUI and reckless driving.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to SR-22 insurance.

You need an SR-22 if a judge or your state department of motor vehicles has informed you that you do. An SR-22 form, also called a Certificate of Financial Responsibility, may be required if you are trying to reinstate or maintain your license after being convicted of certain driving violations. These include DUI/DWIs, reckless driving, driving without a license or insurance, or repeat offenses. You can only get an SR-22 form from your car insurance company. It confirms that you have an active policy with at least the minimum insurance coverage legally required in your state.

In most cases, you'll have to file an annual SR-22, certifying your insurance coverage, for 3 years. However, the time period can range from 2 to 5 years depending on the state and the reason for the SR-22. Also, depending on the state, this time period can start on your offense date, conviction date, license suspension date or reinstatement date. Make sure you know how long you have to maintain your SR-22. If you cancel your insurance before the time is up, your license or registration can be suspended or revoked.

Most states use the SR-22 form. Eight states don't: Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. Two states—Florida and Virginia—use the SR-22 but have a different form for DUI/DWI convictions, the FR-44. If you move from one state to another, you will need to maintain your SR-22 certification with your original state through an out-of-state filing, even if your new state doesn't require SR-22s.

Yes, you can get SR-22 insurance without a car if you purchase a non-owner policy and ask the insurance company to file an SR-22 on your behalf with the state DMV. Non-owner SR-22 insurance verifies that high-risk drivers who do not own a vehicle have the minimum amount of car insurance required by their state.

Non-owner SR-22 insurance is not available if you have access to a vehicle owned by someone in your household. Additionally, if you are required to have an ignition interlock breathalyzer device installed in any car you drive after a DUI, you will not be able to purchase non-owner SR-22 coverage.

The cost of non-owner SR-22 insurance varies by state. Since this coverage applies to people who are less likely to drive regularly, it generally costs less than regular SR-22 coverage.

No, SR-22 insurance is not full coverage. SR-22 insurance simply means that a high-risk driver's insurance company has filed an SR-22 certificate, which is a state-issued form verifying that someone has the minimum amount of car insurance required by law. While drivers can carry full coverage insurance with an SR-22, they are only required to have their state's minimum coverage limits.

SR-22 insurance with state-minimum coverage already increases annual rates by an average of 70%, and full coverage always costs more than the state minimum, so full coverage SR-22 insurance would be especially pricey. Fortunately, after 3-5 years, you will no longer need the SR-22, and your rates can go back down.

SR-22 insurance covers the cost of other people's injuries and property damage after accidents that you cause, and it does not cover damage to your own vehicle. If the court or state tells you that you need SR-22 insurance certification, your minimum coverage requirements are still the same as for any other resident.

SR-22 is actually the name of the form the court or state requires from drivers convicted of certain violations, such as DUI/DWIs, reckless driving, and driving without a license or insurance. The SR-22 must be filled in by your insurance company and certifies that you have the legally required coverage.

What SR-22 Insurance Covers Depending on State

Many states only require liability insurance. In these states, SR-22 insurance covers the costs of the other driver's injuries or property damage if you're at fault in an accident. Some states, like Florida and Michigan, also require Personal Injury Protection, which pays medical expenses for you and your passengers. States such as New Jersey and New York mandate uninsured or underinsured motorist protection, as well. This kind of insurance pays for your losses if another driver is at fault and either has no/low liability insurance or is a hit-and-run driver.

SR-22 Insurance Limits

Like all insurance, SR-22 insurance policies are written with limits. These limits are the maximum amounts the insurance company will pay out for losses. The coverage limits for your SR-22 insurance policy will follow the requirements of the state in which you were convicted or now live, whichever are higher.

Even though it's minimal, SR-22 coverage can be expensive. The violation you committed will put you into the insurance company's high-risk pool of drivers. This can raise your insurance costs 25% or more.

To get an SR-22 removed, a driver needs to contact their insurance company once they are no longer required to have the SR-22 on file with their state DMV. While each state has its own rules for how long drivers must maintain an SR-22, it can usually be removed after 3-5 years. Since individual drivers do not handle SR-22 forms themselves, the insurance company will take care of the cancellation.

You can contact your state's DMV to find out exactly when your SR-22 filing period ends. Once you confirm that you no longer need an SR-22, you can call your insurance company and let them know. Your insurer will then notify the DMV that they have cancelled the SR-22 filing.

You should never try to remove your SR-22 before the state-mandated period ends. If the DMV finds out that you cancelled your SR-22 insurance early, you could face serious consequences that include a driver's license suspension, vehicle registration suspension, and hefty fees. In addition, you will likely have to start the SR-22 filing period all over again.  

Finally, if you cancel your SR-22 insurance because you are switching insurance companies, you should cancel the old policy a few days after the new one begins. It can take some time for your state DMV to receive the new filing, and having the policies overlap by a few days helps you avoid a lapse in SR-22 coverage.

Geico SR-22 insurance covers drivers classified as “high-risk” by their state's department of motor vehicles. Although high-risk insurance is often called SR-22 insurance, SR-22 is actually a form required by the court or state, verifying that a driver has auto insurance liability coverage. Geico will file the SR-22 on behalf of its policyholders. The filing fee is $25 in most states.

Regulations vary from state to state, but an SR-22 is usually required for a driver to regain his or her license after driving-related violations, such as:

• DUI convictions
• Reckless driving
• Accident caused by an uninsured driver
• Driving without a license or insurance

Geico has a history of working with high-risk drivers to help them keep their insurance and driving privileges. The biggest cost of SR-22 insurance comes in the form of higher premiums. Premiums can rise 25% or more after a driving violation, depending on the type of violation as well as the driver's age and location.

Time and a clean record will bring premiums down in the long run. Meanwhile, Geico discounts—such as those for air bags (25%-40% off personal injury protection), anti-theft systems (25% off comprehensive coverage), or anti-lock brakes (5% off collision coverage)—may partially offset increases. The best way to get an accurate, personalized SR-22 insurance quote is through Geico's website.