SR-22 Insurance Guide

You can get non-owner SR-22 insurance by calling insurance companies that offer it, such as Geico, Progressive, Esurance, State Farm, The General and Dairyland, and then buying a policy. Non-owner SR-22 insurance is for people who do not have regular access to a car but need to file an SR-22 with their state to prove they have insurance. An SR-22 is not actually a type of insurance, but a form that the insurance company will send to the DMV.

It's important to note that many insurers won't provide non-owner policies to people with a car in their household, even if the vehicle is registered under a different name. So if you live with a spouse, family member, or even a roommate who owns a car, you might not be eligible. In addition, if you have a non-owner policy and fail to switch to an owner policy when you buy a car, the insurer will likely deny any claims that you file.

How Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance Works

Non-owner insurance includes liability coverage by default, although some companies allow drivers to add more coverage as well. Non-owner policies are also secondary coverage, which means that if you crash a borrowed car, the owner's insurance will pay first. Then, your non-owner policy will kick in to cover any leftover balance. 

Standard non-owner insurance policies are generally cheaper than insurance with a car, particularly since non-owners drive much less frequently. However, drivers who need an SR-22 usually pay more than drivers who don't need one, since an SR-22 indicates increased risk for the insurer.

Where to Get Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance

Like any other insurance policy, you should always compare quotes when looking for non-owner SR-22 insurance. Insurers usually offer quotes for non-owner policies over the phone, so be prepared to call several companies. By getting multiple quotes, you can ensure that you have sufficient coverage for your needs at the lowest price.

If you can't find a non-owner policy through a regular insurer, nonstandard insurance companies that specialize in high-risk drivers could be a good option.

An FR-44 is a form verifying sufficient car insurance coverage that is required in Florida and Virginia for drivers who have been convicted of DUI. FR-44s require drivers to have additional coverage beyond the minimum amount required by state law, unlike SR-22 forms.

Drivers are often required to file an FR-44 in order to reinstate a suspended license after a DUI. To get an FR-44, you need to contact your car insurance company and ask them to file one with the state on your behalf. If you don't already have enough coverage to meet the state's FR-44 requirements, then you will need to purchase additional insurance.

You should expect your insurance company to charge an FR-44 filing fee between $15 and $25. Since an FR-44 classifies you as high-risk and means that you have to purchase additional coverage, it will raise your rate by an average of 66%. But the good news is that an FR-44 only lasts for three years. Once you no longer need an FR-44, your premium will start to decrease if you practice good driving habits and maintain continuous coverage.

SR-22 insurance costs $2,336 per year, on average, nationwide. Because an SR-22 flags you as a high-risk driver, your insurance company will charge you a higher premium than the average driver. But the cost of SR-22 insurance changes dramatically based on where you live.

Michigan drivers pay the most for SR-22 insurance, with rates averaging $7,472 annually. On the other hand, Maine has the cheapest SR-22 insurance, with drivers only paying an average of $1,051 per year. How much coverage you buy also makes a difference in cost. If you only buy the minimum amount of insurance required by your state, you can fulfill your SR-22 requirements while keeping your rates as low as possible under the circumstances.

It should be noted that the SR-22 form itself doesn't cause your rates to go up. In fact, your insurance company will only charge you a one-time filing fee of around $25. Instead, your premium will go up based on the infraction that caused you to need an SR-22 in the first place. SR-22s are usually required after serious traffic offenses like DUI, reckless driving, or driving with a suspended license. So, even if your state didn't require you to have an SR-22, your insurance company would still charge you a higher rate based on your risk as a driver.

Since you only need to have an SR-22 for 3-5 years, your premium will eventually go back down. In the meantime, switching to an insurer with lower rates is the best way to save money on SR-22 insurance. As long as your coverage doesn't lapse, it won't affect how long you need the SR-22.

Yes, State Farm does have SR-22 insurance. State Farm's SR-22 insurance is for drivers who have been convicted of DUI/DWI, had their license suspended, or otherwise need a certificate of financial responsibility to present to their state's department of motor vehicles. An SR-22 certificate verifies that a high-risk driver has purchased the state's minimum insurance coverage.

With that being said, State Farm could potentially decline to renew your policy or grant you one as a new customer if you're required to carry SR-22 insurance. It ultimately depends on the specifics of your driving history and other factors, like your marital status, age and where you live.

State Farm Offers SR-22 Insurance For:

• Drivers with a suspended/revoked license
• Drivers convicted of DUI/DWI
• Drivers with multiple traffic offenses in a short length of time
• Drivers who fail to maintain their state's auto insurance requirements

Given its high-risk nature, State Farm's SR-22 insurance may be more expensive than your existing premiums. State Farm and other insurance providers also typically charge fees, which vary by state, to file the SR-22 paperwork for you. You may be required to maintain your SR-22 certificate for as long as three to five years, depending on your state. Once you have satisfied your state's SR-22 obligations, you must contact State Farm to make changes to your policy.

If you want more information about SR-22 insurance from State Farm and other insurance companies, check out WalletHub's SR-22 guide.

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.

To find out if you still need an SR-22, contact your local DMV office and ask if your SR-22 form has been filed for the required period of time. If it has, you can then contact your car insurance company and request that they remove your SR-22 filing with the state. Each state has its own requirements, but you usually only need an SR-22 for about three years.

You should never cancel your SR-22 filing if the DMV says you still need it. Doing so would result in penalties such as driver's license suspension, vehicle registration suspension, and hefty fees. In addition, you would likely need to start the SR-22 filing period all over again.

Yes, SR-22 insurance covers any car that you drive, as long as you file for an owner-operator SR-22 certificate. An owner-operator certificate, which is available in most states, is a type of SR-22 form that covers you when you drive any vehicle, regardless of who owns it.

There are two other SR-22 options that cover you in fewer situations. An owner certificate only covers cars that you own, and a non-owner certificate covers you when you're required to file an SR-22 but you don't own a car.

Non-owner SR-22 insurance is the cheapest option since you're less likely to file a claim, but it's important to note that you'll have to change your policy if you purchase a car later on. Your insurance company will help you decide which certificate is best for you before they file the SR-22 with the state on your behalf.

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.

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.

Yes, you can get FR-44 insurance without a vehicle if you purchase a non-owner policy and ask your insurance company to file an FR-44 on your behalf with the state DMV. Florida and Virginia use FR-44 forms to verify that drivers who have been convicted of DUI are carrying enough car insurance coverage. Even if you do not own a car, you must file an FR-44 if your state requires you to do so.

In addition to providing enough liability insurance to meet a state's FR-44 requirements, a non-owner FR-44 policy may also include any other types of car insurance required in your state, such as personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. You will not be able to purchase a non-owner policy if you have regular access to a vehicle owned by someone in your household, however.  

The cost of non-owner FR-44 insurance varies based on the driver and their state. Since it applies to drivers who are less likely to drive regularly, it generally costs less than regular FR-44 coverage.