What is an SR 22?

High-risk drivers are often required by their local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to obtain an SR 22 (Safety Responsibility Form 22) from their auto insurance company to prove that they carry at least the minimum liability coverage required by their state's DMV. Drivers, when required to carry an SR 22, must demonstrate financial responsibility to the state's Department of Public Safety (DPS). SR 22 requirements vary by state, but those that require SR 22 insurance do so due to serious driving offenses on one's driving record or when a driver has failed to maintain continuous coverage on their vehicle that complies with the state's minimum requirements.

Why is an SR 22 Required in certain states?

When a driver shows a lack of responsibility or risky driving behavior, they are required to obtain an SR 22 certificate of financial responsibility to drive legally. If you need SR 22 insurance, you will be notified by the Department of Public Safety. By requiring an SR 22, the State can more closely monitor certain high-risk operators. Several factors leading the DPS to require an SR 22 are:

• Multiple traffic offenses or moving violations

• Serious traffic offenses, such as reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, or driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs (DUI)

• Multiple car accidents

• Driving without insurance

• Multiple auto insurance policy lapses

• Having a suspended driver's license

An SR 22 certificate of financial responsibility filing can be obtained from your auto insurance provider for a nominal filing fee. Once you have purchased your new policy, your insurance company will file the SR 22 with the DPS to show that you have obtained a policy with at least the minimum required liablity insurance limits set by the state. You will need to maintain the SR 22 through your car insurance company and pay the accompanying fee at each renewal of your policy until you have carried the SR 22 for the required amount of time.

How long is an SR 22 required for?

Most drivers who are required to carry an SR 22 must maintain it for at least two years, though some more serious offenses may extend the required time period. The SR 22 is required from the date your license is reinstated. However, if you let your auto insurance lapse during the required time period, you must restart the timeframe from the beginning. Once you have held an active SR 22 for the mandated period of time, your insurance company will notify the DPS to lift your SR 22 insurance requirement and allow you to purchase a standard auto insurance policy. Though you no longer have to carry an SR 22 once your designated time is up, the driving activity that caused the requirement may still result in higher auto insurance premiums. To ensure you're getting the best rate available to you, be sure to maintain a clean driving record and that you do not let your car insurance lapse for any reason by paying your insurance premiums on time.

How to Get SR 22 Insurance

Every auto insurance company can file an SR 22 with the DPS. However, there are a lot of insurers that will not write your car insurance due to the circumstances that created the requirement for the filing in the first place, such as risky driving behavior leading to a serious violation, multiple moving violations, or multiple car accidents. If you need an SR 22, an insurance agent can give you a quote from an insurance provider that can offer you appropriate coverage, and that insurance carrier will then file the SR 22 with the DPS once you purchase the policy and pay the SR 22 filing fee.

You will be required to purchase a car insurance policy that provides at least the state minimum limits, which are $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury liability and $25,000 per accident for property damage liability in the State of Texas as an example. Though these limits are the lowest acceptable limits in the State of Texas, you may want to consider higher liability limits to better protect yourself in your corresponding state.

How Hard is it to get an SR 22?

An SR 22 is not difficult to obtain. You can consult with an independent insurance agent in your State to help you purchase an appropriate car insurance policy for your needs that fulfills your SR 22 requirement. You can also consult a comparative rating site like A-MAX Insurance to get competitive rates from multiple insurance carriers for the type of policy that you need.

How Do I Make Sure the Right People Know I Have SR 22 Insurance?

When you contact a car insurance company or insurance agent, you will need to inform them that you are required to carry an SR 22 by your state's Department of Motor Vehicles. If you are, the agent or company will factor this into your car insurance policy and file the SR 22 with the Texas Department of Public Safety once you have purchased your new policy. The responsibility filing will be attached to your driver's license or your vehicle. Therefore, if you are pulled over or after a collision, the police can confirm that you are compliant when they run your driver's license or your vehicle's identification number through their systems.

Are There States that do not require an SR 22?

Most states require an SR 22, or a similar filing, to prove the financial responsibility required to restore driving privileges, but there are a handful of states that do not require that a driver obtain an SR 22 to prove their financial responsibility. These states are:

• Delaware

• Kentucky

• Minnesota

• New Mexico

• New York

• North Carolina

• Oklahoma

• Pennsylvannia

If you move to one of these states while still within the time frame that your current state's DPS has required you to prove an SR 22 filing, you must continue to comply with the SR 22 requirements set upon you in the current State you reside in. You will purchase coverage in your new state, but you will need to ensure that your SR 22 requirements in your current State are fulfilled, meaning you must maintain the appropriate liability coverage limits for the appointed amount of time and be sure that your new state's local DMV files your SR 22 in the State you're newly relocating to.