WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2017
 Everyone's driving history is different. Even the most perfect drivers face risks when they hit the road. Some of these risks can cause drivers to commit driving offenses.
If you receive a driving offense, you may have to get an SR-22 certificate for your driving record.
SR-22 certificates come from your insurance company, and go on your driving record with the state department of motor vehicles. They are not insurance policies. They simply verify for the state authorities that you carry auto insurance.
Why Did I Get An SR-22?
You might have to get an SR-22 for a variety of reasons. An SR-22 certificate generally signals to both your state and your insurance company that you are a high risk driver.
Mostly, SR-22 requirements arise from situations where drivers commit multiple driving offenses. This may include DUI arrests, multiple speeding tickets, license suspension, multiple accidents, or driving without insurance.
If you rack up these driving charges, you're deemed a risk to other people on the road. You have also become a higher risk to insure with auto coverage. For these reasons, your state will likely require you to carry both auto insurance coverage and an SR-22 certificate. You likely have to carry these SR-22 certificates for about two years.
After you get an SR-22, you have to take steps to protect your driving risks in the future.
Step 1. Answer To Your Charges
SR-22 requirements usually stem from various forms of driving charges. Because you got these charges, they will likely remain on your driving record.
The best way to begin resuscitating your record is to answer to your driving charges, and try not to re-offend. Do what you have to do in order to stabilize your record. Answer to any court dates, and pay any fines associated with the offenses. Make sure you answer to the law.
When you work with the authorities, they can acquaint you with the nature of your SR-22 requirement. After they give you information about how the requirement, your next step is to contact your insurance company.
Step 2. Contact Your Insurance Company
Your insurance company is usually the responsible party for filing an SR-22 form. However, after you receive the SR-22 requirement from the state, you'll need to contact your insurance agent. You usually have only a few days to contact the agency without additional penalties.
When you contact your agent, they can usually file the SR-22 certificate within a day or two. The company may charge you a small fee to file the certificate.
Filing an SR-22 certificate requires your attention to detail. If you don't pay close attention to your SR-22 charge, you might not have the correct verification on your driving record.
SR-22 certificates will likely have an effect on your existing car insurance policy. Most states require drivers to carry minimum levels of liability coverage on their car insurance policies. But there is a chance you'll have to adjust your insurance coverage levels when you get an SR-22 policy.
Additionally, SR-22 policies could cause your car insurance premiums to change. Because an SR-22 indicates you are a high risk driver, it likely means that you're more expensive for your insurance company to insure — which leads to higher premiums.
You might see your rates increase after you get an SR-22. Furthermore, some insurance companies do not issue policies to SR-22 carriers. For that reason, you might lose your existing insurance policy. Make sure you talk to your agent about how to adjust your coverage to get the correct coverage with an SR-22.
Step 3. Do Not Re-Offend
An SR-22 is a penalty mandated by law. Therefore, your obligation as an SR-22 carrier is to not re-offend. Further driving offenses mean that you could face harsher penalties. You might even have to keep your SR-22 certificate longer than the original term.
One of the fastest ways to lose your SR-22 certificate is to lose your insurance coverage. Failing to pay your insurance premiums means that your policy will likely become inactive. If your insurance coverage lapses for any reason, your insurance agent will likely be required to tell your state DMV. This could mean further charges from the state, and it might reset your SR-22 requirement period back to the beginning.
Furthermore, you shouldn't re-offend for the duration of your SR-22 period. If you get new driving charges during your SR-22 period, the penalty period will reset. You might also face harsher penalties because you committed further offenses while you had an SR-22 requirement.
Your responsibility as an SR-22 carrier is to become a safer driver. Take care not to re-offend so that you can improve your driving record, and return to the road with a good reputation.
If you have to get an SR-22, talk to your insurance agent. They can help you get a strong SR-22 policy. And they can also help give you insurance tips to better improve your driving safety and coverage affordability.
Auto Insurance Discounters is here to help you get coverage to suit your needs. Call us at (866) 288-6545 for an instant SR-22 insurance quote.
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