After a driving offense such as a serious accident or a DUI, you may need an SR-22 certificate to continue driving. An SR-22 is a form your insurance company files with the DMV that proves you carry your state's minimum liability auto coverage. It's not uncommon for your car insurance rates to increase after an SR-22. This article will explain how an SR-22 works and how it can affect your car insurance rates. It will also tell you which companies have the cheapest rates after an accident or DUI that brings an SR-22 into play.
In this article:
Cheapest SR-22 car insurance rates
Erie offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an SR-22 certificate. Out of the major insurers, GEICO has the cheapest rates with $94 per month.
| Company | Monthly Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $40 | |
| CSAA | $51 | |
| Country | $54 | |
| Mercury | $63 | |
| USAA | $92 | |
| GEICO | $94 | |
| American Family | $120 | |
| Nationwide | $122 | |
| State Farm | $124 | |
| Farmers | $126 | |
| Allstate | $131 | |
| Auto Owners | $143 | |
| Progressive | $160 | |
| United | $161 | |
| Travelers | $256 | |
| Farm Bureau | $272 | |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
What is an SR-22?
SR-22 insurance isn't a specific type of policy. It refers to the insurance policy the form is attached to. The SR-22 itself is a certificate that acts as proof of financial responsibility after your license is suspended. Your car insurance provider will file it with the DMV on your behalf to establish that you carry at least your state's minimum coverage limits.
Do I need an SR-22?
You're usually required to file an SR-22 if you've:
- Been convicted of driving under the influence
- Accrued multiple speeding tickets or other citations
- Been cited for reckless driving or another major violation
- Been in an at-fault accident while uninsured
SR-22 insurance rates: state by state
Not all states require an SR-22, but most do. States without an SR-22 requirement include:
- Delaware
- Kentucky
- Minnesota
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
Your state DMV or traffic court will normally alert you if you need to get an SR-22 to keep driving legally. Your car insurance company will be able to tell you as well.
State Farm offers the cheapest SR-22 insurance in Colorado, Texas, and Washington.
| State | Cheapest insurer | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| California | CSAA | $51 |
| Colorado | State Farm | $67 |
| Florida | GEICO | $89 |
| Illinois | Country | $54 |
| Massachusetts | GEICO | $70 |
| Michigan | Farmers | $120 |
| Ohio | Erie | $40 |
| Texas | State Farm | $107 |
| Washington | State Farm | $67 |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
How long do I need an SR-22?
Most states require you to carry an SR-22 for three years. Some states require longer periods of carriage. Alaska, for example, requires you to carry an SR-22 for five years.
If your car insurance lapses while the SR-22 needs to be in place, your provider will notify the DMV. Your driver's license will then be suspended or even revoked. You will then have to get your license reinstated and new insurance. Getting a new car insurance policy at this point can be challenging. If you already had an offense on your insurance record that required an SR-22 and let your insurance policy lapse, a new provider may consider you too high a risk to insure.
It's also important to know that when the time you need the SR-22 for is over, you need to notify your car insurance company by filing an SR-26 form. Your insurer will not remove the requirement automatically. When you do get the SR-22 removed, see about getting a lower rate from your provider. Some incidents stay on your insurance record for only a few years. If the incident that required the SR-22 is no longer on your record, you may be able to get a lower rate. If not, take the opportunity to compare car insurance quotes from multiple companies. This, too, may help you get a better rate.
Is an SR-22 required if I don't have a car or a driver’s license?
Regardless of if you have a car or driver’s license, you will need to have an SR-22 filed if the state or court requires it. If you don't own a car, you can fulfill the SR-22 requirement with non-owner car insurance. Be aware that not all insurers offer non-owner policies. If your current company doesn't offer it, take the opportunity to shop around.
How an SR-22 can affect your rates
The cost from a car insurance company to file an SR-22 on your behalf is usually between $15 and $50 dollars. This is a one-time fee. While the SR-22 filing itself is relatively cheap, its effect on your car insurance rates is more significant.
Drivers with a clean record pay an average of 84% less for car insurance than drivers with an SR-22 insurance certificate and an infraction.
| State | Clean record | After driving incident | % difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $70 | $136 | +96% |
| Colorado | $106 | $155 | +46% |
| Florida | $92 | $296 | +220% |
| Illinois | $75 | $135 | +79% |
| Massachusetts | $89 | $136 | +52% |
| Ohio | $85 | $116 | +36% |
| Texas | $81 | $161 | +100% |
| Washington | $94 | $131 | +40% |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |||
Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary.
The effect of driving incidents on SR-22 insurance rates
An SR-22 certificate will have a lesser impact on your car insurance rates if the cause was minor. For example, drivers with a DUI can expect to pay 36% more per month for car insurance than drivers with a speeding ticket.
The table below shows the average rates in eight states after an SR-22, depending on the associated infraction:
| State | After accident | After DUI | After speeding |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119 | $187 | $101 |
| Colorado | $164 | $164 | $137 |
| Florida | $292 | $332 | $264 |
| Illinois | $145 | $145 | $115 |
| Massachusetts | $139 | $152 | $116 |
| Ohio | $124 | $129 | $95 |
| Texas | $171 | $185 | $128 |
| Washington | $139 | $141 | $113 |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |||
The increase in your car insurance rate after an SR-22 depends on a few different factors, including:
- Your car insurance provider
- The severity of the violation
- Your state of residence
SR-22 alternatives
Florida and Virginia can require an FR-44 form to prove financial responsibility, but it has some differences from an SR-22. For one, the FR-44 requires more liability car insurance than the state requirements related to an SR-22. Also, the FR-44 is only required if you lose your license due to certain alcohol-related offenses.
Methodology
To find the average cost of SR-22 insurance, we collected thousands of rates from Quadrant Information Services for 16 national and regional car insurance companies across nine states.
All quotes are for minimum coverage for a 35-year-old male who drives a 2014 Honda LX for an average of 13,500 miles a year, and is required to have an SR-22 on file with his state’s Department of Insurance.
Prior incidents include the following types of accidents or violations:
- An at-fault accident resulting in $2,000 or more in property damage
- A conviction of DUI for driving with blood alcohol content of 0.08% or greater
- A speeding ticket for exceeding the speed limit by 11 to 15 MPH
Rates were provided by Quadrant Information Services and sourced from public insurer filings. Your rates will likely be different, as these are for comparison purposes only.
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