If you were drinking and driving and ended up with a driving under the influence (DUI) charge, you may wonder what it will take to get your license and auto insurance coverage back. While every case is different, you will first have to find out what the court plans on doing with this charge. If they do not decide to revoke your driving privileges, they will probably require certain things from you. If you want to get auto insurance after this happens, you will need to do what the court tells you. Here are several things you should know about this.

You Will Probably Need SR-22 Insurance Coverage

The first thing to understand about DUIs is that the courts take these charges very seriously. When you drive under the influence, you are posing risks to everyone you come in contact with on the roads, and you also pose risks to your own safety. Driving is a privilege, and you can lose this privilege if you choose to drink and drive.

Because of this, many courts require drivers with DUI charges to have something called SR-22 insurance coverage. SR-22 insurance coverage is a form of high-risk coverage that requires the insurance company to monitor your policy. If you need SR-22 coverage in order to keep your license, you cannot simply not get it. If you do not get it, your license will be revoked, which means you cannot legally drive.

Getting SR-22 insurance may take a little extra time, simply because you will have to find an insurance company that offers it, and you will need to find a policy you can afford.

You May Need to Take Driver's Education Courses

A second thing to understand is that getting SR-22 insurance might not be the only requirement you have. You may also need to do other things, and a common requirement for people with DUI charges involves taking a driver's education course. This is often called defensive driving, and it will teach you how to drive more safely. In addition, you will learn more about the risks of driving under the influence and how this choice poses risks to everyone. By taking a defensive driving course, you might be less likely to drink and drive in the future.

You Will Most Likely Pay More for Your Insurance Coverage

One other thing you should realize about car insurance after a DUI is that you will probably have to pay a lot more for your policy than you did before the DUI. Because this is such a serious offense, you must have the right types and coverages of insurance before you can legally get back on the roads and drive a car.

Insurance companies that offer SR-22 insurance to people with DUIs also take risks. They know that, statistically speaking, people with DUIs in their pasts are more likely to cause accidents and file claims.

Insurance companies also take on a heavier workload when offering insurance to high-risk drivers. When they offer you an SR-22 insurance policy, they are taking on the responsibility of keeping in touch with the DMV. If your policy lapses, they are required to let the DMV know that this occurred, and they must do it within a certain amount of time.

If you are fortunate enough to have the ability to keep your driver's license, you should make sure you follow every step the court requires. If getting SR-22 insurance is one of these steps, contact an auto insurance agency like LA Insurance quickly to find out if they offer it, the costs for the coverage, and the steps you must take to get the policy started right away. 

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