If you have recently received a court order to obtain SR-22 insurance, you may be slightly confused. Many people understandably wonder how this differs from regular auto insurance and how to go about purchasing a policy. Much of the confusion arises from the fact that what is commonly referred to as SR-22 "insurance" is merely a completed form that confirms a driver's liability insurance policy meets or exceeds state minimums. Take a look below to learn more about what you should do once you receive a court order to get an SR-22 certificate.
Contact Your Insurance Company
The very first thing you should do is contact your current auto insurance policy provider. While an SR-22 is a form that needs to be completed and filed using your information, you are not the one who needs to file it. Instead, this responsibility lies with the insurance company, which must file the SR-22 add-on with your state's department of motor vehicles or equivalent agency. Ideally, the situation is as simple as providing a few more pieces of information to your insurance company and waiting for confirmation that the form has been filed.
Search for a New Policy
Of course, not every situation is ideal, and many drivers will discover that their current auto insurance provider does not insure drivers who require an SR-22. This is primarily because drivers who are ordered to obtain the form are seen as "high risk." Fortunately, not every insurance company is averse to SR-22s. If you are a driver who needs one, cancel your current policy if necessary and purchase a new one with a different provider. The fact that your current provider does not offer the form is not a legally excusable reason to avoid filing.
Confirm Important Details
Although drivers don't have to file an SR-22 themselves, not much is done for them beyond the point of filing. Drivers need to notify their insurance company if they need "non-owner" coverage, pay the SR-22 filing fee for each term that their policy is active, confirm the time frame for which the certificate is valid, and finally, notify their insurance provider when they no longer need it. Forgetting to complete the last of these steps will mean that your SR-22 will continue to be attached to your policy, thus keeping your rates artificially inflated and causing you to pay more money than you need to.
Contact a company like Illinois Insurance Center Inc for more information.
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