Hawaii SR-22 auto insurance certificate is a document that auto insurers provide you as proof of financial responsibility to the state. This insurance policy serves as a monitoring system for the state to identify which drivers have issues with their license, such as driving uninsured, driving under the influence, or negative points on their driving record.
If you are a driver in Hawaii that is uninsured and you get into an accident, you will be required to file for SR-22 insurance. Additionally, suppose you do not pay for damages during a collision or are found guilty of DUI/DWI, accumulating multiple tickets, or have a suspended license. In that case, you must apply for SR-22 insurance.
Various factors determine auto insurance rates in Hawaii. The most common factor is the Hawaii DUI violation. Hawaii is also one of the states that have banned bias due to a low credit score when calculating rates.
The average auto insurance premium in Hawaii is roughly $2,927 lesser than the premium paid for by high-risk drivers. Additionally, a one-time processing fee of $35 is charged by your insurer for filing the SR-22 policy with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Hawaiian law states that you must maintain SR-22 coverage for 36 months continuously. If, for any reason, you cannot maintain your insurance during this term, your auto insurer is mandated to report the incident to the DMV and. For this violation, your license may be suspended, and you will have to pay another processing fee for a new SR-22 policy.
Due to the premium attached to insurance rates, filing for SR-22 in Hawaii is quite expensive. Although the certificate itself only cost $35 when you apply, your monthly insurance rate will be inflated to cover your high-risk status. This status is determined by the infraction that caused you to file for SR-22.
Car insurance companies bill high-risk drivers a premium due to the heightened risk of a claim payout. Your insurance rate is dependent on your driving history and the severity of the infractions you have been guilty of.
Below we highlighted the standard car insurance rates for drivers in Hawaii.
To file for SR-22 insurance in Hawaii, reach out to an authorized auto insurance company in the state, and request a quote. Shop around for a bit and compare quotes. When you have settled on a particular car insurer, pay the processing fee, and your SR-22 will be filed with the Secretary of State in Hawaii.
You will be sent a letter with the SR-22 insurance form attached by the Secretary of State that you must have on your person every time you drive. This practice must be maintained for three years.
If You Are Insured
Drivers with an active insurance policy will find the SR-22 form easy to come by. Just reach out to your auto insurer and ask for SR-22 insurance to be filed on your behalf. If your car insurance company declines your request, you should find another insurer immediately.
If You Are Not Insured
It can be difficult to apply for SR-22 insurance if you don't have active car insurance. You will have to pay extra fees to your prospective insurance company before you can file for SR-22 insurance as payment to cover your high-risk status. Some insurers may refuse to grant you specific policies if you have an SR-22 certification on your portfolio.
If You Don't Own An Alternative Means Of Transportation
As we mentioned above, if you require SR-22, but you don't own a vehicle, you will likely face many rejections from auto insurers.
For Drivers Without A Car
To purchase SR-22 insurance, you must submit proof of insurance, which will be almost impossible if you don't own a vehicle. In such a case, you must first procure a non-owner car insurance policy before applying for the SR-22 certificate.
Non-owner insurance policy, like the name suggests, is for non-vehicle owners and is usually less expensive than the standard insurance policy. However, it doesn't provide any coverage of your vehicle gets damaged in an accident.
Hawaii SR-22 auto insurance is classified into three categories. We have the operator's certificate that serves as proof of financial responsibility for motorists without a car. Next is the owners' certificate, which is exclusive to drivers that are car owners. Finally, the third category is the operator-owner's policy that serves as hybrid coverage for drivers and any vehicle they drive, even if the car is not insured.
Filing for SR-22 in Hawaii will inflate your standard insurance rate by at least $2,927. That is a whopping 251% increase on the average auto insurance rate for a Hawaiian resident. The spike is proportional to the type of violation you incurred on your driving record. A speeding ticket won't cause an increase like a DUI-induced collision.
Every driver in the state of Hawaii must have minimum liability coverage limits of:
- $20,000 physical injury coverage per person
- $10,000 property damage coverage per collision
- $40,000 physical injury coverage per accident
SR-22 insurance is a certificate that represents proof of financial responsibility. It s a CFR filing that shows you own car insurance. The main usage of SR-22 is to prove to the law that you possess the minimum insurance coverage required for driving as mandated by your state law.
Technically, you don't need to carry an SR-22 insurance certificate with you whenever you're not behind the wheels. However, it is advisable to carry it on your person for the duration of the stipulated term. Once you have completed your three-year term, your auto insurer will inform the state that you have fulfilled your requirements. Once the state confirms your term is up, your driving status will be updated, and you can now get rid of the SR-22.
Owning SR-22 gives you the luxury to drive even with a suspended license. It grants your auto insurer the confidence to file a record with the state DMV, stating that you have fulfilled your financial responsibility requirements as mandated by the law because of your driving record.
The cost of SR-22 every month for a driver with a DUI conviction is approximately $230 on average. Auto insurers often charge a processing fee of $30, which is all the form will cost you. However, the violation that necessitated your SR-22 request will inflate your insurance rate by 89%, which translates to an increase of $1300 more than the average insurance rate.
If you don't drive, you still need to prove your financial responsibility to the state. For this, you need non-owner SR-22 to fulfill all your requirements. Since auto insurance coverage is not optional, you must get a state-issued certificate (SR-22) that proves you have the necessary coverage needed to resonate your license if you get into trouble on the road. To avoid breaking the law, you must maintain the minimum insurance coverage as stipulated by the state.
The actual conviction of wet reckless does not require you to file for SR-22 insurance. The verdict you get at the DMV administrative hearing for your case decides if you must file for SR-22 insurance. The DMV will request SR-22 insurance before your driving privileges are reinstated.
Additionally, while the max jail time for DUI is between six months to a year, you only get ninety days for a wet reckless. If you cop a plea deal with the DMV for a wet reckless charge, you don't have to suffer the compulsory license suspension.
If there is a lack of evidence or other influencing factors, authorities may be willing to charge you for wet reckless rather than a DUI. Influencing factors can include a clean criminal record, first-time offense, low blood alcohol level, and more.
Call your state DMV to confirm the specific duration of time that you need to own SR-22 insurance. In most states, you have to serve a three-year term. When your term is over, your SR-22 won't automatically cancel. You have to inform your insurer that you no longer require SR-22 insurance.
If you are found guilty of a DUI, you will be mandated to carry SR-22 insurance wherever you go. The standard period is thirty-six months from the date your license was suspended.
If you are in Hawaii, you can only get off SR-22 when the stipulated period of owning minimum liability coverage is over, which is three years. If you're lucky, the DMV may send you a notification confirming that you have fulfilled your requirements. However, the onus is on you to keep track of time.
For specific information pertaining to another state in question, please refer to the respective that are more in-depth.