Illinois SR-22 insurance is a certificate filed by your auto insurer with the state's driver service department stating that you have fulfilled the minimum liability coverage and own state-mandated auto insurance. If you are a driver in the state of Illinois, you must file SR-22 with Illinois DSD to have your license reinstated if you have been convicted of a vehicular infraction, such as driving uninsured or under the influence.
Your license may be rescinded even if you are not a car owner. In such cases, you must apply for SR-22 insurance before it is reinstated. This type of insurance policy is referred to as non-owner SR-22 insurance.
The use of SR-22 insurance serves as a monitoring system to curb the excesses of problematic drivers and is used by the state to rescind your license if it expires. The financial responsibility certificate, as it is sometimes referred to, is mandated by law to be provided by drivers with various convictions such as:
- Compulsory insurance supervision
- License revocations
- Safety responsibility suspensions
- Unsatisfactory judgment suspensions
- Drivers with multiple insurance violations
To purchase SR-22 insurance, contact an auto insurer that is authorized to operate in Illinois. The auto insurance company must exercise power of attorney on file since they will file the SR-22 on your behalf every month.
In Illinois, the SR-22 policy must be attached to a Financial Responsibility Certificate sent from the insurer's primary office. Typically, SR-22 is filed with one of these forms:
Owners Certificate: This policy provides coverage for all the cars owned by a driver. The vehicles owned by the drivers must be listed in the form.
Operators Certificate: This policy is exclusive to the driver only and does not cover the vehicle.
Operator-owner's Certificate: This policy guarantees coverage to the driver and all the cars they operate.
After paying the processing fee for your SR-22 insurance, your insurance company will file an SR-22 request with the Illinois driver service department. The initial processing can take up to a month. When it has been processed, the driver will get a copy of the certificate from their auto insurer with an accompanying letter from the Secretary of State's office.
The standard duration for maintaining SR-22 insurance is three years. If the insurance expires or is canceled during this term, your auto insurance company will file an SR-26 cancellation document with the Driver Service Department.
Upon confirmation, your license will be rescinded. You cannot have your driver's license restored until you finish serving your term.
Ideally, it would help if you renewed your SR-22 insurance at least forty-five days in advance to circumvent potential insurance-related suspensions.
Alternatively, a driver may deposit a one-time lump sum payment of $70,000 to the Illinois State Treasury or document a real estate bond approved by an Illinois court. If you are a resident of Illinois not currently available to file for SR-22 in the state, you can have your SR-22 insurance waived by completing an affidavit.
This option is only applicable to Illinois auto insurance requirements. If you relocate back to Illinois within three years of filing the insurance waiver, you will be required to maintain SR-22 insurance.
The current reality is that auto insurance companies charge a premium for drivers who have SR-22 on their policy. This is because the state deems such drivers as high-risk. The expensive fees are not due to the filing fees but rather a way for the insurer to insulate themselves when it's time for a payout claim.
This is why cheap SR-22 instance rates are far and in between.
The average Illinois driver with a DUI conviction on their SR-22 request pays a whopping 50 to 80 percent more than the standard rate paid by drivers who don't need SR-22 insurance. Our research showed that an auto insurance company like Progressive charged high-risk drivers a sum of $1,132 while drivers with a clean record paid $972.
It's smart to compare different car insurance quotes and be very thorough about your research if you are a high-risk driver.
If you need SR-22 insurance, we can safely assume that you are considered a high-risk driver in Illinois. The state wants to be sure that you can be held responsible when you drive by owning insurance coverage. There are many reasons for purchasing SR-22 insurance in Illinois. The majority of the reasons revolve around a suspended license, although they are not limited to driving infringements.
- Owing child support payments
- Found guilty of traffic infractions such as drag racing or exceeding the speed limit
- DUI conviction
- Driving uninsured and causing an accident
- Driving uninsured multiple times
- Failing to pay court-mandated payments for damages
- Failing to maintain SR-22 insurance for the stipulated period
- Avoiding toll fees
Suppose you notice that the premium you're charged for SR-22 insurance is excessive, and you don't own a car or drive regularly. In that case, there is an alternative insurance policy you can purchase to fulfill state-mandated obligations.
The non-owner SR-22 policy is a cheaper option and provides minimum liability coverage for the driver but not the vehicle. This can come in handy if you frequently drive a friend's car.
This type of SR-22 insurance policy is the most cost-effective way to fulfill your insurance requirements for the court-mandated period. However, there are certain caveats to this policy. You must no own a vehicle, and you cannot use your spouse's car or anyone you live with, like your roommate.
If you currently own a car, you must sell it to qualify for this policy.
In Illinois, drivers with a clean driving record can purchase SR-22 insurance for a tidy sum of $19. However, teenage drivers and drivers residing in areas that have recorded many car accidents may be charged up to $34 every month.
Illinois SR-22 insurance is a document of financial responsibility that your auto insurer submits to the Secretary of State's office. This certificate informs the Secretary of State that you possess the minimum liability coverage required to drive a vehicle in the state.
For specific information pertaining to another state in question, please refer to the respective that are more in-depth.
Illinois law states that drivers must continuously maintain SR-22 insurance for three years. If you have been convicted of a severe violation, the duration of your term can extend to five years.
To find out if you still need to apply for SR-22 after your stipulated term has expired, call your local DMV. Request information on SR-22 coverage and check if your status has been updated to reflect that you have dutifully served your term.
If you have been instructed to file for SR-22 insurance and refuse to do so, you may be arrested for not complying with state laws. The majority of states can monitor your movement and driving status with the ALIR system. The system is what your auto insurance company uses to inform the Department of Motor Vehicles that your policy has not been filed.
For safety purposes, please do not cancel your SR-22 policy until you confirm from your local DMV that you are no longer required to maintain it. You can then instruct your auto insurance agent to remove the SR-22 from your policy and cancel your monthly filing.
Auto insurers will charge a one-time processing fee of about $35, which is all the SR-22 form costs. Additionally, you will be charged a monthly premium rate based on the violation that required you to file for SR-22 insurance.
The average monthly fee for SR-22 insurance with a DUI conviction is about $230.
If you don't drive, you still need to buy a non-owner SR-22 policy to prove financial responsibility.
There is a specific type of SR-22 insurance that covers any car you drive. This is the non-owner SR-22 insurance, which allows you to drive any car even if you do not own it. As long as you have this certificate and have filed it with the DMV, you can drive legally in your state without affecting your driving record.
Yes, you need both regular insurance and the SR-22 on your policy if you have been convicted of a DUI or had your license suspended. Regular insurance provides certain coverage that caters to different needs. SR-22, on the other hand, is usually required by high-risk drivers who have been mandated by the state to present proof of insurance.
Suppose you need coverage for different vehicles or automobiles such as a motorcycle, car, or an ATV. In that case, you can buy a non-owner SR-22 policy that provides coverage to fulfill the minimum state liability claims.