In West Virginia, drivers who have committed certain driving offenses will be required to have SR-22 insurance coverage. The SR-22 insurance form is filed by an auto insurance company on behalf of the driver and proves that the driver has the minimum required car insurance coverage. Additional SR-22 insurance coverage will need to remain in place for a set time which is usually 36 months or up to 72 months depending on the traffic offense.
Drivers who are required to have SR-22 insurance may be wondering what the differences are between SR-22 and standard auto insurance. SR-22 insurance requires that a form be filed which proves that the driver has the minimum amount of car insurance mandated by the state. This car insurance coverage is also called a certificate of financial responsibility and it is sometimes called an SR-22 bond.
Since SR-22 insurance proves that you have the legal minimums for car insurance in West Virginia, it is helpful to know what those minimums are. The state of West Virginia requires that drivers have at least $20,000 per person in accident liability coverage, $40,000 per person for each accident, and $10,000 in property damage coverage. A driver’s SR-22 certificate will stand as proof that the driver is carrying the minimum liability car insurance required by the state of West Virginia.
There are instances where drivers make mistakes and these can result in stricter mandates from the Department of Motor Vehicles. After one or several of these driving infractions, the driver will be required to prove that they are financially responsible and can carry and maintain the minimum amount of car insurance required by the state. The instances that can cause a driver to need an SR-22 certificate are listed below:
For drivers who are required to carry SR-22 insurance, it will be necessary to keep paying insurance consistently without any lapse in payments. If there is a lapse in paying for their insurance premiums, there will be repercussions from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Drivers will need to have SR-22 in place for three years before it can be removed.
It helps to know where to get SR-22 insurance coverage in West Virginia especially if you are required to carry this coverage. The only place to get this coverage is from an established auto insurance company. The auto insurance provider will file a form for you which has a fee associated with it. After you pay the fee, the form will be filed and you will then have to make monthly auto insurance payments which will be higher than your standard auto insurance premiums. If your current auto insurance company does not offer SR-22 insurance, you can compare quotes between different auto insurance providers to find one that will offer the coverage you need.
In general, drivers who need SR-22 insurance may find that they have to pay more than they did before. This is because risky driving practices cause auto insurance premiums to be higher. It's best to compare various quotes just as you would for standard auto insurance to find the best policy suited to your needs and budget.
Getting SR-22 insurance in West Virginia will be more expensive for the duration of time that you will have the SR-22 certificate, however, you can shop around to compare quotes to find the lowest cost. If a driver has a clean driving record and previous auto insurance, then they can expect to pay less for their SR-22 than a driver with no insurance in the past month, accidents, and multiple violations. The cost of the insurance will vary based on the driver’s record, insurance history, age, credit score, and other factors.
If you have a clean driving record and previous insurance, you’ll usually pay less for your SR-22 than someone with accidents, violations, or no insurance in the past month. The increase to your policy’s rate will vary based on your ZIP code, vehicle, driving record, insurance history, and other factors.
There are essentially three different types of SR-22 insurance that you can get from an auto insurance company. The type of SR-22 insurance you get will be contingent upon your situation and the type of coverage you need. Below is a description of the three options available when it comes to SR-22 auto insurance.
Non-Owner SR 22 Insurance
Non-owner SR-22 insurance is available for people who do not own a car and who may need to use a car that belongs to someone else. This type of SR-22 insurance is also available for drivers who need to rent a car for a short time. If a driver has been convicted of a DUI or another serious traffic infraction and they are required to carry SR-22 car insurance but they don’t own a car, then they will want to take out a non-owner SR-22 insurance policy.
Owner SR-22 Insurance
Owner SR-22 insurance is the option for drivers who own a vehicle that they operate regularly. If a driver is required to carry SR-22 auto insurance, then they will want to take out an owner SR-22 policy which proves that they have the state-mandated minimum liability coverage for their vehicle.
Owner Operator SR-22 Insurance
Owner Operator SR-22 insurance is for drivers who will operate their vehicles as well as vehicles that they do not own.
In West Virginia, the cost of SR-22 insurance can vary depending on the driver’s age, driving history, and the number of infractions that the driver has amassed. Insurance companies typically charge higher premiums for drivers that are considered risky. The best option is to compare insurance quotes to get the best coverage for your budget.
Drivers who are required to get SR-22 insurance and who have moved to West Virginia will still need to maintain the SR-22 coverage for a minimum of 3 years. It is important to not allow the auto insurance policy to lapse as the insurance company will be required to report this lapse to the De[artment of Motor Vehicles which will result in possible license suspension.
For specific information pertaining to another state in question, please refer to the respective that are more in-depth.
Drivers in West Virginia will have to wait three years before they can get rid of their SR-22 insurance. Once that time has elapsed, the court will inform you that you have fulfilled the period for the SR-22 mandate. At that time, you can contact your auto insurance company and let them know that you no longer need the SR-22 insurance coverage.
Different auto insurance companies will charge varying amounts for the SR-22 auto insurance coverage. It will be helpful to shop around to compare prices for SR-22 auto insurance in West Virginia. Drivers should know that SR-22 mandates will generally cause their auto insurance payments to be higher.
SR-22 coverage begins when your auto insurance company files the SR-22 form on your behalf. This form comes with a one-time filing fee that can range from $15 to $35. However, drivers will need to maintain SR-22 coverage with their auto insurance policy for three years.
If you won’t be operating a vehicle in the state of West Virginia, then there is no need to get an SR-22 certificate. However, if you plan on renting or borrowing a car at some point, you will need to obtain non-owner SR-22 coverage.
Once the three years have elapsed, you can contact the court to find out whether you have satisfied the mandate for SR22 insurance. If so, you can let your insurance company know that you are ready to have the extra SR-22 coverage removed and they will take it off of your policy.
Yes, to drive someone else’s car with SR-22 insurance coverage, you will need to have a non-owner SR-22 insurance policy. With a non-owner policy, you can operate a car that you don’t own and you can also rent a car from a car rental company.
If you choose not to get SR-22 insurance and you are court-ordered to have it, then your auto insurance company will notify the Department of Motor Vehicles. This could result in license suspension or other repercussions.
If your SR-22 insurance is over, then you can contact the court to confirm this and then inform your auto insurance company so that they can remove the SR-22 insurance coverage.