When a person has to file an SR22 form, insurance companies and the DMV are a part of the insurance coverage details. Most insurance companies will ask, in their list of questions, if a person is required by the state to file for an SR22. If the answer is yes, the person requesting insurance does not have to send any information to the DMV, because that insurance company will file the form on his or her behalf.
An SR22 form is proof that a person that has had a license suspended, for any reason, has the state required insurance coverage to operate an automobile. Generally, an insurance form like the SR22 is required for those who have been convicted of a drinking and driving violation, but some people have their license suspended due to medical reasons, too, and are required to have insurance with a company that will file this form via the DMV.
An SR22 form might be required for one year, or it might be required for three years. It might depend on what violation occurred or what each state has set for requirements. As with most traffic related violations, insurance rates will be higher than they were before the incident occurred. If a person already has insurance at the time of a conviction and he or she is required to file this type of form when the license is reinstated, the rates will be higher. Some insurance companies do request that a person locate a new company, but that rarely happens. It is a good idea to ask insurance agents if they have SR22 filing services. If a person has more than one OUI on his or her driving record, usually within a three year period, the rates could be a lot higher. There are some ways that a person can gain extra points back onto the driver’s license. An insurance agent can offer information about this and about discounts that are available.
An SR22 form basically means being responsible for someone and validating that the person has the proper insurance to drive his or her vehicle, as required by the state in which he or she resides in. An insurance company that works with these forms will verify that the person is covered and if the person fails to make premiums, the insurance company is responsible for reporting this to the DMV. Some people do continue to make premiums on existing insurance, especially if a vehicle is worth a lot, because the vehicle needs to be covered for life occurrences that might happen. It might be a good idea to contact the insurance company and change the policy, especially if the vehicle is not driven for a while. Otherwise, the insurance premiums will remain the same. If a vehicle is not being used at all, then that person can get lower rates.