SR-22 car insurance itself is not necessarily anything special in the way that the policy covers the vehicle. Instead the filing of the certificate for this insurance policy, because of it being required or mandated to by the court or DMV, is what can set it apart from plain old insurance policies that an average auto owner buys.
In some states the SR22 is more than just a normal insurance. For instance in Florida the SR-22 includes bodily injury liability insurance in addition to the PIP and PD coverages which are the state minimum required insurance types. An SR-22s may only have a requirement for PIP and PD coverage.
The SR22 form must be filed by an insurance company to the state saying that the required insurance is in effect. This specific insurance is typically mandated for a certain period of time and if the person cancels the policy the state is notified and penalties are placed on the person, likely a license suspension.
You are correct that normally an SR-22 is required of an individual when he or she has been in an accident or convicted of a traffic offense and was unable to show the proper financial responsibility.
Due to the special filing that an SR-22 needs and because it may indicate to the insurance company that the driver is a higher risk this insurance policy will likely cost more than regular insurance policies.
Here are some facts about financial responsibility filings:
- There are different delineations in each state. Any one of these forms can be used in certain states. Typically, the SR-22 is all inclusive and others are specialty filings. Also, some of the listed forms are used in lieu of the SR-22 form in certain states:
- SR-22
- SR-22A
- SR-22S
- SR-23
- SR-26
- SR-24
- SR-22/SR-1P
- SR-26/SR-1PF
- FR-20
- FR-20A
- FR-14
- P.S. 35016-01
- DOR 1938
- DOR 1939
- GU1338
- TA-VI-03
- TA-VI-04
- The concept is similar from state to state, but you need to find out from the DMV and your agent about the specific requirements of YOUR SR-22. Some judges and DMVs can add more specifics requirements, which makes it difficult for insurance companies to understand what you may need for your state.
- If you currently carry an SR-22 in a state but move to another state, you must continue to carry the requirements of the SR-22 home state for its filing period.
- This can be difficult if your former state liability limits are different than the state you move to.
- Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania don't require SR-22s.
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