You may have some questions about how an SR-22 works if you share a policy and cars with a spouse or partner. Here we’ll explain the effect SR-22 insurance has on other drivers in your household.

author-img
Written by:
Shivani Gite
Contributing Writer
Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. When not writing, you can find her reading a book or watching anime.
author
Reviewed by:
Laura Longero
reviewer icon
Executive Editor
Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Can my wife and I have the same insurance policy if I need an SR-22 and she doesn’t

Yes, you and your wife can be on the same car insurance policy even if you need SR-22 insurance and she does not. Many drivers who are required to carry an SR-22 have a spouse that doesn’t need this proof of financial responsibility, yet both are on the same auto policy so that each can drive all the cars in the household.

If you don’t own a car, but your wife does, your wife’s policy will need to adhere to the car insurance mandates that the state has placed upon you, and her insurer must be willing to file the SR-22. Your wife may carry higher policy limits than what the SR-22 requires and the policy will have both of your names on it, but the SR-22 will have just your name on it.

If her car insurance company doesn’t offer SR-22s filings — not all do — then you’ll need to find a new auto insurer for your household. You will have to pay a filing fee for the SR-22, typically around $25.

Whatever caused you to be required to carry the SR-22 will increase your rates. If you have a DUI, suspended license, or something of this nature on your driving record, it will cause the household’s car insurance rates to be higher. This is because the more risk you pose to an insurance company, the higher the premiums it will charge.

If your wife doesn’t want you on her car insurance policy (due to how your driving record will affect her auto premiums), then she can see if it’s possible to exclude you from the policy. This is allowable in some, but not all, states.

If she excludes you, then you would be unable to drive her car because her insurance would not extend to you in any way. The problem with exclusion is that you are left with no car. No car means no insurance, and no insurance means no way to meet your SR-22 requirement.

While some individuals who need an SR-22 but don’t own a car may obtain non-owner SR-22 car insurance, this wouldn’t work for you. Even if you consider the household vehicle to be your wife’s, most insurers consider a husband and wife as one person and thus joint owners of any household vehicle.

You and your spouse being on the same policy makes sense for your situation; thus, you need to discuss the issue with her current car insurance provider. Once you know the cost of adding you to the policy and the SR-22 filing, shop around to make sure you are getting the lowest car insurance rates possible.

What happens if I own a car, my spouse owns a car and I have to file an SR-22

If you need an SR-22 and your spouse doesn’t, and you both own cars, you’ll still need to file the SR-22 on your shared policy. Most insurance companies view married couples as joint owners, which means they assume both of you are driving your vehicle. As a result, you and your spouse will have to pay the higher insurance rates you receive after filing an SR-22.

You can still save on SR-22 insurance

Just because you have the need for an SR-22 doesn’t mean that there aren’t opportunities to save money on car insurance by doing an auto insurance quotes comparison. Rating systems vary from one insurer to another, so some auto insurance companies will see you as less of a risk than others will — and their prices will reflect this.

Get a low-cost quote for car insurance that includes an SR-22 filing by contacting our call center toll-free at 1-855-430-7753.

 — Penny Gusner contributed to this story.

Laura Longero

Ask the Insurance Expert

Laura Longero

Executive Editor

Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

John McCormick

Ask the Insurance Expert

John McCormick

Editorial Director

John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.

Leslie Kasperowicz

Ask the Insurance Expert

Leslie Kasperowicz

Managing Editor

Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.

Nupur Gambhir

Ask the Insurance Expert

Nupur Gambhir

Managing Editor

Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.

Please Enter Valid Question. Min 50 to max 250 characters are allowed. Only (& ? , .) charcters are allowed.
Please Enter Valid Email.
Error: Security check failed
Thank You, Your message has been received. Our team of auto insurance experts typically answers questions within five working days. Note that due to the volume of questions we receive, not all may be answered. Due to technical error, please try again later.
Get quotes near you!
Please enter valid zip
author image
Contributing Writer

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. When not writing, you can find her reading a book or watching anime.