SR26 Insurance
Reader’s Question:
What is an SR26 insurance? I was told my carrier will submit an SR26 because my current policy got canceled.
Sajhid
Anaheim, CA
Good question. An SR26 is not necessarily an insurance policy, rather, it is a form or document submitted by your car insurance company to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) there in California advising them that your policy has been canceled or has been allowed to lapse. An SR26 notification is only applicable for those drivers who hold an SR22 insurance coverage. An SR22 is a special kind of car insurance policy that is mandated by the state to drivers who has exhibited risky behaviors while operating a vehicle and are thus required to carry adequate amounts of liability auto insurance in order to financially compensate anyone they injure, and properties they may damage, if ever they cause a car accident.
Think of an SR26 form as a way for your state to monitor which among its risky drivers are maintaining car insurance coverage and which ones aren’t. This is a good way for the state to manage car accidents where the at-fault party does not have adequate coverage and is for the mutual benefit of everyone on the road. It is very important that you meet the requirements of maintaining continuous SR22 insurance coverage for the prescribed period of time (usually three years), allowing your policy to lapse may lead to more severe penalties, and a more difficulties getting coverage in the future.
If you’re looking to get you’re SR22 insurance reinstated, we encourage you to run a free insurance search on this website to find the latest policies and most competitive rates available.
Buy SR22 Insurance
Filed under: Sr-22 insurance, Sr22 Form, What is an SR22
Reader’s Question:
Do I need to buy SR22 insurance?
Winston
San Francisco, CA
You don’t have to buy SR22 insurance of your own accord. It’s not part of having regular personal car insurance. However, there may come an unfortunate time when you will be ordered either by the DMV or the courts to do so.
To be compelled to buy SR22 insurance is usually the consequence of committing a fairly serious offense or getting convicted. The most serious one you can do is getting arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. This crime automatically obligates you to buy SR22 insurance.
SR22 insurance isn’t really a separate kind of car insurance. Actually, it can have any kind of coverage from liability to personal injury protection. It depends on what the DMV or court instructed. You can buy SR22 insurance from any car insurance carrier, usually from the company you already currently have a policy with. You take out the mandated coverage, and they file the SR22 form to the DMV, and hopefully everything is settled by then. Well, there are probably a few surcharges and legal fees that need to be dealt with, too.
Naturally, nobody really wants to go through all this hassle. The best and simplest way to avoid being ordered to buy SR22 insurance is to drive as safely as possible and follow all the traffic rules. It’s sometimes easier said than done but do you really want to add an extra burden to an already inescapable expense?
SR 22 Insurance
Filed under: Sr-22 insurance, Sr22 Form, What is an SR22
Reader’s Question:
My friend got cited for beating a red light while driving her boyfriend’s car. The police later found out that the car is not insured. The police told her that she may have to pay some fine and be asked to get SR22 insurance. What is this insurance? Isn’t her boyfriend supposed to get this insurance because it’s his car, anyway?
Kathleen
Miami, FL
SR22 insurance is required for those who fail to show proof of insurance at the time that is needed. However, by itself, it does not act as an insurance policy. The SR22 only gives an assurance that the person who owns it holds financial responsibility for a certain period of time. This period is determined by the court and often depends on the violation that the person has committed.
In your friend’s case, it is possible that her boyfriend will be asked to be the one to get the SR22 insurance. Being the owner of the car, it is his responsibility to make sure that the car and its passengers and drivers are covered in case an accident happens. If he can’t provide this coverage, then he might as well stop using his car. However, your friend also has her own share of responsibility. For one, she’s not supposed to drive an uninsured car. Second, she should have been more careful while driving. Beating a red light is a serious offense because it could lead to a more serious damage especially if another car is involved. The court should be able to determine who should be held responsible for the citation. But I suggest you tell your friends to get insured now to make sure they don’t get cited for the same violation in the future.