Factors that Influence SR22 Insurance Rates

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The SR-22 filing requirement comes when you have been convicted of driving without adequate insurance, driving while intoxicated or have had too many traffic violations. SR22 insurance is typically very expensive, but it's not the end of the world -- since lots of people can live with it, so can you!

First off, let us start by saying that SR-22 insurance is a misnomer. It's not a special type of insurance per se, but rather the (regular) type of insurance you get when you have a SR-22 filing requirement. SR-22 is a certificate that states you have the Liability insurance with the minimum limits required by your state, and gets filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles. It means, in other words, that you carry enough insurance to cover others' losses if you are found at fault in a car accident.

Let us have a look at factors that influence SR22 insurance rates.

The amount of coverage you need

The SR22 premium will depend on how much insurance you need. Unless you drive a very expensive car, it would pay up to drop everything on top of the mandatory Liability insurance, because Collision and/or Comprehensive will cost an arm and a leg.

The seriousness of your conviction

A driver with a SR-22 requirement is automatically labeled as very risky, and the rate the insurance company will charge you depends on what you have done. A driver with a long history of DUI offenses and serious accidents, for instance, will be charged more than one who has been caught driving with a policy that had just lapsed.

Your geographical area

Insurance prices in large metropolitan areas are always higher than those in the rest of the country, and it all boils down to Microeconomics 101 -- that's where the big money is. People with higher incomes will spend more money on similar goods than the ones in smaller towns or rural areas.

Your age and driving experience

Statistics show that teenagers are disastrous drivers who tend to speed unnecessarily and, in general, drive recklessly. Drivers below 25 are charged almost twice the amount a 40 year old male driver would pay for normal coverage, and the gaps are even wider when it comes to SR-22 insurance. Similarly, your driving experience will be taken into account when the underwriter computes your premium.

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