I got a DUI conviction on my record (actually got my second DUI) and my auto insurance rates are just unbelievably high. I know that I am pretty high risk now, but there has to be an insurance company that has lower rates than what I am paying now. Currently I pay $1,800 every six months. Does anyone offer discounts on SR22 coverage?

Danny H.
Woodlands TX

Hey Danny. Man, I wish I could sugar coat this reply for you a little bit but dude….you are screwed. I mean, you basically are like a subprime mortgage loan applicant. Sure, there are companies that will give you the loan (insurance) but they are going to jack up the interest rates BIG time on you to make up for the added risk. As far as a discount for SR22 insurance coverage, I doubt it, BUT never say never. There are a handful of auto insurance companies that are willing to discount prices and take on extra risk to take market share from Geico and Progressive.

Here are a few companies you might want to get a quote from.

1. Nationwide
2. The General
3. Amica
4. Travelers
5. Farmers
6. Liberty Mutual

You might want to try and ask for some of the popular discounts given to standard drivers and see what happens.

1. Good grade students
2. Credit union members, bank membership, fraternal organizations
3. Military discounts both retired and active
4. Combine your car and home coverage together
5. Muli vehicle discounts
6. Defensive driving classes
7. Claim free history

I no longer need an SR22 for my auto insurance policy here in Houston. How do I remove it?

Howard

Houston Texas

An SR22 is liability insurance which requires your insurer to certify insurance coverage to the Texas Department of Public Safety. It is also the responsibility of the insurer to inform the DPS if the policy has been canceled or lapsed.

If you no longer required to carry an SR22 insurance, you may be able to have it removed from your policy by contacting your car insurance company. An SR-26 is a form that is filed by the insurer to remove the SR-22. Certain insurers may require you to provide paperwork from the DPS that this coverage may be removed before filing the SR-26.

This SR-26 is a certificate processed by an insurer to inform the DPS that the SR-22 car insurance provided by the company has already been canceled. The SR26 filing may lead to drivers license suspension if the person’s driving record shows that the SR22 (insurance certificate) is still needed during the time the SR26 is issued. For this reason you will need to ensure the SR22 is no longer demanded by the state of Texas. The department and the insurance company representative may be able to give you more information on how to remove SR22 from your car insurance policy.

What is an SR22 Filing and how does it work?

Mike

Houston Texas

If the Texas Department of Public Safety advised you that you are required to get SR22 insurance after a serious offense then you will need it to be filed by your insurance provider. An SR22 is a certificate of insurance required by law that presents to the Texas DPS evidence of insurance for the future. SR22 insurance is liability insurance which involves the insurers to certify that you have the minimum coverage, and the insurer needs to inform Texas DPS whenever the insurance plan is canceled, terminated or lapses.

Once the Texas DPS obtains notice that a certain individual has terminated their insurance coverage while they are sill required to maintain proof of insurance with the Texas DPS, the drivers license will be suspended. SR22 insurance (form SR-22) or Financial Responsibility Certificate must be kept for 2 years from date of conviction.

Aside from the required filing, a reinstatement fee is also needed with the SR22 insurance. Within the 2-year period, if the DPS obtains notice from the insurer that insurance policy has been canceled, your drivers license will be suspended.

You should ask your insurance company if they do the filing for you. Expect an increase in your car insurance once the insurer sees a serious traffic violation on your driving record.

I live in Houston and I would like to know if I will be required to obtain an SR22 if I get caught driving without insurance? What are the penalties?

Jim

Houston Texas

Yes, typically if you’ve been found guilty of operating a vehicle without insurance in Houston for the 2nd time your drivers license is going to be suspended and to reinstate it you’ll be mandated to acquire and hold an SR22 insurance certificate for two years after the date of your conviction.

The state of Texas mandates individuals who operate a vehicle in Texas to have the ability to pay for any vehicle accidents they cause. The majority of motorists accomplish this by purchasing liability car insurance.

The minimum required liability insurance coverage is 25/50/25. These limits mean $25,000 for every wounded person, up to a total of $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.

You can get serious legal fees and penalties for breaking the state’s financial responsibility laws. If this is your first conviction for driving without insurance, you will pay a fine between $175 and $350. Subsequent convictions you could end up paying fines of $350 to $1,000, driver’s license suspension, and impound of your car.

To restore your driver’s license from suspension status because of operating a vehicle without car insurance, you will need to pay a reinstatement fee and you will have to acquire proof of insurance (form SR-22) from an insurer and send it to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). In Houston, the SR22 insurance certificate is going to be required for two years from the date of conviction.

A: When your driver’s license is suspended in Texas, here are certain consequences in the form of higher car insurance requirements which you must hold for two years after the date of your license’s first suspension. This special requirement is called an SR22 certificate or bond. It must be filed by your car insurance company with the Texas DPS if you want to have your driver’s license’s reinstated.

SR22 car insurance is costly, and although you don’t have to have more coverage than usual, you are required to keep paying on it and will be caught immediately if you fail to continue being insured. If you don’t pay your premium on time, your coverage will be canceled and your driver’s license suspended (again) along with it.

As for the required minimum car insurance for an SR22 insurance policy in Houston according to Texas DPS.

$75,000 total coverage
$40,000 bodily injury per occurrence / $20,000 per person
$15,000 property damage coverage

One of the best ways to lower your rates on any kind of car insurance is to raise your deductible amount to the highest level you can. So if you have a $1,000 deductible and you are a safe claim free driver the last few years you could save a lot of money.

You only pay the deductible amount when you have a claim, and the claim is paid by YOUR carrier.

I’m not asked to get SR22 insurance here in Houston and I don’t intend to be. But I’m just curious that if SR22 is costly, is it impossible for a driver to get affordable insurance rates?

Anthony

Houston, TX

As a driver in Houston, SR22 insurance is one type of document that you may not want to get. It is a form of certification from a car insurance company to a state’s DMV or Department of Motor Vehicles. Drivers who have been caught for traffic violations like DUI or reckless driving need to have SR22 insurance in order to get their driver’s licenses back. But SR22 insurance rates are very costly so if you are asked to get SR22 insurance, you should get it from a specialized insurance firm.

Car insurance companies regard those who have SR22 insurance as high risk drivers. Because they are high risk, those drivers are subjected to high car insurance premiums to offset the extra risk involved.

People needing SR22 are:

DUI-DWI

OWI (operating while intoxicated by drugs)

License suspension – excessive traffic tickets – driving without a license

Another thing that is worth mentioning is that not all car insurance companies issue SR22 insurance. Car insurance companies which give this kind of insurance, however, are giving very expensive insurance rates.

But this is not to say that it is impossible to get affordable SR22 insurance. Drivers who want to get cheaper rates should also present a good credit history. Creditworthiness is something that insurance companies look into when preparing SR22 requests, so check your credit score before you get a quote.

My boyfriend was driving my car over the past weekend. He got pulled over for speeding and also received a drunk driving violation (DUI) and driving without a license in Houston. How will this affect my auto insurance rate?

Kelly

Houston, TX

Generally, any tickets your friends receive while driving your car will not affect your auto insurance rates. The tickets for speeding, drunk driving and driving without a license should all have been issued to your boyfriend, the driver, and not the car, so typically will show up on his driving record and affect him.  I would expect his auto insurance coverage to be canceled and he is going to have a hard time finding coverage after this. What he does find I would expect it to be twice if not 3 times the average rate.  SR22 insurance, or “bond” is what he will be required to have for the next few years until he can prove he can remain sober…and a better driver.

If your boyfriend had an accident while driving your vehicle it would have affected your auto insurance since most likely it would be your insurance that would have to pay out on claims resulting from a crash.  In a nutshell your boyfriend is in BIG trouble. Having all 3 things happen to him is pretty bad and will hurt his driving record and probably his wallet for years. I hope he does not get jail time for the DUI, which he could, or drivers license suspension.

No offense, but DO NOT let him drive your car again….or anyone elses’ car for that matter.

I live in Houston and was charged a DUI offense last month. How long will a DUI offense stay on my record and will it affect my auto insurance rates?

Carrie

Houston, TX

Thank you for asking Carrie. All alcohol related offenses are crimes, and are classified as either misdemeanors or felonies. Thus a DUI arrest will remain on your record for life.

In Texas, a DWI/DUIarrest will generally remain on your record past your lifetime. It is never removed unless you receive a pardon from the governor or the legislature changes the laws regarding the expunction of records. Thus, the DWI offense on your record will never go away. If you are found not guilty by a jury or by the court, you may be eligible to have the arrest and prosecution records destroyed through deletion. If you are concerned about having a criminal record for employment or credit purposes, you may consult a DWI attorney about fighting the charge.

Just so you know, it may take approximately 10 business days for the results of a criminal history record check, once the information is received by Texas Department of Public Safety. However, this government agency cannot guarantee the amount of time it may take to receive this information through the postal service.

As for the insurance, a DWI conviction will usually raise your rates from 300% to 500% for 5 or more years. Your insurance provider may have the option to cancel your coverage, forcing you to find another insurance provider. Moreover, most insurance companies will stop considering drunk driving convictions in accessing auto insurance rates after a period of years. You will most likely be required to carry an SR22 bond certificate and have it registered with the state which proves to them you are properly insured and that your insurance company is aware of your situation.

I am a resident of Houston and I am just wondering if I get two tickets for driving without insurance, will I need to get an SR22?

Carol

Houston, TX

Normally, yes, if you have been convicted of operating a vehicle without car insurance in Houston or in any place in Texas for a second time your license will be suspended and to restore it you will be required to get and maintain an SR-22 for two years after your conviction date.

If the Department of Public Safety informed you that an SR-22 is required then it will need to be filed by your insurance provider. An SR-22 insurance policy is a form of insurance that shows the Texas DPS proof of insurance for the future, as required by the Texas law. SR-22 insurance is car liability insurance which requires the insurance carrier to certify coverage to DPS, and the insurance carrier must notify DPS anytime the policy is canceled, terminated or lapses. These policies are expensive, so its to your benefit to NOT get into a position to require it in the first place.

I was charged with a DUI in Houston and I have had full coverage on my vehicle for 5 years and it was in effect on the day of the conviction. Am I required to get SR22 auto insurance in conjunction with my current insurance policy I have, which I have never allowed to lapse?

Andrea

Houston, TX

If you are charged of the DUI and had your license suspended by the state of Texas for this offense then yes. Normally you would now be required to acquire and maintain an SR22 bond as part of your driver’s license reinstatement process.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) states that a conviction for driving while intoxicated (DWI) typically results in a license suspension. The time period varies by court but may not exceed two years. A conviction of a DWI/DUI for an individual under the age of 21 will result in an automatic suspension for a year per Texas Transportation Code 521.344

Now, you will need to then maintain the SR-22 for the required period of time. If you are going to cancel it and the DPS received notification from the insurance provider that the policy was canceled, terminated, or lapsed, appropriate enforcement action may be taken. If the SR-22 is still required and there is no valid SR22 certificate on file, the driving privilege and vehicle registration will be suspended or revoked by the DPS……which is NOT good.

To make sure if in your particular situation you will need to file a SR-22 if not, contact the Texas DPS directly.