SR-22 in Florida | Bankrate

Florida drivers with marks on their license may be required to carry SR-22 insurance in order to be legal while behind the wheel. Despite the name, an SR-22 isn’t actually insurance itself, but rather is a certificate that states that you have the appropriate amount of insurance coverage. Your carrier files this form with the Florida DMV on your request. Although an SR-22 is not expensive — usually costing about $25 — there may be other costs involved. Since only drivers with a history of vehicle infractions are required to carry SR-22s, it’s likely that your insurance premium will be higher than it would be if you had a clean record. In some cases, your insurer may not be willing to file an SR-22 for you, and you will need to find another insurance company that will work with you.

What is an SR-22?

An SR-22 is a form that proves you have a car insurance policy that meets the minimum coverage requirements in Florida. Not every driver needs an SR-22. In most cases, you are only required to have this form if your driver’s license gets suspended or you’ve recently experienced one of these driving events:

• You have received several traffic violations — such as speeding tickets — in the last six months
• You’ve been convicted of a DUI/DWI (an FR-44 is required, with liability limits of 100/300)
• Your license was suspended for failing to pay child support
• You caused an accident and didn’t have car insurance

Any of these types of situations could trigger the Florida DMV to request you submit an SR-22. If you need an SR-22, insurance companies are likely to place you in the high-risk driver category, which may mean an increased premium rate. If you find an insurer that offers SR-22 filing, submitting the form should be simple, but there are a few important aspects of the process to understand.

Note that if you are required to have an SR-22 in Florida, you will also need to have the following minimum levels of liability coverage:

• $10,000 bodily injury per person per accident
• $20,000 bodily injury per accident total
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

SR-22 insurance in Florida

What is an SR-22 in Florida if it is not insurance? Technically, it is a “Certificate of Financial Responsibility.” Its purpose is to show the DMV that you have at least the minimum state-required amount of insurance and can be held financially responsible in the event of an accident. Your carrier generates this document and submits it on your behalf.

In order to have an SR-22, you need to have a car insurance policy. Since you are only required to have FL SR-22 insurance if you have moving violations or your license was suspended, you may find some insurers who are reluctant to write you a policy because they consider you a higher risk than the average driver. You are also more likely to have to pay higher rates than average when you do find an insurer.

SR-22 vs. FR-44

Florida is one of only a handful of states that have SR-22 requirements, in addition to alternative forms required under other circumstances. As a result, Florida drivers need to clearly understand this more complex regulatory environment.

Florida also has an additional form required under specific circumstances — the FR-44, which is similar to the SR-22 requirement. An FR-44 is required in Florida and a few other states when alcohol is involved in the incident or for other severe infractions.

An FR-44 in Florida, like the SR-22, requires drivers to have their insurer submit proof of coverage to the state’s DMV. There are differences between the two, however. FR-44s, also called Certificates of Higher Limits Liability Coverage, may be used for serious offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, while SR-22s are more likely to come into play for traffic violations such as reckless driving or driving without insurance. 

Another difference is the amount of coverage required. FR-44s require drivers to have an increased amount of liability insurance, higher than the state’s minimums. It includes the following:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person per accident
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident total
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident

This is higher than the SR-22 requirements, which are 10/20/10.

Cost of SR-22 insurance in Florida

The costs associated with Florida SR-22 insurance extend beyond the filing fee for the actual certificate, which is typically between $15-$25.

If your license has been suspended or revoked, it means you have a number of serious traffic violations on your driving record. Car insurers will consider you a risky-to-insure driver who is more likely to cause an accident or be involved in expensive insurance claims that the car insurance company may end up financially responsible for. Therefore, you may qualify for coverage, but it will generally come at a higher price than the Florida average.

Not all car insurance companies provide SR-22 filings in Florida, possibly because of the increased risk the driver represents. As long as the traffic incident(s) that led to the need for an SR-22 remain on your record, you’ll need to maintain the (potentially more expensive) car insurance.

You’ll usually need to keep your SR-22 certificate (and a corresponding insurance policy) in force for around three years, which reflects the time it will take for the violations to get removed from your driving record.

If your coverage lapses at any point while you are carrying the SR-22 certificate, you will be reported to the DMV by your insurer. Failure to maintain the required amount of insurance coverage during this period could result in further penalties, such as a suspended or revoked license.

Non-owner SR-22 insurance for Florida drivers

What happens if you’ve been asked to provide an SR-22 before the DMV will reinstate your driver’s license, but you don’t own a vehicle? You can still get car insurance by purchasing a non-owner car insurance policy. Non-owner car insurance covers you and not your car. This means you’ll be insured if you drive someone else’s vehicle. Once you purchase non-owner auto insurance, the insurer can issue a Florida SR-22 certificate so you can request to have your driver’s license reissued.

Frequently asked questions

• How do I get an SR-22?
  

  To get an SR-22, you will need to contact your insurance company to request one. There will be a small fee, usually $25, that you will need to pay your insurer. It will then be responsible for submitting the certificate to the DMV. If you do not currently have an insurance policy, you will first need to purchase one from a carrier that is willing to work with high-risk drivers. Once you have that policy in hand, you can request your SR-22.

• How do I get my SR-22 removed?
  

  Generally, an SR-22 stays on your record for three years. At the end of that time, however, it doesn’t fall off your policy automatically. You will need to contact your insurer and ask them to remove the SR-22. You may see a decrease in your premium rate at that time. If your policy is canceled or you allow it to lapse while you’re carrying an SR-22, your insurance company will notify the DMV, and it is likely that your license will be suspended.

• Who sells SR-22 certificates in Florida?
  

  Some car insurance companies do not sell FL SR-22 insurance, because they will not write policies for high-risk drivers. A few of the companies that will write them include Geico, USAA, Progressive and The General. If you need an SR-22 in Florida, consider looking at companies that specialize in nonstandard auto insurance, as these are likely to have these certificates available.

• How much car insurance is required in Florida?
  

  Florida insurance law requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance in order to drive on public roads legally. Unlike most states, Florida does not require bodily injury liability. The only insurance that you must have is $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 in property damage liability. It’s worth noting that these limits are on the low side and might not cover all the costs associated with a serious accident. They also do not include coverage for your own car, called collision and comprehensive insurance, which you can purchase as an add-on to your policy.