SR22 Car Insurance

Reader’s Question:

What is SR22 car insurance and when do I need it?

Kim,

Wilmington, DE

SR22 is a certificate that your car insurance provider issued after you got involved in an accident or traffic violation. It is a mandatory document for drivers convicted of traffic violations or are seen responsible or ‘at fault’ in an accident. It certifies that you have auto liability insurance required by your state that may include but not limited to bodily or personal injury liability and property damage liability. It would depend upon the gravity of the violation and your car insurance provider if you need to have an SR22, but in most cases of DUI conviction, for example, you would need to have an SR22. For how long you will carry it depends upon the requirements set by the state–could be as short as three years and longer for others.

Not all states require an SR22 certificate. This is a requirement of the state’s DMV and not the police. If you live right now in Delaware, then your state does not require you to have an SR22 when you have the problem as above. However, if you move to Delaware with an existing SR22 from another state, you have to carry on the requirements of the document from the state where the crime was done; moreover you also have to check with Delaware’s auto liability insurance. Aside from bodily injury and property damage, it also includes personal injury protection.