The SR-22 is a vehicle liability document that is required by the court of state law for anyone who had been convicted of certain traffic violations. This form is to be filed by one’s insurance company to the Department of Motor Vehicles and it proves that one has valid liability coverage. This document is usually associated with driving under the influence, at-fault accidents while driving without insurance, repeat traffic offences, ad revoked licenses.
There are different variations and requirements for this form in each state, and one document from a certain state may not apply in another. If one is carrying an SR-22 but move to another state, the driver must fulfil the document’s filing period in his or her former state. Also, one’s insurance policy in the new state must have liability limits that meet the minimum requirements by law in the former state.
There are certain states that do not require SR-22s, and these are Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. But if one has a SR-22 document and then move out of these mentioned states, the driver must continue to meet the requirements of the document where the offense was committed. New York and North Carolina do not require SR-22 filings, and most companies in these states do not offer out-of-state SR-22 filings.
Drivers, especially high-risk ones, usually have to carry SR-22 for as long as most likely three years. They are expected to treat their time with the document as similar to that of probation. These drivers are required to carry continuous insurance during the specified period of time before the SR-22 status is removed. One’s license would be suspended again if one’s policy lapses or is cancelled.
Sometimes, there would be drivers who would be issued SR-22 but do not own vehicles, and the certification would take the form of a non-owners SR-22 insurance policy. This policy is only for those who do not own vehicles. The policy maybe different in each state, but the general rule applies that it only covers the liability the driver may cause and not necessarily the vehicle he or she is driving.
One can drive any car with permission from the owner but the non-owner policy would only cover the liability portion up to the limits of the SR-22, and not necessarily cover the car itself. The policy would also protect other people’s injuries, in case a driver is negligent in an accident with someone else’s car.
