If your drivers license is suspended due to an infraction, you may need to file an SR-22 to get it reinstated. An SR-22 is a form your car insurance provider files to prove you carry the state-required minimum amount of auto liability coverage.
The SR-22 is necessary whether or not you own your vehicle. If you're in the latter situation, there's non-owner SR-22 insurance. This type of insurance only covers bodily injury and property damage. Collision and comprehensive coverages are not included.
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How to get cheap non-owner SR-22 insurance
You'll need to find an insurer that offers non-owner SR-22 car insurance. Car insurance companies that offer non-owner SR-22 coverage include:
A key criteria for getting non-owner SR-22 insurance is, you guessed it, not owning a car. Some providers won't sell it to you if you have regular access to an automobile, such as if a family or household member owns a car. It can also be difficult to get a non-owner policy if you are required to have a breath alcohol ignition interlock device installed after a DUI.
How much does SR-22 insurance cost?
As an example, a driver in California with a clean record pays an average of $200 a month for liability car insurance. After an DUI infraction, the same driver can look to pay $562 a month for SR-22 insurance. If you need to get an SR-22, car insurance companies are going to see you as a high risk. For this reason, SR-22 insurance is more expensive than a standard car insurance policy.
The graph below shows what kind of rates for SR-22 insurance that driver can look forward to based on the infraction.
| Infraction type | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Clean record | $200 |
| Speeding ticket | $322 |
| Accident | $366 |
| DUI | $562 |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
Fortunately, if you need non-owner SR-22 insurance, the lack of a car will result in lower rates than if you needed regular SR-22 insurance. Make sure to compare quotes from multiple car insurance providers to get the best coverage at the cheapest price.
Compare quotes from top car insurance companies
Who has the cheapest SR-22 insurance?
Overall, we found USAA to have the cheapest rates for SR-22 insurance after an accident. However, USAA only provides insurance products for currently serving or retired military. For everyone else, State Farm is the consistently cheap choice. American Family also offers cheap SR-22 insurance, based on our research. The table below shows how some of the biggest car insurance providers compare for SR-22 insurance rates after an accident.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| USAA | $300 |
| State Farm | $313 |
| American Family | $338 |
| Progressive | $374 |
| Farmers | $471 |
| Allstate | $478 |
| Nationwide | $565 |
| GEICO | $579 |
| Travelers | $764 |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
Do you need an SR-22 policy without a car?
An SR-22 form is connected to a driver, not the car they're driving. As such, you may need to file an SR-22 as required whether you own a car or not. SR-22s are required to get your license unsuspended after a qualifying infraction. Most states require you to carry an SR-22 for three consecutive years, but it may be longer.
How does non-owner SR-22 insurance work?
A non-owner SR-22 car insurance policy is usually secondary coverage. This means that the car insurance policy of the owner of the car you were driving at the time of the infraction will pay out first, then the non-owner insurance kicks in if the limits of the owner's insurance are reached.
Once the owner's car insurance limits are reached, your non-owner insurance will only cover payments for injuries and damages you caused. Collision and comprehensive coverage are not included.
Other non-owner SR-22 insurance coverage points to know include:
- SR-22 insurance only covers you. Spouses or children are not included.
- A deductible is usually not included in SR-22 insurance.
Methodology
We used Quadrant Information Services to generate thousands of car insurance quotes from the following providers:
- Allstate
- American Family
- Farmers
- GEICO
- Nationwide
- Progressive
- State Farm
- Travelers
- USAA
Our sample driver is a 35-year-old male with a clean record who drives a 2012 Honda Accord LX 13,500 miles per year.
References:
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