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Florida drivers who have been convicted of a moving violation or other infraction may be required by the state to submit an SR-22 to the Department of Motor Vehicles. An SR-22 in Florida is issued by your insurance company, attesting that you have the required minimum insurance. An SR-22 isn’t itself insurance, even though it is sometimes called “SR-22 insurance.” Instead, it’s a document that may be needed in some cases in order for you to be on the road legally. Florida also uses two other documents, FR-44 and SR-21 forms, which are similar, but used in different situations. Having an SR-22 can impact the amount you pay for your policy, and it will stay on your record for several years.
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 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.
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.
Other insurance forms required in Florida
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 two additional forms required under specific circumstances, the FR-44 and the SR-21, which are 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 based on the severity of the infraction, while an SR-21 is required under narrower circumstances involving an accident or traffic ticket.
| Form | Requirements |
|---|---|
| SR-22 | An SR-22 is required in Florida for drivers who have committed a serious traffic violation, like reckless driving or driving without insurance. |
| FR-44 | This form is required for Florida drivers who are ticketed for serious offenses related to driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. The FR-44 requirements include the need to buy car insurance with higher limits than those required by an SR-22. |
| SR-21 | An SR-21 form is required in more narrow circumstances relating to automobile accidents and traffic violations. |
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 you lapse on coverage at any time during the SR-22 requirement period, your insurance company that certified that you have the legal amount of coverage required is obligated to report you, as that is the intent of the SR-22 or FR-44 requirement. Failure to remain insured under an SR-22 certificate can lead to your driver’s license getting suspended or revoked.
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
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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.
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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.
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Not every car insurance company in Florida issues SR-22 certificates. Among the companies that do, GEICO, USAA, Progressive and The General provide SR-22 forms to Florida drivers. Major insurance companies and providers that specialize in non-standard auto insurance are the most likely to offer SR-22 certificates.
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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.
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