SR-22 Insurance: What Happens if it Lapses?
If your SR-22 insurance lapses, you could be in for a lot of trouble. Your license may be suspended, and you could face steep fines and penalties. You should know what happens if your SR-22 insurance lapses and the steps you need to take to reinstate your policy. There are also minimum auto insurance coverage requirements in Ohio and some of the factors that influence premium rates. So don’t drive without SR-22 insurance – call us today for cheap SR22 insurance in Ohio!
What happens if you’re SR-22 Lapses?
If you’re caught driving without SR-22 insurance, your license will be suspended. The SR22 is the form that your insurance company will send to the state to notify them of the lapse in coverage. If you’re caught driving during this time, you’ll be driving under suspension. This means you could get another major violation on your driving record.
How SR-22 Insurance Works
SR-22 insurance is often a type of high-risk auto insurance. It’s typically required for drivers who have been convicted of DUI/DWI, reckless driving, or other serious offenses. The SR-22 form is filed by your insurance company with the state and proves that you have the minimum amount of auto insurance coverage required by law.
Minimum Coverage Requirements
In Ohio, you should be clear about how much insurance you need. The minimum coverage for bodily injury is $25,000 or $50,000 depending on your risk factors, and $25,000 for property damage. There are also several other financial factors that go into this and how much your insurance premiums will be.
Factors Influencing Your Premiums
For all insurance policies, there are several factors that will influence your monthly premiums, including your driving record, the type of vehicle you drive, your credit score, your age, marital status, and your zip code. In Ohio, cheap SR22 insurance is not hard to find if you know where to look. When shopping for a policy, be sure to compare rates from multiple companies to get the best deal.
Driving Record
One of the first things insurance companies will look at when determining your premium is your driving record. If you have a clean record, you’re likely to pay less than someone who has been convicted of DUI or reckless driving.
Type of Vehicle
The type of vehicle you drive can also affect your rates. If you have a newer car, it’s likely that you’ll pay more for insurance than someone with an older model. This is because newer cars are often worth more and cost more to repair.
Credit Score
Your credit score is another factor that insurers take into account when setting premiums. If you have a good credit score, you’re considered to be lower risk and may qualify for discounts.
Age, Marital Status, and Zip Code
These factors may seem unrelated, but they can all affect your insurance rates. Age is a factor because younger drivers are often considered to be at higher risk. Marital status is sometimes used as an indicator of responsibility. And your zip code can affect rates because insurers use it to determine the likelihood of accidents and theft in your area.
What to Do if Your SR-22 Insurance Lapses
For any kind of insurance, it is important that you maintain your policy and make payments on time. If you let your SR-22 insurance lapse, you could face serious penalties. The best thing to do if you can’t make a payment is to call your insurer and ask for an extension. If you let your policy lapse, you’ll have to pay a reinstatement fee and file another SR-22 form.
If it lapses, it’s important to get a new policy as soon as possible, as you should never be driving without insurance.
Ohio’s Options
Luckily, there is also the automobile insurance plan, a state program for people who have problems getting an insurance policy. While not as comprehensive as some other policies, this will help you get the minimum coverage you need to continue driving your car.
The best thing to do once you have your new policy is to avoid more lapses in coverage, make payments on time, keep completely up-to-date information of your vehicle registration and license, and maintain contact with your insurance provider when necessary. It will help if you are seen as a responsible customer for future insurance policies.
The Minimum Isn’t Always Best
While you can save money by getting the minimum coverage required by Ohio law, it’s important to remember that this may not be enough to protect you financially if you’re in an accident. If you have a newer car or a higher income, you may want to consider getting more than the minimum coverage.
If you are in an accident and do not have more than the minimum coverage, you may end up paying more out of pocket for any damages. While in the short term you may save some money from a lower monthly payment, the long-term costs may be much higher.
Authorized Local Insurance
It’s also a good idea to check what the most affordable coverage is after your SR-22 lapses, in the case that you cannot renew it. There are differences from state to state for any conviction for a suspended or revoked driver’s license.
To check which authorized local insurance might be allowed, you should check with the Ohio DMV. They will be able to give you a list of the different companies that can still insure you. Just remember, the cheapest isn’t always the best – make sure you’re getting the coverage you need. You can then check whether the minimum coverage will be enough for bodily injury, death, or other damage in an accident, or property damage and destruction of other people.
Your S-22 insurance should cover what you need, so it’s important to get it renewed when it is needed so you can avoid all of these complications.
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