Many states require drivers who are considered high risk to submit proof of an SR-22 insurance policy, also called FR-44 in a few states, to the DMV or courts in order to reinstate or keep a driver's license. If you have never had this type of insurance policy before, you may have many questions about it. Here are a few frequently asked questions about SR-22 insurance.

Why Would Someone Need to Have SR-22 Insurance?

The most common reason why the courts would require someone to obtain SR-22 insurance is for drunk driving. You are considered to be high risk if you have been convicted of driving while under the influence. In many states, you must show proof of this insurance in order to obtain your license after it has been suspended or revoked for this charge. Other reasons a court may require you to obtain this insurance is because you have had an excessive amount of traffic violations leading to your license being suspended, or you have been found to be at fault for a serious accident because of reckless behavior. Basically, if your license is suspended or revoked by the courts, there is a good chance you will have to submit proof of this type of insurance to get your license back.

How Do You Know If You Need to Have SR-22 Insurance?

If you have had your license suspended or revoked and you are working on getting it back, you may be curious as to how you will know if you need SR-22 insurance. Generally, a judge will tell you that you need this insurance in order to get your license back. But if you can't recall what they said and can't find your court paperwork, there are a couple of other ways to go about finding out. The first is to call your local department of motor vehicles or driving licensing department and ask. They can often pull up your driving record and see what needs to be done to get your license back. The second is to visit your insurance company. They are the ones who have to submit the paperwork to the licensing department if you are required to have SR-22 insurance. As such, they would know if this is required or not.

SR-22 insurance is not a topic many people are familiar with. However, it may be something that you find yourself needing at some point in time. Getting answers to the questions you have about the topic will help you to better understand why it is needed and how to know if you need it.