Texas SR 22 Proof of Auto Insurance for Texans
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Ron Trumbo
Insurance Editor
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Have you had your Texas driver’s licenses suspended and now find yourself looking for car insurance? Perhaps you were caught driving without insurance? Too many traffic violations? You may be looking at expensive car insurance rates and a bunch of annoying hoops to jump through. A common formality for reinstating your driving privileges in Texas is to get an SR 22 certificate filed.
What is an SR 22 for Texas Auto Insurance Policies?
Like every state, Texas requires that you have car insurance to drive in the state. Additionally, you must always car “proof” of insurance or face fines. SR 22 is nothing more that an additional certificate of insurance form that your Texas insurance agent will send to the Texas Department of Public Safety that verifies that you meet Texas’ minimum auto liability car insurance laws. If you don’t own a car, in certain situations you may be able to get a non-owner SR 22 certificate.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, SR 22 forms are required for a 2 year period. If for any reason let your auto insurance coverage lapse, your Texas insurance company will notify the Texas Department of Public Safety and you may face another suspension of your license — don’t fall back to square-one. If you're changing car insurance companies within that 2-year period, make sure your new insurance agent updates your SR 22 records with Texas, and always save your car insurance policy records!
Texas SR 22 certificates should not have any additional costs, although some insurance agents may charge some type of fee outside of your actually policy. SR-22’s are electronically filed and should take no more than a day to be complete.
If you’re moving to or from another state, be aware that SR 22 requirements are different for every state and you need to update your car insurance in Texas. For example, if you’re moving to Texas from California, each state as has different minimum car insurance requirements, and although you have an existing SR 22 in California, you many not meet Texas’ minimums and risk suspension of driving privileges. Additionally, Texas’ neighboring states Oklahoma and New Mexico are among 6 states that don’t require SR 22, so don’t get caught surprised by not knowing.
SR 22 Auto Insurance Agents in Texas
Car insurance can be very confusing, and Texas laws can make things even crazier. InsuranceLoco believes that a local Texas insurance agent is the best way for you to take care of business.
Find an experienced and licensed Texas insurance agent and tell them exactly what your needs are: e.g. “I had my licensed suspended last year after a DUI, and now I need to get my license back in order, with the most affordable car insurance available. I think I need an SR 22, but what else do I need to do?”
You’ll know within 2 or 3 minutes whether the agent will be able to help you. Additionally, you should compare car insurance rates from at least 5 different Texas agents. If you need an SR 22 in Texas, you’re most likely a high risk driver and your insurance rates are going to reflect that. Shop around. Car insurance prices vary substantially in Texas from carrier to carrier, and some Texas insurance agents specialize in your specific needs while offering cheap insurance prices.
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