Getting affordable car insurance is difficult enough if you have a completely clean history behind the wheel. Even if you have been involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault and had to make a claim, costs can spike significantly.
But what about those motorists who have caused accidents themselves, and faced the consequences as a result?
You might think getting insurance was effectively impossible in this scenario, but there are ways to go about this which won’t leave you destitute, so let’s explore the ins and outs of the options available.
Understanding SR22 car insurance endorsement
Drivers that are determined to be high risk will need to get SR22 insurance, which in turn comes along with a state-issued endorsement proving that you are equipped with the minimum mandated insurance to drive a car in your region.
Different SR22 certificates will need to be applied for and issued depending on whether you own the car you are driving, or whether you want to be able to drive other vehicles while covered by the legally required insurance.
In short, the endorsement proves that you are financially responsible for any further incidents you are responsible for, and SR22 insurance policies themselves are provided by insurers to people with serious motoring convictions on their record.
Appreciating the accident cost implications
There is no way of getting around the fact that if you were responsible for a car accident, or you have been convicted for other associated crimes such as a DUI, you will need to pay more for your insurance when your license is reinstated.
In terms of how much more you will pay, this varies from case to case. As a rule of thumb, your insurance bill could at least double compared with what you were paying previously.
It all comes down to the amount of risk you represent to insurers. If you have caused an accident, then there is a higher chance of this happening again than if you were someone who had proven themselves a safe driver over years with no blemishes on their record.
That said, it is still worth comparing insurance policies if you need an SR22 insurance endorsement as a result of a court order. Savings can be made and you don’t just have to settle for whatever deal your existing insurer offers.
Remembering Accident timeframes
The silver lining to all of this is that your SR22 obligations are not permanent, and after a fixed period you will no longer need an endorsement or a specific form of auto insurance to continue driving legally.
Again, there are state-by-state variations in this, and the nature of the accident can also make a difference. Some cases will require just one year as an SR22 insurance user, while others will up this to as much as 5 years.
The main point to make is that if you do not maintain auto insurance throughout the duration of your allotted SR22 schedule, you will effectively start from scratch.
Three years is the average for this, and so it is important to be on the ball when it comes to car insurance admin, as even a brief lapse in insurance will be a major setback.
Making improvements
The last point to make about getting insurance after causing a car accident is that you can make savings if you are proactive.
Taking courses to improve your driving skills, avoiding further violations, driving a safer vehicle and generally taking fewer risks will stand you in good stead to eventually see insurance costs drop.
