It’s not until you need an sr22 auto insurance in Chicago that you realize that driving a car is a privilege. As a measure to make the roads safer, the State of Chicago has the right to suspend or revoke driving licenses. That usually happens when you’re classified as a driver who poses a considerable risk to other road users.
Depending on the nature of the transgression, suspend your license for a few months, ban you for years, or revoke your license. That usually happens after you’re convicted of endangering lives and property through reckless driving.
What is sr22 insurance?
Well, you’d be forgiven for thinking of it as an insurance cover because it not an insurance plan. Instead, it’s proof that you carry valid insurance coverage.
It’s a legal requirement for drivers who’ve had their licenses suspended for major traffic violations including reckless driving, DUI, and fault accidents. High-risk drivers have a higher probability of getting into a crash than other motorists.
As a result of the high-risk tag, insurance companies tend to adjust the cost of your insurance premiums upwards. The state requires a written confirmation from your insurance company that you have a valid cover. Simply put, sr22 is a written notification from your insurer confirming coverage.
What costs are associated with sr22?
Most insurers will charge you about $20 to mail the certificate to the DMV. Unfortunately, that’s only the last part in restoring your driver’s license, and the least expensive. Once you’re convicted of a traffic violation that leads the state, your insurer will view you as a high-risk client.
It means you’re likely to make more claims than the regular driver. Insurers will bump up your premiums as a precaution to safeguard against the potential claims you’re likely to make in the future. The more cautious of the bunch will outrightly drop you and deny you coverage.
That means you have to shop around for a new insurance provider. Depending on the offense, a traffic infraction could see your insurance costs jump by hundreds or thousands of dollars.
The state needs to be sure that you’re in compliance before they can let you back on the road — that and the hope that you’ll have learned your lesson on the process.
Is there any leeway with sr22?
You are walking a tight rope when you need to file sr22, and the last thing you want is to rock the boat. There’s no margin for errors when walking down this road. Failing to keep with your insurance payment or being late with payment could trigger all manners of problems.
Your insurer is legally obligated to notify the state if there’s a change in the state of coverage. Late payments can attract a hefty fine or could cause the insurances company to notify the state of the lapse in coverage.
It’s in your best interest to keep up to date with the insurance coverage each month to avoid incurring lots of avoidable charges. It saves you the hassle of battling the unending queues and complications at the DMV when your cover is pulled.