Florida SR22 Auto Insurance and License Reinstatement Facts

Contrary to popular belief SR22 is not a type of Florida auto insurance. SR22 refers to the name of the form used by auto insurance carriers to verify certain minimum coverage a driver is required to obtain. The Florida Bureau of Financial Responsibility keeps a record of these forms for policyholders that are required to have the prescribed liability insurance coverage.

Since Florida is a “NO FAULT” State all drivers must maintain a minimum of Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability(PIP/PD) insurance for their automobiles. The coverage amounts are $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection and $10,000 of Property Damage Liability. Certain drivers may be required to carry additional coverage which would be verified on the SR22 form. There are several different reasons which can cause this situation for certain drivers such as too many points from violations assigned to your license or failure to produce proof of insurance after an accident. FR44 insurance is required for DUI drivers who get convicted of a DUI  instead of the SR22.

The minimum liability limits a person must carry if he/she is required to carry the SR22 is $10,000 bodily injury liability and $20,000 per accident. A combined single limit amount of $30,000 would also satisfy the SR22 requirement. As of October 1^st, 2007, a driver convicted of DUI (Driving under the Influence) is required to carry FR44 insurance with higher limits than those of an SR22.

The premium of an automobile insurance policy in Florida is unaffected by the SR22 requirement. The only additional cost is the $15.00 filing fee assessed by the State to file the document. However, SR22 policies may be more costly to the drivers due to the reason of the filing. For example, if you are required to hold the SR22 because of an at fault accident, the company can charge you for the accident in and of itself.

At such time you are mandated to carry the SR22 filing on your insurance policy, failure to do so may result in your driver's license or vehicle tag being suspended. Getting your license or tag reinstated will probably require a fee and proof of liability insurance (SR22) must be filed by your insurance company. The company has up to 15 days to electronically file the FR44 or SR22 on your behalf.

With regard to license suspension and reinstatement an assigned case number indicated on your motor vehicle report will match the number on your insurance policy. The state of Florida will inform you which terms are applicable to your circumstance, as details like the compliance period and payment options vary from case to case.

If you cause an accident while uninsured, you will be required to carry a PIP/PD policy with limits of $10,000 per person and $10,000 of property damage liability. These policies have a compliance period of 2 years and must be paid in full, with no option to cancel. The number “2” will be at the beginning of this type of case on your MVR. When people are injured in an accident caused by a driver, the driver is then responsible for carrying BIL coverage. (Bodily Injury Liability). The minimum coverage held must be equal to or greater than, $10,000 per person and $20,000 per accident in addition to the mandatory PIP/PD coverage. The compliance period for this type of policy is 3 years and it does have an option to cancel. Your Driver’s license will be suspended if you fail to meet the requirements of an SR22 policy.

In order to reinstate your driver's license your company will electronically submit your SR22 filing to the Florida Bureau of Financial Responsibility. The company has up to 15 days to complete this action. In some cases, your company may issue you a physical copy of the filing which you may then present to the clerk at the DMV to reinstate your license in a quicker fashion. If an SR22 policy is cancelled and out of compliance, Form SR26 is used to file this information. All forms are electronically submitted to the State by the insurance company. SR22 case numbers will begin with a 1, 2 or 3.

In October of 2007, FR44 replaced the SR22 requirement for DUI convicted drivers only. An FR44 requirement will supersede any and all previous SR22 requirements.