Cheap SR-22 Insurance in Georgia From $108

If you have a suspended license in Georgia due to offenses like reckless driving, DUIs, or unpaid child support, you may need your insurer to file a form SR-22 with the state as proof of coverage before it can reinstate your license.1 These policies aren’t cheap, but you can find the lowest rates by shopping around.

Here’s what you should know about SR-22 insurance in Georgia.

Cheapest companies for SR-22 insurance in Georgia

Car insurance companies use various factors when pricing their coverage plans, and the rate you pay isn’t based solely on your driving record, but it’s a big factor. Here are some of the different companies offering the cheapest SR-22 insurance, according to Insurify’s database of average rates.

What is SR-22 insurance in Georgia?

Georgia law requires that drivers with convictions for serious driving violations provide proof of insurance by having their insurer file a certificate of financial responsibility with the state in order to begin the reinstatement process for a suspended license.2

This document is also known as a Georgia Safety Responsibility Insurance Certificate or, more commonly, an SR-22 certificate. It’s not a specific type of insurance coverage. Rather, it’s a form that insurers file with the state that shows high-risk drivers meet their state’s minimum car insurance requirements.

Since these policies come with a higher risk for the insurance companies, they typically come with higher car insurance costs for you, too. That’s true whether you’re talking about a policy offering full coverage or if you’re only looking for a minimum amount of liability coverage.

Difference between SR-22 and FR-44

Florida and Virginia sometimes require drivers with convictions for more serious offenses to file an FR-44 form instead of an SR-22.

FR-44 certificates carry higher minimum-coverage requirements. In Virginia, for example, drivers with an FR-44 requirement must have double the coverage they’d need with an SR-22.

FR-44 forms aren’t required in Georgia — only Florida and Virginia use these forms.

When you need SR-22 insurance

If you’re dealing with a license suspension or court order, you may need to buy SR-22 coverage. In Georgia, you can have your license suspended for offenses such as:

• Unpaid child support

• Driving under the influence

• Driving without insurance coverage

• Having a large number of points violations

• Failure to appear in court or pay traffic fines

• Exceeding the speed limit by a large amount

Repeat offenders may face additional requirements. If you’re caught driving uninsured several times, for example, you may need to file a form SR-22A instead, which comes with a minimum filing period of at least three years.

How to get SR-22 insurance in Georgia

If you’re required to have an SR-22, follow these steps to get the coverage you need:

How long Georgia requires SR-22 insurance

Georgia doesn’t specify the exact amount of time you’ll need to carry SR-22 car insurance for most types of violations. Instead, you’ll need to check with the courts or your online account through the Department of Driver Services (DDS) website to understand your timeline.

If you have multiple convictions for driving uninsured, you’ll need to maintain SR-22 insurance coverage for at least a three-year period. In addition, you’ll generally need to pay your premiums in full for a minimum time period of six months with each policy renewal, rather than paying monthly.

How SR-22 insurance affects driving record and future rates in Georgia

The state of Georgia doesn’t specify how long information generally stays on your driving record, so it’s tough to say how long you might see an effect on your rates.

For DUIs, at least, that information is permanently listed on your driving record, although auto insurance companies can only see your DUI history for 10 years.

You can minimize the damage by following a few tips:

• Avoid coverage lapses. A lapse in coverage can have serious consequences and penalties. For example, you may need to pay for SR-22 coverage in full rather than paying your premium over time in order to avoid future insurance lapses.

• Borrow someone’s car. If the car’s owner files form DS-266 with the state showing they have coverage on the car they’re lending you, you may be able to get cheaper SR-22 insurance with a non-owner policy.

• Drive safely. Getting another traffic violation on your record can escalate things further. Think of this as a training period to learn better driving habits so that you’re ready when it comes time to buy regular car insurance.