If you are convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol, it can make getting car insurance more challenging.
However, it is possible to get auto insurance in the United States after a drink-driving conviction.
How to Get SR-22 Insurance
When you are convicted of a drink-driving offence, your licence will usually be suspended for a period of ninety days.
In some states, you will be required to install an ignition interlock before you are permitted to drive again. The device is a breathalyser that prevents your vehicle from starting if it shows you have alcohol in your system.
Before you can legally drive again in the U.S. after being convicted for drink-driving, you will also need SR-22 insurance. Despite the name, it is not actually a type of insurance.
An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility. It acts as a guarantee to the Department of Motor Vehicles that you have obtained and will maintain the legally required car insurance.
To get the cheapest and best SR-22 insurance, compare different quotes at CheapInsurance.com.
As soon as the SR-22 is filed with the DMV, your licence suspension will be lifted.
Compare Different Insurers
If your current insurance company cancels your policy or makes your premiums so high that they are unaffordable, due to your DUI conviction, your first step should be to get quotes from other insurance companies.
You should shop around with different insurers to find out if they will accept you and what their quotes are.
In addition to your drink-driving conviction, insurers will look at a number of factors to determine whether they will accept you and what your premium will be.
For instance, your credit score is a factor that is taken into consideration. It will be easier to get insurance when you have a good credit rating.
If You Run Out of Other Options, Consider a High-risk Insurance Pool
The good news is most first-time drink-driving offenders are not denied insurance coverage by all the major insurance companies.
However, if you have a prior drink-driving conviction or another offence on your driving record, it will become much more difficult to get coverage from the major insurance companies.
If you should find yourself in that situation, you have the option of finding a car insurance policy via your state’s high-risk insurance pool.
It will be expensive to get insurance that way, but at least you should be able to get coverage if you run out of other options.
Wait a Few Years
Even if you cannot get car insurance straight after a drink-driving conviction, after a few years, you may be able to get coverage. It all depends on which state you are in.
DUI offences are removed from driving records within five years in the majority of states. In some states, the period is ten years. In Florida, a DUI is kept on your record for seventy-five years and in Alaska, it remains on your record forever.
If the offence is removed from your record, you have the opportunity to get affordable auto insurance once again. Your eligibility and rates will not be affected.
Summing Up
If you are convicted of drink-driving in the U.S., your licence will be suspended for ninety days and you will need an SR-22 to drive again.
If the DUI is your first offence, you should be able to get car insurance, but your premiums will be higher. If you have a previous driving offence on your record, it can be much more challenging to get insurance.
You should begin by comparing different insurance companies. If you need to, you can resort to a high-risk insurance pool.
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