SR-22

An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility filed by your auto insurance carrier with the state department of motor vehicles, confirming that you carry at least the state-minimum auto liability coverage. It is not a separate policy; it is a filing attached to your existing auto policy.

SR-22 filings are typically required in Georgia after one of the following: a DUI or DWI conviction, driving without insurance, an at-fault accident with no insurance, a license suspension for unpaid judgments, or repeat moving violations. The state notifies you that an SR-22 is required, and your carrier files it with the state on your behalf.

The filing requirement typically lasts three years from the date of the triggering event, though Georgia can extend it for certain serious violations. During that three-year period, your carrier is required to notify the state if your policy is cancelled or non-renewed, and the state can suspend your license if you let the SR-22 lapse.

Practical implications: SR-22 filings put you in the non-standard auto market temporarily, which means higher premiums (typically 50 to 100 percent more than standard pricing) and a smaller pool of carriers willing to write the policy. National General and a few specialty markets are common SR-22 carriers. After the three-year filing period, you can usually return to standard-market rates if your driving record is clean during the SR-22 period.

Some states use the term FR-44 instead of SR-22 for similar filings with higher coverage requirements (Virginia and Florida primarily). Georgia uses SR-22.