Georgia Car Insurance Law on SR22
Reader’s Question:
Can you tell me the law in Georgia regarding SR22?
Mike
Atlanta GA
In the US alone, different states have various laws and regulations with regards to Driving under the Influence or DUI. In Georgia car insurance law, it is unlawful to have a vehicle without car insurance coverage. Permitting an individual without insurance operate a vehicle is likewise illegal.
In Georgia car insurance law, the minimum required liability coverage is as follows:
1. $25,000.00 for bodily injury liability per person per accident-
2. $50,000.00 . for bodily injury liability for two or more persons per accident
3. $25,000.00 for property damage per accident
The law enforcement officer will request the driver to show proof of mandatory liability insurance. IDs or papers from the insurer have to be presented.
If the insurance has lapsed at the time of the accident, the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles will suspend the your drivers license until insurance policy has been renewed.
If you have been convicted of DUI, you will be required to get a special kind of car insurance called SR 22. This SR22 is a certificate that shows proof proof of financial responsibility of the driver. It’s an assurance that the driver will keep the minimum liability insurance coverage required by the state.
Simple Ways To Lower Auto Insurance Rates In Georgia
Reader question:
I get so mixed up with my auto insurance. I have so many bills to pay each month and I just don’t have time to figure out how to lower my premium. What can I do?
Jack in Atlanta Georgia
Thank you for asking, Jack.
You know, there is actually a way that you can kill two bird with one stone, and lower the stress of multiple bills while also lowering your auto insurance premium. This is pretty simple to do, and might take a few minutes of your time, but it will be extremely valuable in your future.
The key to a cheap, stress less, Atlanta Georgia auto insurance rate is to
- Combine, combine, combine!
The first thing you need to do, Jack, if look at each of the insurance companies that you are with, not just your auto insurance company. What kind of insurance do they offer? Many companies will offer life, home owner’s, and auto insurance, while some will only offer one kind of insurance. If you have the latter type holding your policies, then you need to ditch them and find a company that offers more.
Once you have decided on a good auto insurance company that also offers other types of insurance, you should buy all of your insurance policies through them. Not only will you essentially consolidate your insurance bills, making them easier to keep track of, but you will also lower your premium through the multiple policy discount that most companies offer.
- Join, join, join!
You don’t have to go it alone on your insurance premium if you have another choice. If you have a fiancée, why not combine your policies into one insurance policy? Same with a wife, or a roommate, or even a good friend. By adding someone else to your policy, you can save a lot of money on your auto insurance premium, especially if that person is lower risk than you are.
Raise your deductible amount to $1,000. If you are a safe driver and have not had any accidents or claims in the last 5 years raising your deductible could be a super easy way to lower your annual premium. Remember, you only pay the deductible amount when you file a claim with your insurance company and they pay that claim.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Where Do You Find Georgia Car Insurance Company Ratings?
Reader question:
How do I know that my Georgia car insurance company will be able to settle my claim?
Megan
Thanks for asking, Megan!
That is actually a very good question, and I think the best way to address it would be to go back to square one. When you are figuring out whether or not an car insurance company will be able to settle your claim if filed, you should not be to the point where you are calling it your own company yet. This is a step that you should take while you are still in the process of shopping around for an insurance policy.
- Georgia car insurance companies have ratings, too!
That’s right, they can’t just rate you–other companies rate them as well. There are several companies which rate car insurance providers on standards ranging from customer service to financial stability. An insurance company might quote you some fantastic low ball quote, but that’s a perfect incentive to check its financial rating and make sure there isn’t some tricky reason behind that low quote. Unless you’re getting involved with a national car insurance company that obviously has enough money to cover you, then you should check.
There are two main companies that provide you with the information you need on insurance companies:
- Standard & Poor’s: this is the most popular financial rating company and the most helpful. Not only does it rate Georgia car insurance companies, but it also provides profiles for more than four thousand of them.
- Fitch Ratings: also a good source, this company provides only ratings.
One thing that these companies use to rate the insurance companies is the length of time that they have been in business. If the company just started up last week, then there won’t be any information, and that right there is a good reason to avoid it.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Atlanta Georgia SR22 and Assigned Risk Auto Insurance
Reader question:
I have tried everything, and I can’t find any Atlanta auto insurance company to insure me with an SR22 form. I really need to drive to get to work, but I don’t have a license! I can only beg rides off of people for so long. Help!
Graciela
Atlanta Georgia
You’ll have to look a little harder, Graciela.
SR22 insurance is a type of form that you are required to file through your Atlanta insurance company, for those who are new to the game, and it is only required after you have had your license suspended for some reason–such as drunk driving, speeding, or multiple traffic offenses. Having to file an SR22 form immediately pushes you into a higher risk group, which makes insurance companies more reluctant to insure you. Some people with great records and a long history driving and insured with a certain company can weather the blow of an SR22 filing requirement, but for the rest of us being required to get an insurance policy with the SR22 attachment can be a struggle.
However, Atlanta is a big city and there are certainly options, so the fact that you haven’t found something means that you are either too picky, or you aren’t looking in the right places.
- There are companies that will serve you.
Most people think that insurance companies are only interested in people with impeccable driving records, but that is not true. While some companies prefer this sort of driver, there are many of high risk specific companies who are happy to insure even the worst of the worst. Some of the bigger companies that operate nationwide, such as Progressive Insurance, are among these companies. If you can’t get an SR22 policy with a regular insurance company, then you need to start looking for high risk companies.
- Even if there aren’t…
Most of the time you will be able to find a insurance company that will be happy to insure you for the price of a mansion’s down payment, even with SR22 filing. However, in some cases nothing can be found, and in such cases it is necessary to turn to the state to be your guide.
If you can’t find a policy on the open market, then you will have to join the company high risk pool. This is a pool which high risk drivers join, and are then assigned by the state to participating companies. All companies that are licensed to sell insurance are required to participate, so you might find yourself with the very insurance company that denied your policy request in the first place.
The catch about assigned risk insurance, though, is that it is even more expensive than SR22 insurance from a high risk company. This should be a last resort.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Can You Stop Paying For Car Insurance In Georgia?
Reader’s question:
I live in Georgia. I would like to know what would happen if I stop paying for my car insurance?
Archie
Good question.
If you stop paying for your insurance policy, your insurance company will cancel your insurance due to non payment and that would definitely cause you trouble. This cancellation will appear in your credit history and would be black mark on your credit report as non-payment. This might result on you having a hard time getting a car insurance in the future.
Most of the insurance companies would not insure an individual that has not previously paid on their policy. If due to non payment your insurance lapsed, your insurance company will inform the Georgia Department of Revenue a notice of termination or cancellation of insurance. A Notice of Lapse Mandatory Liability Insurance Coverage will be mailed to you once the DOR sees that you are uninsured. The notice will request you to pay a $25 lapse fee and would require you to show proof of valid car insurance coverage within 30 days. If you fail to pay the fee and show proof of insurance, your vehicle registration will be suspended or revoked. If you drive with suspended vehicle registration is considered a misdemeanor. You will also be subject to fines and vehicle impoundment if you are caught driving without car insurance coverage.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Loading ...