Cheap SR-22 Insurance in California from $76
Drivers with an SR-22 in California pay a monthly average premium of $122 for liability coverage, but you can save money by comparing quotes from several insurers.
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Written byJoe Dyton
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Joe Dyton has been a professional writer since 1999. He's been writing about the auto insurance industry for 15 years and was an in-house marketing copywriter for GEICO for a decade. Learn more about Joe at joedyton.com.
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Edited byChris Schafer
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15+ years in content creation
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Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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Reviewed byMark Friedlander
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Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
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As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
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Table of contents
If your driver’s license is suspended, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may require you to get a Safety Responsibility (SR-22) form. This form, also known as a certificate of financial responsibility or SR-22 bond, serves as proof that your policy meets the minimum coverages required by law.
SR-22 isn’t car insurance, but rather documentation that proves you have coverage. Here’s what else you need to know about SR-22s in California.
Quick Facts
After a conviction for driving under the influence or without proper coverage, California drivers must get an SR-22 form to prove they meet the minimum liability insurance requirements.
In California, drivers mandated to obtain an SR-22 must carry it for at least three years.
Drivers’ car insurance premiums typically increase once they’ve informed their company that they need an SR-22.
Cheapest companies for SR-22 insurance in California
Having an SR-22 form on file usually results in more expensive rates than typical auto insurance. But it’s still possible to find affordable coverage. Here are some of the cheapest companies for SR-22 insurance in California.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Thursday, May 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company  | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $104 | $257 |
| National General | $121 | $341 |
| Root | $122 | $236 |
| Sun Coast | $126 | $311 |
| Mercury | $128 | $236 |
| Anchor | $131 | $243 |
| Dairyland | $136 | $465 |
| Direct Auto | $137 | $378 |
| Allstate | $143 | $353 |
| Farmers | $146 | $364 |
| State Farm | $159 | $394 |
| Travelers | $167 | $414 |
| Bristol West | $175 | $410 |
| 21st Century | $182 | $451 |
| Nationwide | $224 | $555 |
| Chubb | $283 | $703 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
What is SR-22 insurance in California?
An SR-22 is a form, not insurance, that proves that you’ve met the state’s auto liability insurance requirements. Either the state of California or a court will order you to obtain an SR-22 form in response to your driving actions. A judge will let you know at your hearing if you need an SR-22 form, while the California DMV will inform you if the state requires it.
At times you might see the term “SR-22 insurance,” but this isn’t accurate. SR-22 and car insurance are two separate things. Your car insurance policy protects you and your vehicle by providing financial coverage in the event of a car accident. An SR-22 is simply documentation that affirms that you have the correct coverage.
Additionally, all California drivers must have car insurance, but not everyone needs an SR-22. The latter is a requirement if you were found driving without insurance or with a suspended license or received a DUI or DWI conviction or a similar driving violation.
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Difference between SR-22 and FR-44
You may also see the term “FR-44” when SR-22 is mentioned. That’s because these forms share some similarities — they’re both state-required proof of financial responsibility filings that people convicted of certain driving offenses have to get.
But SR-22 and FR-44 forms have some key differences. First, only two states require the FR-44 form — Florida and Virginia. Your insurance company also files an FR-44 to show financial responsibility, but the minimum liability coverage amounts are much higher than those of the SR-22.
For example, Virginia’s minimum limit for auto liability is $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $20,000 per accident for property damage. If you have to file an FR-44, you’d have to carry twice these limits.
Overall, FR-44s come with stricter coverage requirements because they’re mandated for people found guilty of more serious offenses — higher blood alcohol concentrations, DUIs, and repeat offenses.
When you need SR-22 insurance
There’s a chance you might not ever need an SR-22 form in California. An SR-22 is simply documentation that confirms you have the minimum-required liability car insurance. You’d need such a form only if a court or the state mandated it after you committed a specific driving-related violation.
Instances when you might need an SR-22 include:
DUI or DWI conviction
Driving with no insurance or not enough insurance
Reckless driving
Numerous at-fault car accidents or traffic violations
Repeat offenses in a short time frame
Having a suspended driver’s license
Hardship license
The court or the California DMV will let you know if you need to obtain an SR-22 certificate.
How to get SR-22 insurance in California
You’ll need to follow several steps to secure an SR-22 after the state or a court mandates you need one:
1. Inform your car insurance company that you have to get an SR-22
Be sure to have your SR-22 mandate and any other related documents on hand. Your car insurance agent may request a copy of the mandate before it issues your SR-22.[1]
2. Your insurer will review your DMV record to see what led to you needing an SR-22
At this point, it’ll either cancel your auto insurance policy or begin the process of getting you an SR-22 form.
3. File the SR-22
If your car insurance company opts to maintain your policy, it’ll make any necessary adjustments to your coverage and file the SR-22 form with California on your behalf.
4. Contact the DMV
Inform the California DMV in the time frame your insurance company mandates that the SR-22 has been filed.
There’s always a chance that your current car insurance company will cancel your coverage when you let it know that you need an SR-22. In that case, you’ll need to find a new insurer that will write you a new policy.
How long California requires SR-22 insurance
The reason you need an SR-22 will dictate how long you need to carry it in California.[2] For example, a mandated SR-22 for a DUI or similar violation will typically require you to maintain the form for three years. But getting into a car accident without having car insurance could lead to you needing an SR-22 for four years.
The length of time can also vary based on your personal situation. Be sure to check with the California DMV about your specific case. Ask if your SR-22 start date is when your driving offense occurred, the day your license was suspended, when your license was reinstated, or another date.
You should also avoid canceling your car insurance policy during your SR-22 period. If you do, your insurance company will alert the traffic authorities, and you could lose your license. There’s a chance you’d have to restart the SR-22 process as well.
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How SR-22 insurance affects driving record and future rates in California
Car insurance companies look at several factors when they price your policy. They often base your premium cost on how much of a risk they believe it’ll be to cover you and your vehicle. If you have a clean driving history and no at-fault car accidents and live in an area deemed low on crime, chances are your car insurance premium will be relatively low.
But most of the violations that would lead you to need an SR-22 would make a car insurance company deem you “high-risk,” and your car insurance premium will likely reflect that classification going forward. If the court or state of California requires you to get an SR-22 because of a DUI conviction, your premiums will remain high for years after the violation.
The conviction could also stay on your driving record for 10 years, so even after the SR-22 period expires, you probably won’t see your car insurance cost decrease for a while.
It might be difficult to escape a high car insurance premium after an SR-22 mandate, but you still have ways to reduce your car insurance costs in the meantime:
Comparison shop. When you tell your car insurance company you need an SR-22, it’ll review the details and likely share a new, higher premium price with you. Keep that number in mind, and get quotes from a few other car insurance companies to see if they can insure you for less despite the SR-22.
Look for discounts. A driving violation doesn’t exclude you from the discounts your car insurance company offers. You could potentially cut into your newly increased car insurance premiums by insuring your car and home with the same company, signing up for electronic payments, or having certain safety features in your vehicle.
Increase your deductible. Your car insurance deductible is how much money you pay out of pocket for repairs after an accident before your insurance company applies coverage. You could decrease your policy premium by increasing your deductible and taking on more of the up-front risk yourself.
California SR-22 insurance FAQs
SR-22 forms in California have a lot of moving parts. If you still have questions, check out the additional information below about California SR-22 forms.
How do you know if you need an SR-22 or an FR-44?
An SR-22 or FR-44 mandate only occurs after you’ve been convicted of a significant traffic violation, such as a DUI, DWI, or driving while uninsured. Once you’ve been convicted, the court (at your hearing) or the California DMV (through a letter) will inform you if you need to obtain an SR-22. California doesn’t use FR-44 forms.
Are there any fees with SR-22 insurance?
An SR-22 form may help keep you on the road after a serious traffic violation, but it’s also costly. Along with an increased car insurance premium, there’s also a filing fee. Some car insurance companies will add the SR-22 filing fee to your policy cost. In some cases, you may have to pay the filing fee for each car insurance policy term that you have to carry the SR-22.
How much do car insurance rates increase after filing an SR-22?
The circumstances that led to you needing an SR-22 will almost certainly lead to your car insurance company considering you a high-risk driver. In turn, your car insurance rates will increase. The increase will depend on a lot of the same factors that determined your pre-SR-22 premium. These factors include the vehicle you drive, your driving history, where you live, and your age.
How long do you have to hold an SR-22 in California?
The violation that led to your SR-22 mandate will determine how long you need to carry it. A DUI violation will typically require you to hold an SR-22 for three years in California. The term could increase to four years for more significant violations, like if you caused a car accident and were driving without adequate car insurance.
How do you get rid of an SR-22 in California?
Once your required SR-22 period is over (usually three years), be sure to inform your car insurance company. It’s critical you bring this to the company’s attention because it won’t automatically come off of your car insurance policy. There’s a chance the California DMV will let you know when your SR-22 term is finished, but the best way is to tell your insurer yourself.
What happens to your SR-22 in California if you move?
If you move out of California but want to maintain your driving privileges there, you must secure car insurance in your new state and maintain it for the required period.[3] At that point, the California DMV will release your SR-22. You’ll need to do this in your new state, even if it doesn’t require SR-22s. Your new policy also must match or exceed the insurance coverage limits you had in California.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Sources
- Shouse California Law Group. "SR-22 California."
- Avvo. "How long do you need to keep your SR22 in California?."
- Lamano Law. "California SR-22 After a DUI."
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Joe DytonInsurance Writer
Joe Dyton has been a professional writer since 1999. He's been writing about the auto insurance industry for 15 years and was an in-house marketing copywriter for GEICO for a decade. Learn more about Joe at joedyton.com.
15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
Featured in
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.