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Non-Owners SR-22

You may be required to get an SR-22 form by the court or by the state. But what if you don’t actually own a car?

It can be difficult to understand all of the rules, regulations, and paperwork surrounding the SR-22 certificate. And it can be even more confusing when it comes to getting a Non-Owners SR-22.

Do you need an SR-22 but don’t own a vehicle? Keep reading to learn exactly what you need to do!

What Is an SR-22?

Our guide will help you discover how to get an SR-22 if you don’t own a car. First, though, we need to clearly define what the SR-22 form is.

The SR-22 is simply a document that you file with your state of residence. And this form effectively provides proof to the state that you have a minimum level of insurance coverage.

The good news is that it is relatively easy to get an SR-22 from your insurance company. The bad news is that all of the little details and requirements involved can be very confusing when you are first starting out.

What Is the SR-22 Insurance Form?

One term that many people use is “SR-22 insurance.” There is just one problem: there is no such thing as SR-22 insurance!

As we noted before, the SR-22 is simply a form indicating that you have the minimum amount of insurance coverage that is required. And while you can obtain it from your insurance company, the SR-22 is not an insurance policy unto itself.

Why do people conflate the SR-22 form with insurance? Aside from the fact that it comes from your insurance company, confusion may occur because the court or state can require you to obtain the relevant car insurance while you obtain the form.

This even applies to those who don’t own a car. In fact, you may need to get Non-Owners insurance to meet the SR-22 requirement.

Different Reasons an SR-22 May Be Required

Most people are not required to file an SR-22 with the state. So who, exactly, needs to worry about this form?

The most common requirement for an SR-22 is that you have been convicted of a DUI or DWI. You may also need to file an SR-22 if you are caught driving without liability insurance or without any form of insurance.

Some drivers are required to get an SR-22 form after they receive too many moving violations or DMV points. And others may be required to get the relevant form if they have been labeled a habitual traffic offender.

How Will I Know If I Need an SR-22?

As you can tell, there are many potential reasons why someone may be required to file an SR-22. But how will you know if you are required to file this form?

The short answer is that you will receive a notice from the court or your state that this paperwork is required. Not every conviction or violation that meets the above criteria will require paperwork, but you will certainly know if you are legally required to get this form.

Another Way to View the SR-22 Form

Many who are required to get an SR-22 are resentful about the process. They often feel that this process adds additional layers of paperwork and bureaucracy on top of the fees they have already paid, and even jail time they have already served.

However, it’s important to view the SR-22 with the right mindset. If you are required to get this form, it is most likely because a court or the state determined that your behavior posed a risk to other people. And if you continue to engage in such behavior, someone might get hurt or even killed.

In that sense, the SR-22 requirement can serve as something of a “wakeup call.” This is an opportunity to address problems you may have (such as struggles with alcohol or drugs) and begin the journey to a safer and healthier lifestyle.

Why Do I Need Insurance if I Don’t Have a Car?

At first, it may seem a bit weird. Why would someone who doesn’t own a car be required to get car insurance?

The simple fact is that if you are ordered to get Non-Owners insurance, it is because the court or state still thinks that you might be dangerous behind the wheel. For example, someone can cause just as much damage with a car they borrow from a family member or friend as they can with a car they own.

How Does Non-Owners Insurance Work?

Now you know why you might need to get Non-Owners insurance on top of getting an SR-22 form. But how, exactly, it work?

In most states, this type of insurance only covers two things: property damage liability and bodily injury liability. And in certain states, this insurance may cover bodily injury for uninsured or underinsured motorists as well as medical payments.

One important thing you should know is whose insurance is in play if you borrow a car. If you are driving someone else’s vehicle, their insurance will be the primary policy. Your own policy will only cover certain things in certain conditions and only up to a set amount.

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Limitations of Non-Owners Insurance

You know a bit more about what Non-Owners insurance covers. However, it is equally important to know what this type of insurance does not cover.

The main limitation of a Non-Owners insurance policy is that it won’t offer any physical damage coverage (either comprehensive or collision). This is why if you were to get in an accident while driving a friend’s car, your insurance would not be able to take care of any of the damages.

As always, you should check with your insurance company to find out about the exact limitations of this policy. But in most states, you may not need Non-Owners insurance won’t cover any vehicles, whether you own them or they have been provided to you.

What If You Buy a Car?

Our guide has focused on getting an SR-22 if you don’t own a car. But what is going to happen if you do buy a car?

In that case, it’s important to contact your insurance company right away. That’s because you will need to swap out your Non-Owners insurance policy for an owner policy. Otherwise, you may not be able to get proper coverage for any accidents you are involved in.

It’s important to remember that the insurance policy you already have is separate from the one you need for an SR-22. In other words, the need to file an SR-22 may have caused you to buy a Non-Owners insurance policy. But switching to an owner policy does not remove the need to have an SR-22 filing with your state.

How to Get An SR-22 When You Don’t Own a Car

It’s one thing for the court or state to require that you get an SR-22 when you don’t own a car. But do you know how to get this process started?

There are generally two important factors to getting a Non-Owners insurance policy. The first factor is that you have a current driver’s license. And the second factor, unsurprisingly, is that you don’t own a car.

Some insurance carriers may require you to certify that you don’t have easy access to a vehicle and that nobody in your household owns a car. If this is a problem, you might need to contact a different insurance company for your SR-22 needs.

Getting the Best Price

Usually, it’s easiest to work with your existing insurance company to get your SR-22. But what if your insurance carrier does not offer this service, or what if you need to find a better price for your Non-Owners insurance?

Generally speaking, we recommend that you contact the different insurance companies and do some additional research. This is especially important if you would like to make a price comparison of different Non-Owners insurance policies across various carriers.

This is one of those cases where spending a little extra time sending e-mails and picking up the phone can make a big difference. Considering how long you may be required to have this insurance policy (the SR-22 itself usually lasts three years), then a little bit of savings each month can add up in a big way.

Your Next Step

Our guide has helped you discover everything you need to know about Non-Owners SR-22, and you can learn more by visiting our guides and tips.

If you have all the information you need to get back on the road, contact our insurance partner at 877-822-2049, or you can get started online and get back on the road as soon as possible.