One of the most frequently asked question about SR22 insurance is as to what, exactly, it is.
This is a question commonly asked by people who are told that they will have to buy such insurance.
It is also a question asked by people upon encountering a mention of the insurance somewhere for their very first times.
In doing so, the latter are either motivated by curiosity (in a bid to learn one more new thing) or interested in knowing whether the said SR22 insurance is something that can be of help to them.
So, what exactly is SR22 insurance? Well, in order to understand what the SR22 insurance is properly, it is essential to first take cognizance of the laws governing motor vehicle insurance, and what happens when such laws are broken.
It is that which will form a background upon which to understand the SR22 insurance.
And this is where it turns out that, out of social concern, governments put in place mandatory insurance requirements for motorists.
In other words, there is a minimum level of insurance that each vehicle must have, before it is legally put on the road.
The spirit of this law is to protect the interest of those who may be personally hurt (or who may have their valuable property damaged) in an accident involving a motor vehicle.
In the absence of such insurance, it would be upon the motorist to personally pay for such damages - and there is no guarantee that he will have, at the time of the accident, adequate money to cater for the same.
This is why lawmakers, in their wisdom, deemed it essential for motorists to have a certain level of insurance on their vehicle before they can drive.
That notwithstanding, it often happens that some people still opt to drive without insurance, either unknowingly (like where the coverage has expired, but they are unaware of the same), or knowingly - like where they know that their car insurance has expired, but they still keep on driving.
Now should such people be caught driving in such a state, what usually happens is that they are heavily penalized, and thereafter required to have a special type of insurance, before they can drive.
That special type of insurance required of them is the SR22 insurance we are talking about.
It is really a specialized form of auto insurance, given to people who have previously been convicted of driving without insurance (or for driving without adequate insurance).
An insurer, giving insurance to such people is required to file a form, known as SR22, to show that they are now adequately insured.
It is from that procedural requirement that the cover gets its name of SR22 insurance.
Once the policy lapses, the insurer is required to file another form, known as SR26, to certify that lapse.
So it is through this SR22/SR26 system that the government - specifically the US government in some states - maintains surveillance on people who have been previously convicted of offences such as driving without insurance, to prevent the recurrence of the same offence, which can have grave implications.
Take note that the SR22 insurance is a requirement in some states, and not others.
Take note too, that SR22 insurance is available even to motorists who don't own vehicles; especially those who have previously lost their driving privileges on account of driving without insurance, and who now want the same privileges restored.
This is a question commonly asked by people who are told that they will have to buy such insurance.
It is also a question asked by people upon encountering a mention of the insurance somewhere for their very first times.
In doing so, the latter are either motivated by curiosity (in a bid to learn one more new thing) or interested in knowing whether the said SR22 insurance is something that can be of help to them.
So, what exactly is SR22 insurance? Well, in order to understand what the SR22 insurance is properly, it is essential to first take cognizance of the laws governing motor vehicle insurance, and what happens when such laws are broken.
It is that which will form a background upon which to understand the SR22 insurance.
And this is where it turns out that, out of social concern, governments put in place mandatory insurance requirements for motorists.
In other words, there is a minimum level of insurance that each vehicle must have, before it is legally put on the road.
The spirit of this law is to protect the interest of those who may be personally hurt (or who may have their valuable property damaged) in an accident involving a motor vehicle.
In the absence of such insurance, it would be upon the motorist to personally pay for such damages - and there is no guarantee that he will have, at the time of the accident, adequate money to cater for the same.
This is why lawmakers, in their wisdom, deemed it essential for motorists to have a certain level of insurance on their vehicle before they can drive.
That notwithstanding, it often happens that some people still opt to drive without insurance, either unknowingly (like where the coverage has expired, but they are unaware of the same), or knowingly - like where they know that their car insurance has expired, but they still keep on driving.
Now should such people be caught driving in such a state, what usually happens is that they are heavily penalized, and thereafter required to have a special type of insurance, before they can drive.
That special type of insurance required of them is the SR22 insurance we are talking about.
It is really a specialized form of auto insurance, given to people who have previously been convicted of driving without insurance (or for driving without adequate insurance).
An insurer, giving insurance to such people is required to file a form, known as SR22, to show that they are now adequately insured.
It is from that procedural requirement that the cover gets its name of SR22 insurance.
Once the policy lapses, the insurer is required to file another form, known as SR26, to certify that lapse.
So it is through this SR22/SR26 system that the government - specifically the US government in some states - maintains surveillance on people who have been previously convicted of offences such as driving without insurance, to prevent the recurrence of the same offence, which can have grave implications.
Take note that the SR22 insurance is a requirement in some states, and not others.
Take note too, that SR22 insurance is available even to motorists who don't own vehicles; especially those who have previously lost their driving privileges on account of driving without insurance, and who now want the same privileges restored.
SHARE
