Friday, April 4, 2008

How to Buy Car Insurance After a DUI Charge

If you've been convicted of drunk driving, you'll find that getting car insurance can be a challenging task. Many of the major car insurance companies will not extend coverage to you. If you find a company that will cover you, they'll charge an arm and leg for premiums. For first-time drunk driving offenders, this doesn't seem very fair, right?

If you currently have car insurance, which in most states is a requirement, there's the slight possibilty that your insurance costs may not go up at all. Many insurance companies check your record every few years. However, if or when they do find out, they could raise your rates or even cancel your insurance.

There are several things insurance companies look at before they decide to offer you an auto policy. Many car insurance companies will take into account your driving history and there are other companies that will even check your credit to see if you can pay your bills on time. They also look at your claims history reporting. All of these variables combine to create an "insurance score", much the same way credit bureaus come up with a credit score.

An SR-22 is a Department of Motor Vehicles form that you fill out to show proof of car insurance. This SR-22 is a requirement for those who have been arrested or convicted for drunk driving and want to get a restricted license. An SR-22 also notifies the DMV that the car insurance company has given you a minimum liability coverage for your vehicle.

When shopping around for car insurance, you should get several rate quotes from various companies before making a decision on buying car insurance. Your drunk driving defense lawyer can probably recommend a few insurance companies that can help you with your SR-22 filing and offer a decent rate.

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