If you have been unfortunate and foolhardy enough to be charged with Driving under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs or Driving While Intoxicated, your car or automobile insurance premiums are going to skyrocket, so be prepared. From the insurance company’s point of view, there is no riskier behavior by a driver than hitting the road with little or no care as to whether one is fit to drive. Thousands of drunk drivers wreak havoc on the road in our country each year, and many of them cause fatal accidents in which innocent people’s lives are cut short. One of the implications of getting caught under the influence while on the roadway is that your automotive insurance premiums are going to inflate dramatically, and in many instances, your auto insurance policy can be cancelled – especially if you have caused an accident with your reckless behavior. (Please note that it is not legal in some states for an insurance company to drop you mid-policy; this varies so check your state’s guidelines). Depending on the state in which you reside, the indication of a DUI or DWI can remain on your record for as little as five years or as long as the rest of your life!
Reporting a DUI
It is important that you let the automobile insurance company know that you have been charged with DUI when you renew your policy. If you fail to report it during your policy renewal period and they run your driving record (which is standard) then they may cancel you immediately! Of course, if you have been involved in a DUI accident, you can expect that your insurance company will find out about the charge sooner rather than later. There are usually two courses of action that the automobile insurance company will take. Either they will raise your rate’s to a king’s ransom, or they will just cancel the policy altogether. You will be classified as a high risk driver either way.
SR-22 Auto Insurance Policies
No matter whether you are kept on by your current automobile insurance company or if you have to seek out a new one due to being cancelled, most states will require that your insurance company provides the department of motor vehicles with what is known as an SR-22 Proof of Insurance Certificate. This proof of car insurance is sometimes also required by drivers who are charged with failing to maintain insurance on their vehicles. SR-22 policies are almost always more expensive than regular types of automotive insurance because of the added paperwork that is required. Not all automobile insurance carriers will offer the SR-22 policy – and many times failure to offer this type of coverage will force the insurer to cancel your policy because they can’t meet these legal requirements.
Because of the complexity of insuring DUI convicted drivers, it is a big help for the DUI driver to get various automobile insurance quotes from a number of companies in order to find a willing insurer.