I live in Oregon I was stopped for expired tags and didn’t have insurance. I have not been in an accident, do I have to now get SR22 insurance even if I carry regular auto insurance?
According to the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicles Services (DMV) they can require you to file SR-22 certificate for a variety of reasons including (just to name a few) if:
- You failed to provide proof to DMV that you have liability insurance,
- You have been convicted of driving without insurance,
- You have been involved in an uninsured accident,
- You are applying for a hardship or probationary permit, or
- At
the time of reinstating your driving privileges following a DUII suspension.
So if you failed to provide proof of liability insurance to the DMV or were convicted of driving without insurance you can be required to obtain and maintain a SR-22, even if you were not in an accident while uninsured.
The OR DMV defines an SR-22 as a certificate from an Oregon-licensed insurance company certifying that you have purchased liability insurance that meets the minimum required limits of coverage (ORS 806.070 and 806.075).
The SR-22 provides proof to DMV that you are insured. If you cancel your insurance or the insurance company cancels your policy before your suspension period is over, the company must notify DMV that the certificate is canceled. You will need to get a new SR-22 certificate on file with DMV within 30 days or your license will be suspended.
If you are asked to prove "future financial responsibility" by having an SR-22 on file with DMV, a copy of your insurance binder or your insurance card is not considered acceptable proof. Also, your insurance must cover all vehicles operated by you and/or registered in your name.
It sounds as if you do have auto insurance now on your vehicle; however the state is requiring you to file the SR-22. So while it is good that after you were ticketed for driving without insurance you rectified the problem by getting insurance, the state still mandates that you prove to them you have insurance. This is done with the SR-22 form an insurer will file with the state on your behalf. If you current auto insurance company files SR-22 then you just need to speak to them about doing this for you and paying the fee that is associated with this.
If your insurer does not file SR-22 forms in Oregon then you will need to find a car insurance provider that does. You will need to switch your insurance coverages over to the new company and file the SR-22 through them and cancel your old policy with the company that does not deal with SR-22s.
As you are likely aware of now after being cited for being an uninsured motorist, driving without liability insurance in Oregon can result in fines, suspension of your driving privileges, and your vehicle could be towed. If your vehicle is towed, you are subject to the towing and storage fees. This is in addition to any fines you may have to pay.
If a judge convicts you of driving uninsured, you will need to file proof of future financial responsibility (SR-22) with DMV for three years, or your driving privileges will be suspended. This is in addition to any fines you must pay the court. So you will need to maintain your SR-22 filing with the state of Oregon for 3 years to keep your license from being suspended.
Talk to your current auto insurance agent about filing the SR-22 form for you and also shop around for auto insurance rates for the insurance you need along with the SR-22.
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