I Don’t Own A Car—Why Do I Have To Get An SR-22?

Drivers who commit serious driving violations in Missouri might have to file for a Missouri SR-22 certificate. This is a form that essentially forces you to carry certain car insurance for an extended period of time. But, if you don’t own a car, what is the point of getting this form? Why does it matter?

SR-22s don’t apply to vehicles. They apply to drivers. Therefore, regardless of whether you own a car or not, you might have to carry this penalty. That could mean you have to file for a non-owner SR-22 insurance policy. Our agents can help you do so.

Understanding SR-22s

Missouri, along with many other states, use the SR-22 to ensure that their most-at-risk drivers carry car insurance. The authorities might force drivers to carry these forms if they commit such offenses as:

• DUIs/DWIs
• Driving on a suspended license
• Driving without insurance
• Committing multiple or frequent traffic offenses
• Causing multiple or severe accidents

Offenses like these show that a driver is not only a risk to themselves, but also to others on the road. Therefore, the state will want to make sure drivers carry auto liability insurance, which compensates other people in case the at-fault driver causes the damage. Missouri SR-22 drivers must carry at least:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability insurance per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability insurance per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability insurance

With this coverage, should the SR-22 client commit further offenses, they will have insurance available. Drivers can also buy higher liability insurance limits and still comply with the SR-22 requirement.

Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance

The liability insurance that SR-22 requirements force drivers to carry don’t apply to a driver’s own damage. They apply to the losses of others that a policyholder might cause.

Therefore, the SR-22 requirement does not depend on whether a driver officially owns a car. After all, you could commit a driving offense while driving anyone’s car. The ownership of the vehicle doesn’t matter in this case. It is you who commits offenses that trigger SR-22 policies. For example, you might not officially own your spouse’s car, but you still drive it. Therefore, ownership is mostly irrelevant.

As a result, offending drivers might have to get a non-owner SR-22 insurance policy. This policy will extend liability insurance to the certificate holder. Yet, they won’t receive coverage for the vehicle’s physical damage, because that is the property of someone else. Non-owner SR-22 policies ensure that carriers can still drive nearly any car, regardless of who owns the vehicle.

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