In the state of Indiana, there are serious consequences for moving violations such as reckless driving or DUIs. One of those consequences may include an SR-22 requirement. This means your insurer has to file an SR-22 on your behalf with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). This document states that you carry the minimum required amount of car insurance to drive legally. Not all drivers need SR-22s, and not all insurance companies offer SR-22 filing. If you need SR-22 insurance, here’s what you need to know.
What is “SR-22 insurance?”
Although it is common to hear the term SR-22 insurance, an SR-22 is actually not insurance, it is an electronic form filed by insurance companies on your behalf. This form is a special proof of insurance that shows you carry at least the minimum car insurance coverage requirements for your state. When mandated to carry an SR-22, you must maintain continuous coverage during the requirement period. If an insurance lapse occurs, the Indiana BMV may suspend driving privileges until insurance is back in place and another SR-22 is on file. In Indiana, all drivers must carry at least the following types and limits of car insurance coverage:
- $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident
- $25,000 in property damage liability per accident
Who needs an SR-22 in Indiana?
Indiana can require drivers to obtain an SR-22 for many reasons, but not all are related to moving violations. You may need an SR-22 filing for any of the subsequent reasons:
- Driving without car insurance
- DUI or DWI conviction
- Numerous speeding and traffic violations within a short time frame
- Failure to pay traffic fines
- Numerous at-fault accidents
- Refusal of a breathalyzer or blood alcohol test
- Reinstatement of driving privileges (including court-ordered license suspensions due to failure to pay child support.)
How to get an SR-22 in Indiana
SR-22 forms are submitted through BMV’s Electronic Insurance Forms Submission (EIFS) program by your car insurance company. Since your agent has all of your identifying information on file, the process of requesting an SR-22 is usually straightforward. You may need to know a few additional pieces of information like your case number, filing date, filing expiration date and reason for filing.
Not every car insurance company offers SR-22 insurance certification. If you discover that your current insurance company can’t file an SR-22, consider contacting an insurance provider specializing in non-standard insurance, which provides coverage for high-risk drivers.
Depending on your insurance company, you may need to pay for the SR-22 before your agent submits the form or they may include it in your next billing statement. It is common for agents to refile the form on your behalf automatically at each subsequent renewal and the filing fees are listed separately in your billing paperwork. Once the state notifies you that an SR-22 filing is no longer required, inform your agent of the update.
SR-22 alternatives in Indiana
Depending on the situation, drivers in Indiana may require an alternate form of proof of financial responsibility instead of an SR-22. Here’s a look at some common SR-22 alternatives and when they are needed.
| Form | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SR-22 | This is the standard form the state requires to provide proof of future financial responsibility for infractions like DUIs, severe moving violations and insurance lapses. The SR-22 must be refiled at every renewal until the filing period expires. |
| SR-26 | Insurance providers must notify the BMV anytime a policy with an SR-22 is canceled and do so by submitting the SR-26. The same form is issued from your agent to the BMV when the SR-22 filing period has ended. |
| SR-50 | The original purpose of this form was to show current proof of insurance, basically that a driver has an active policy. Instead of stating a specific coverage date, it shows the effective dates of the active policy term. The BMW no longer requires this form to reinstate driving privileges and instead uses the standard SR-22. |
| Certificate of Compliance (COC) | This form is used when drivers need proof of insurance to reflect a specific vehicle and date. Typically it is used in court for past citations or accidents. |
| Form 55434Affidavit-Proof of Financial Responsibility for Employer or Rental Vehicle | This form pertains only to rental cars or company-owned vehicles. In this situation, the form releases the driver from having to prove financial responsibility since they are not the true owners of the cars. However, the driver can’t complete this form themselves; it must be completed by an administrator of the employer or rental agency who oversees the company’s insurance policies. |
| Out-of-State Residency Affidavit | Drivers who were required to file an SR-22 but are no longer Indiana residents can submit this form to waive the SR-50 or SR-22 requirement. This does not completely remove the requirement from record, and if you become an Indiana resident again before the end of the original requirement date, you will once again need to file for an SR-22. You can download the Out of State Residency Affidavit and bring the completed form along with proof of out of state residency to the Driver Compliance Department. |
SR-22 for non-owner policies
In some cases, Indiana drivers might be directed to purchase car insurance to meet SR-22 requirements even if they don’t own a vehicle. This can happen when a driver gets convicted of a serious traffic violation or loses their driving privileges after borrowing someone’s car. You may need a non-owner car insurance policy if this applies to you.
These policies cater to drivers who don’t own their own vehicle or have regular access to a vehicle but tend to borrow or rent cars frequently. A non-owner policy provides liability coverage for the driver instead of a particular car. Since a non-owner policy is a liability-only policy, it can be a cost-effective way to honor SR-22 requirements without owning a vehicle.
Not all insurance companies offer non-owners policies and some that do might not offer SR-22s. In this situation, it is better to reach out to an agent who works with several insurance carriers so they can point you in the right direction and handle the non-owner SR-22 filing.
How much does an Indiana SR-22 cost?
The actual SR-22 filing in Indiana does not have a cost associated with it. However, every insurance provider handles SR-22 filings differently and most have an average processing or handling fee between $25 and $50. Unfortunately, that is just the start of what can be a costly process.
Drivers with a license suspension due to a lapse in car insurance must pay a license reinstatement fee. The fee structure is as follows:
- First offense: $250
- Second offense: $500
- Each additional offense: $1,000
License suspensions due to severe moving violations, DUIs and other transgressions may have additional fees and penalties beyond the reinstatement fees. The BMV will notify you of the exact amount required to reinstate your license.
In addition to the aforementioned fees, drivers requiring SR-22 filings are likely to be considered high-risk drivers by car insurance companies. It is not the SR-22 that increases the cost of car insurance, it is the driving behavior and potential risk behind needing the SR-22. Insurance companies will assess any applicable surcharges related to the incident on your insurance policy. Increased car insurance rates can remain elevated for three to five years or more, depending on your state and the infraction. See the chart below for an example of how insurance premiums in Indiana can change based on driving activity.
| Average annual full coverage car insurance premium in Indiana | |
|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $1,646 |
| Insurance coverage lapse | $1,799 |
| DUI conviction | $3,116 |
Back on the Road
As of 01/01/2022, Indiana passed Act 1199 to help drivers keep their driving privileges and allow some drivers to regain their privileges when it would be otherwise cost prohibitive. The Back on the Road Act allows drivers with administrative license suspensions to stay their suspensions and legally drive. When drivers maintain an SR-22 continuously for 180 days, the state will waive the reinstatement fees. A few examples of eligible administrative suspensions are:
- Traffic violations
- Lapse in insurance violations
- Failure to pay outstanding tickets
- Failure to appear in court
- Failure to pay child support
Not every violation that requires an SR-22 falls into this category and the most severe violations are not eligible. Read this Back on the Road pamphlet for more detailed information and speak with your attorney or BMV employees for assistance.
Frequently asked questions
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze July 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), single DUI conviction and lapse in coverage.
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