Best Arizona SR-22 Insurance in 2024
What are the Arizona SR-22 requirements?
If you need to file an SR-22 form in Arizona, it means you’ve committed a driving violation and have been required by the state or court to file it to the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) of Arizona’s Department of Transportation. The SR-22 insurance form is also known as a Certificate of Insurance and it guarantees to the state that you have the minimum coverage requirements about car insurance and it allows you to drive in the state. If your Arizona driver’s license has been suspended or revoked, you may need an SR-22 in order to have your license reinstated.
You’ve likely heard the term SR-22 insurance if you’re required to file an SR22 in Arizona. While SR-22 insurance is not actually a different type of insurance from typical car insurance, the term is often used to describe car insurance coverage for those who need an SR-22 endorsement because an SR22 affects your car insurance coverage and cost. In fact, the SR-22 insurance document is proof of financial responsibility, certifying that you have the minimum liability coverage as required by state law, in order for you to drive again.
In Arizona, SR-22 insurance costs an average of 145 % more than car insurance for standard drivers. The costs can vary greatly between insurance companies depending on factors such as age, driving history, and the insurance company itself.
Unfortunately, you will pay more for car insurance if you need an SR-22 certificate. After just one DUI, drivers may pay even 40% more on their rates. However, every insurance company has its own method of assessing risk and calculating rates, so it's best to shop around to find the cheapest SR-22 coverage for you.
In Arizona, SR22 insurance is required for typically three years from the date your license is eligible for reinstatement, but the period length could vary. Your car insurance rates will be increased throughout the duration of your SR-22 filing period. Additionally, you’ll be required to have certain coverage.
If your policy lapses or your coverage is cancelled because of non-payment, you will need to file the SR-22 documents again and pay an additional SR-22 filing fee. If you cancel the SR-22 coverage by mistake, you could be penalized or required to renew your certificate for another three-year period.
If you maintain your Arizona SR-22 insurance for your required filing period and keep a clean driving record, you won’t need to file the form any longer after your period is up. This could result in your coverage and car insurance rates returning to normal, depending on your violation. DUIs may stay on your record for much longer.
Use our comparison tool to compare insurance quotes from multiple companies.
What are the SR-22 insurance limits in Arizona?
If you’re required to have SR-22 insurance in Arizona, you’ll be required to have at least the following coverage:
- $15,000 for bodily injury or death per person in one accident
- $30,000 for bodily injury or death per accident
- $10,000 for property damage coverage per accident
Failure to file an SR-22 form when required in Arizona may result in license suspension or suspension of your vehicle registration, meaning you cannot legally drive in Arizona. If you drive while your registration is suspended, the government in Arizona may possess your vehicle.
Who needs an SR22 in Arizona?
In Arizona, SR22 insurance is required in a few scenarios in order for you to get license reinstatement. SR-22s are required after you’ve committed certain violations of the law. You may even be required to have an SR-22 if you’ve had a series of small violations within a short span of time. You could need SR22 insurance for the following reasons:
- Conviction for driving under the influence (DUI or DWI)
- Driving without car insurance
- Driving with a revoked or suspended license
- Having repeated traffic violations/traffic offenses in a certain amount of time, including speeding tickets
- Numerous at-fault accidents
- A fatal at-fault accident or one that results in injuries
- Reckless or dangerous driving
- Assignment from a court order
- Failure to pay fines from tickets
- Refused consent to breathalyzer or blood alcohol test
In Arizona, you will be unable to drive until you file SR-22 insurance if you’re required to do so to get your license reinstated.
How are Arizona SR-22 insurance rates calculated?
If you need SR-22 insurance, your car insurance rates will likely increase significantly. When you’re required to have an SR22, you get placed into the category of a high-risk or non-standard driver. High-risk drivers tend to pay the highest car insurance rates, but the cost of car insurance can vary by company and by state. There are many other factors that go into the cost of SR-22 insurance such as your age, gender, location, credit score, vehicle type, marital status and so on.
Being convicted of a DUI is one of the most common reasons drivers need SR-22 insurance. Drivers who have a DUI on their driving record in Arizona can expect to pay much more for car insurance than drivers who have a clean record. The average cost of car insurance for drivers with one DUI is $2,569 per year, which is 145 percent more than the average cost for drivers with a clean record. However, the insurance cost you pay differs significantly based on the company you buy car insurance from. In the table below, you can find average rates for drivers who need SR-22 insurance in Arizona from some of the largest companies in the state.
| Company | Car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| CSAA | $1,187 |
| The Hartford | $1,190 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,457 |
| Safeco | $1,518 |
| Progressive | $1,574 |
| Travelers | $1,638 |
| Farmers | $1,661 |
| State Farm | $1,993 |
| Allstate | $2,203 |
| USAA* | $2,420 |
| American Family | $3,043 |
| Geico | $5,403 |
*USAA is only available to active and former military members and their families.
These rates are based on a 35-year-old single adult with one driver and one vehicle on a policy. The car used was a 2015 Toyota Highlander LEs. Full coverage was used with 100/300/50 limits and a $500 collision and comprehensive deductible. The driver had 1 DUI on their record. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates for high-risk insurance in Arizona will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.
While SR-22 insurance policies are expensive, if you maintain your car insurance and SR-22 form for the duration needed all while keeping a clean driving record, your rates may go down over time.
How to get SR22 insurance in Arizona?
To get SR22 insurance in Arizona, you’ll need to contact your car insurance company. An SR-22 can only be obtained through an insurance carrier; you can’t complete it on your own. If your auto insurance company offers insurance coverage to drivers who need an SR-22, your company can file the form with your state and offer you car insurance coverage. If not, you’ll need to shop for a new insurance policy from a company that offers SR22 insurance coverage.
Even if your current car insurance company does offer SR22 insurance, it may be a good idea to shop around for a new policy. Because SR-22 insurance significantly affects your rates in Arizona and rates can vary by company, you may want to see if a different company can offer you a better rate.
Use the table at the top of this page to find all the car insurance companies that offer SR-22 insurance in Arizona with a minimum of 25 reviews. If you want to see which companies customers say are the best car insurance companies for SR22 insurance in Arizona, sort the table by highest rated. You can sort through companies and find the ones you want to get quotes from. To get quotes, click on the orange “Click for quote” button next to the company, call the number available or visit the company’s website.
If you want to read customer reviews of the company, click the company name in the table and you will be directed to the company’s profile page containing information about the company and reviews.
If you no longer have a car but need an SR22 in Arizona in order to get your license reinstated, you will need a non-owner SR-22 policy.
What are some alternatives to SR-22 insurance in Arizona?
In Arizona, you have an alternative option to SR-22 insurance. If you do not want to file the SR-22 form, your alternative option is to deposit $40,000 to Arizona’s Office of Treasurer. This amount would be used to cover damages in any future accidents in place of filing an SR22 form.
Are there any SR-22 filing fees in Arizona?
When your insurance company files your SR-22 form with your state, you’ll likely be required to pay a SR-22 fee to file it. The fee you pay for the SR22 insurance form depends on the reason you’re required to have it.
Additionally, in Arizona you need to pay a fees in order to get your license reinstated. There is an application fee for applying to get your license suspended which varies based on your age: $10 for drivers ages 50 and older, $15 for drivers ages 45-49, $20 for drivers ages 40-44 and $29 for drivers ages 39 and younger. There is also a $10 reinstatement fee if your license was suspended or a $20 reinstatement fee if your license was revoked.
How are car insurance rates calculated?
When searching and comparing car insurance quotes, it can be frustrating trying to understand how your insurance rates are calculated. While there is no exact formula that each car insurance company uses when providing you a quote, there are many factors that do contribute to the price you pay for your insurance. Among the factors that car insurers consider are:
- Your driving record
- How much you drive
- Location
- Age
- Marital status
- Gender
- Your car’s make, model and year
- Your credit history (in some states)
- Amount of car insurance coverage (required coverage and optional add-ons, such as collision and comprehensive)
One of the biggest misunderstanding when it comes to insurance rates is that the history of drivers in your area also contributes to how much you pay. For instance, even if you go two years without an accident, if there were a lot of accidents near you recently, your rates might still go up. Why is that the case?
Insurance companies disperse risk across all policyholders so that when it comes time to pay a claim, they have enough money to pay out. But imagine a scenario where they only raised rates for drivers with an accident. For drivers who had an expensive claim, the drivers simply wouldn't be able to afford the raised rates that are based off how much their insurer had to pay after an accident. So instead, insurance companies slightly increase rates across the board to offset the costs, though of course the at-fault driver may see a larger increase.
How much car insurance do I need?
You certainly don’t want to be underinsured or uninsured while staring at a claim after a car accident or other damage to your car. But at the same time, there’s no sense in paying for more coverage than you need, right? So it begs the question: How much car insurance coverage do you actually need?
The answer, as frustrating as it may be, is it depends. For example, someone insuring a brand-new, leased car is likely required to purchase collision and comprehensive coverage, but for someone driving an older car that doesn’t have much value, it may not make sense to purchase optional coverage. Plus, states have different car insurance requirements. There are 12 no-fault states that require its drivers to purchase personal injury protection (PIP).
So when it comes to determining what car insurance coverage and limits you should purchase, it’s important to do your research. Talk with an insurance agent or your insurance company to determine what makes the most sense for your situation.
How to save money on your car insurance?
At the end of the day, we’d all like to have the best coverage at a cheap, affordable price. While you never want to sacrifice quality to save a couple of dollars, there are some different ways you can lower your car insurance premium.
Here are six ways you may be able to lower your car insurance rates:
- Bundle your car insurance with other policies
- Consider raising your deductibles
- Pay your car insurance policy in full
- Try usage-based car insurance
- Monitor price changes to your policy
- Shop for better insurance rates
- How do we rank car insurance companies?
How do we rank car insurance companies?
Wondering how Clearsurance determines scores for insurance companies? Our algorithm analyzes a range of inputs from our community of unbiased insurance customers, including:
- Cost
- Customer Service
- Overall Experience
- Claim service
- Purchasing experience
- Likelihood to recommend
Car Insurance Guide
Whether you’re buying your insurance directly or going through an agent, understanding the different car insurance coverage options is a must. Do you know what is covered by comprehensive coverage? Are you familiar with uninsured motorist coverage? Do you know how a deductible works?
We want to make sure you’re equipped with proper knowledge of car insurance, so check out our practical guide to understanding car insurance. Looking for more educational information about car insurance? Check out our blog for more information and topics related to car insurance.