If you have been told that you must have SR22 insurance in order to have your license reinstated, then it is important that you know how to shop for the best deals. The following three steps are absolutely vital in terms of making sure that you get the most affordable policy out there.
1. Your Current Insurance Company
The first place to request a quote for SR22 insurance is your current company. In many cases, all you will have to pay is a one-time only $20 fee and the SR22 filing will be added to your policy. However, because the violations that forced you to have an SR22 are likely to be very serious ones, your insurance premiums are also like to be rise. This is why you should also request a quote for what your new premiums will be. This could be a good benchmark for comparison shopping.
2. Your State Insurance Agencies
In many cases, choosing to go through a broker will help you get the best deal. This is because these agencies will have links with almost every insurance carrier in your state, which means that you only have to give your details once, and they will then be matched with all the different insurance companies that are around. You will then be able to see the lowest rates on a monthly and yearly basis, plus you will be able to identify which one offers the best deals in terms of secondary things such as your excess, roadside assistance, legal representation and so on. The downside of using a broker, however, is that you will always pay at least some broker fees as well. Yet, if you were to go directly through an insurance company that they have quoted you, you are not guaranteed to get a cheaper deal. Do check, however.
3. Shop Around
SR22 insurance itself is generally not very expensive. The real killer is the increase in your premiums for your overall insurance. This is why it is so important to spend some time shopping around. There are many insurance companies that do not register with any brokers or comparison websites, simply because they do not want to charge their customers any broker fees. Hence, do make sure you find out which other insurance carriers there are and see what sort of quote they have available for you.
Once you have gone through each of these three steps, you should be able to have all the information you need in order to decide where to go. Do, however, make sure you look into the company you are choosing by checking out online reviews on social media and their Better Business Bureau rating before you decide to actually sign up for their policy. Also remember that you should not be looking for the cheapest carrier out there, but rather the one that will offer you the best value for money. Sometimes it pays to be slightly less frugal.
Tags: SR 22 Insurance
