Non owner DUI insurance California is a means to reinstate your license after a DUI conviction when you don’t own a vehicle. Your insurance agent will write you a non-owner insurance policy meeting the state’s minimum liability coverage requirements. An SR22 certificate is endorsed to that policy. Then your insurance agent submits the SR22 to the California DMV to obtain your license reinstatement.
Since you don’t own a vehicle, you’ll need non owner DUI insurance California. A non-owner policy is secondary liability insurance covering you when you drive someone else’s car. A primary insurance policy is coverage a vehicle owner carries on their car. What if a vehicle owner doesn’t insure their vehicle? In that case, you should not drive it, even if you have non-owner insurance coverage.
What does non owner DUI insurance California do?
Every state requires licensed drivers with a registered vehicle to have liability insurance. Auto insurance policies should have a minimum coverage of 15/30/5. Through liability insurance, the state ensures that all drivers take responsibility for injuries or property damage if they cause an accident.
Before the DMV reinstates your license, it requires you to guarantee you have liability coverage then and for a time after. That guarantee is what the SR22 provides, and why it’s known as California financial responsibility insurance.
Why you shouldn’t let your non owner DUI insurance policy lapse
In most DUI cases, the state requires you to keep your SR22 insurance active for one to three years after reinstating your license. The insurance underwriter monitors your SR22 policy to note any defaults in payment. If the policy lapses, the underwriter immediately forwards an SR26 form to the California DMV. The SR26 filing results in another license suspension.
Therefore, it’s essential to keep your non owner DUI insurance California policy up to date for the duration of your SR22 requirement. If you anticipate having a late payment on your SR22 policy, let UltraCar Insurance know. We’ll contact your insurance underwriter to request a payment plan for you.
Uninsured driving
A common reason for license suspension is uninsured driving. When you don’t own the car you’re driving, what happens if the owner doesn’t have insurance coverage? Suppose an officer asks for proof of insurance. In that case, you may get a ticket and possibly a 30- to 90-day license suspension if there are no other violations on record. An even more severe consequence can occur from a California no insurance accident, which may cause difficult financial hardship for you, your passengers, and other drivers. Having non owner DUI insurance California is an excellent way to avoid unnecessary financial problems.
When you have non-owner insurance coverage, please verify that the owner has insured their car before you drive it. We also recommend that they have placed a valid insurance ID card in the glove compartment. Since non-owner insurance is secondary coverage, it may not pay claims if the car you’re driving is uninsured.
Other reasons for SR22 insurance
Besides getting a DUI conviction, other circumstances can require California non-owner SR22 insurance, such as:
- Court-ordered child support or other legal order
- An uninsured at-fault accident
- Driving without a license
- Too many tickets (points) on your driving record
- Reckless driving
See the California DMV website for more details regarding driving under the influence.
UltraCar Insurance specializes in helping people get SR22 insurance for license reinstatement after a DUI violation. Our agents are California licensed, we offer low SR22 insurance rates, and we quickly file your certificate. Give us a call today!
