Arizona SR22 Insurance

In Arizona, the sr22 is also known as the certificate of financial responsibility. It is used to verify that at least the minimum insurance liability required by law, is being maintained on a driver’s vehicle.

Two types of sr22 certificates exist in Arizona:

• A certificate that proves financial responsibility in situations where the driver is not the owner of the vehicle.
• A certificate that proves financial responsibility in situations where the driver owns the vehicle.

Arizona law requires a sr22 certificate in the following situations:

• The driver has had driving suspensions. For a driver who was uninsured and was charged a fee following his involvement in an accident. If the driver’s license was later suspended for nonpayment of the fee, then he would be required to obtain a sr22 certificate before his driving privileges could be reinstated.
• The driver has a number of unpaid judgments on his record. This can result from fines that were imposed on a driver following accidents, and if those fines remained unpaid, then that driver would be required to file a sr22 certificate.
• When a driver’s license has been revoked.
• In situation where mandatory insurance supervisions have been imposed on the driver.
• For a driver who has been classified as high risk because of his reckless driving, including the accumulation of a large number of points on his driving record, and also from driving vehicles that were uninsured.

To file a sr22 in Arizona the following must occur:

• The driver must request a sr22 filing from a state-licensed insurance company.
• Pay the insurance processing fee; this fee will vary depending on the company it is purchased from, so it is in the interest of the driver to shop around for the best quote.
• The driver must obtain at least the minimum liability coverage required by Arizona law; that minimum is $15,000 for the death or injury of 1 person, $30,000 for the death or injury of 2 or more people, and property damage coverage of $10,000
• The insurance company sends the request to the central office which will forward it to Secretary of State in Phoenix.
• If and when it is accepted, the driver will be sent a sr22 from the insurance company accompanied by a Secretary of State acceptance letter.
• The driver is obligated to maintain the sr22 for 3 years. He is further obligated to renew the certificate before it lapses, and if it should lapse, the insurance agency will advise the State of the lapse and the driver’s license will then be suspended until a reinstatement has been completed by the driver.

For those residents moving out of state, the new state’s laws will be the required laws to follow, and a driver wanting further information, should contact his insurance company for details.