Filing an SR-22 - Don’t Be a Captive Customer

It's been a bad year for Careless Kyle. First, the police showed up when he and his friend Tad were engaged in a very heated drag race - such a bummer! Then he was stopped leaving his favorite bar and "falsely accused" of driving under the influence. He'd only had one drink! Well, maybe two. Or six. After all, it was "dollar draft night" and his favorite baseball team won. Who wouldn't do a little celebrating?

Then just a few months later, Kyle was stopped again for driving 20 miles per hour over the speed limit in a school zone. Was it his fault he didn't see the signs? Or that crossing guard? Kyle soon became intimately familiar with the term "habitual traffic offender."

The Result of Carelessness

Careless Kyle was very shocked to learn that he had lost his license. He figured his few minor slip-ups weren't grounds for such extreme actions. He figured that a few months of riding the bus would be easy, since he'd be able to get his license back soon and be up to his old tricks in no time. However, when the time rolled around for him to get his driving privileges back, he got a very rude awakening. It wasn't the police who were getting on his case, though. It was his car insurance company!

Kyle's insurance company informed him that he needed to file an SR-22 form and his premiums were going to double! Kyle didn't want to pay the extra money - he could barely afford it - but what choice did he have? He needed to have car insurance. Riding the bus to work was risky, as sometimes he ended up being late. He hated having to bum rides from friends whenever he wanted to go out, and all of his coworkers were sick of dropping him off. If he wanted to get back in his boss's and his friends' good graces, he'd have to pay the insurance company.

There Must Be a Better Way

Kyle made a mistake almost as costly as his reckless driving. He allowed the insurance company to treat him as a "captive customer." If Kyle were more careful, he might have realized that there are many car insurance companies who work with drivers who have to file SR-22 forms. There are even companies who make it their specialty. If Kyle would have done some comparison shopping before he blindly agreed to pay those higher premiums, he could have saved a lot of money.

Naturally, with a driving record like Kyle's, car insurance is going to be very expensive. That's why it's vital to comparison shop. Using the internet and sites like this one make it easier than ever to comparison shop, and people with special car insurance needs can find coverage that works for them at the most fair price. Kyle will probably be a lot more careful in the future when he's driving his car, but will he be as careful with his wallet? Finding yourself in Kyle's situation can be scary. You may have to do what the DMV requires, but you can have plenty of flexibility with your car insurance. Don't be careless!