Indiana SR-22 Insurance: Requirements, Violations, Coverage Limits, Duration, Cost, Filing Fee

What is SR-22 Insurance in Indiana?

SR-22 insurance is not a type of insurance but a certificate of financial responsibility. An SR-22 certificate serves as proof of insurance to the state of Indiana that you carry at least the mandatory minimum amount of insurance.

The State will likely require you to file an Indiana SR-22 form after a traffic violation that has resulted in a driver’s license suspension.

Drivers convicted of serious traffic violations must provide proof of auto insurance to restore their driving privileges.

An SR-22 certificate is submitted by your auto insurance company to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) at your request.

The SR-22 certificate is then attached to your car insurance policy, and to keep it active, you have to stay on time with your payments.

Indiana uses a second, related form called a Certificate of Compliance (COC). The BMV can request proof of financial responsibility after an accident or violation. The insurer must then file a COC electronically within 90 days of the BMV's mailed request. The BMV suspends driving privileges if the insurer misses the 90-day deadline. The SR-22 applies after a license suspension. The SR-22 proves future financial responsibility and supports license reinstatement.

Who Needs an Indiana SR-22 Form?

Not every driver in Indiana needs an SR-22 form, SR-22 filings are only for high-risk drivers. If you keep a clean driving record, you won’t have to go through the filing process.

SR-22 insurance in Indiana is often required after a major traffic violation conviction that has resulted in you losing your license. The state of Indiana will notify you if you need to purchase SR-22 insurance.

In the state of Indiana, an SR-22 will be required after committing one or more of the following traffic offenses:

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI or DUI)

• Driving with a suspended license

• Multiple traffic violations in a short period of time

• Reckless driving conviction

Indiana drivers typically need to maintain their SR-22 for a specified period following a violation.

State Insurance Requirements in Indiana

Indiana requires every driver to carry at least 25/50/25 minimum liability coverage. An SR-22 proves to the Indiana BMV that the driver carries at least these limits.

This certificate of financial responsibility assures the state that you have adequate insurance coverage should you end up being responsible for an at-fault accident.

While meeting the minimum insurance requirements for Indiana is necessary, you should consider increasing your coverage limits for stronger protection.

Indiana's 25/50/25 minimum liability coverage includes:

• $25,000 for bodily injury liability coverage per person

• $50,000 for bodily injury liability coverage per accident

• $25,000 for property damage liability

All Indiana drivers must meet these minimum requirements. Indiana law also requires insurers to include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in every newly written auto policy. A driver can reject uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage only in writing. About 13.9% of Indiana drivers were uninsured in 2022 (Insurance Research Council, 2023). Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage protects a driver when an uninsured driver causes a crash, because an SR-22 proves only that the at-fault driver carries the 25/50/25 minimum. Drivers should consider coverage beyond the minimums. Higher limits, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage add protection.

How to file an SR-22 in Indiana

1. Buy or keep an auto policy that meets Indiana's 25/50/25 minimum liability coverage.

2. Ask the insurer or Insurance Navy to file the SR-22 with the Indiana BMV.

3. Pay the one-time filing fee of $15 to $50.

4. Keep coverage continuous for the full requirement period of 180 days, 3 years, or 5 years.

How Long Do I Need to Carry SR-22 Insurance in Indiana?

Most Indiana SR-22 requirements last 3 years. An insurance-related suspension can instead be cleared with 180 consecutive days of continuous coverage. A Habitual Traffic Violator must file an SR-22 for 5 years. The requirement period restarts if coverage lapses.

For insurance-related suspensions, such as driving without insurance, the Indiana BMV considers the SR-22 requirement satisfied after the driver maintains SR-22 coverage for 180 consecutive days with no lapses. No-insurance suspensions that took effect on or after December 31, 2021 are indefinite suspensions. Filing an SR-22 stays the suspension. Maintaining the SR-22 for 180 consecutive days ends the suspension.

Longer SR-22 periods apply in other situations. Older no-insurance suspensions carry a three-year requirement for a first or second suspension. Older no-insurance suspensions carry a five-year requirement for a third or subsequent suspension. Certain court-related convictions, such as an OWI, typically carry a three-year SR-22 requirement.

After the SR-22 requirement period expires, you can ask your insurer to remove the SR-22 filing from your policy. The SR-26 form is the official cancellation notice that the insurer sends to the BMV. The BMV suspends driving privileges if the BMV receives an SR-26 before the requirement period ends. Confirm with the BMV that the requirement is complete before changing the policy.

What happens if your SR-22 lapses in Indiana?

An SR-22 lapse in Indiana restarts the filing period and suspends the license again. When SR-22 coverage lapses, the insurer files an SR-26 cancellation notice with the Indiana BMV. The Indiana BMV then suspends the driver's license. The driver must file a new SR-22 to restart the requirement period.

A lapse costs the most for drivers on the 180-day track. The BMV returns the suspension to active status. The 180-day period restarts once the driver files a new SR-22. For longer SR-22 requirements, driving privileges stay suspended until the BMV receives a new effective SR-22 or the requirement period expires.

The insurer usually drops the policy after a lapse. The driver must then buy new SR-22 coverage and pay the filing fee again. Reinstatement fees start at $250. A first no-insurance suspension carries a fee of about $300.

Non-owner SR-22 insurance in Indiana

A non-owner SR-22 policy meets Indiana's SR-22 requirement for a driver who does not own a car. A non-owner SR-22 policy provides Indiana's 25/50/25 minimum liability coverage when the driver operates a vehicle the driver does not own. A non-owner SR-22 policy usually costs less than a standard auto policy because the policy is not tied to a specific car.

How much does SR-22 Insurance Cost in Indiana?

Auto insurance with an SR-22 in Indiana costs about $1,400 to $1,700 per year (Insure.com, Insurance.com). State-minimum coverage without an SR-22 costs about $480 per year. An SR-22 raises the rate because the insurer treats the driver as high-risk. Premiums usually fall after the SR-22 requirement ends. Drivers reduce the cost by comparing quotes from several insurers. Drivers can also ask about prior-insurance and good-driver discounts.

What each driver pays depends on the insurer and the violation.

Some violations are deemed more serious than others, leading to a greater increase in your rates.

An OWI conviction in Indiana raises auto insurance rates by about $470 per year on average. A speeding ticket adds roughly $294 per year.

You should also be prepared to pay a filing fee. Asking your insurance provider to file an SR-22 certificate on your behalf is, in many cases, not free. The SR-22 filing fee typically ranges from $15 to $50. The exact amount depends on the car insurance company.

Insurance Navy compares rates from some of the top Indiana auto insurance companies to give our customers the best coverage at the most affordable rates.

Read more about SR-22 from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)