While you are a careful driver, that diligence does not always extend to checking the due date on your car insurance. As a result, you allowed your policy to lapse. To make matters worse, you've been stopped and ticketed more than once for driving without insurance coverage. Now that the judge has taken away your license, you will have to work hard to get it back. Here is what to expect as you seek to get those driving privileges back.
Attend Court Ordered Classes
Since you did not take care of your insurance problem after that first ticket, there is a good chance that the court will want you to do more than pay the fines and promise to do better. You'll also be ordered to take driving safety classes approved by the court. While most people think these classes are only for people who drive under the influence, many local jurisdictions apply those same rules to any driving activity that presents a serious risk to the community. Driving without adequate auto insurance does qualify as a risk.
The good news is that those classes may be offered online. The only way to know for sure is to check with your attorney. When the courses are offered online, you can complete them in the evenings rather than taking time off from work. Pay close attention during the sessions, since you will be given codes to write down at the end of each one. Those codes serve as proof that you did watch each of the sessions. Without those codes, you will not receive a certificate of completion and the court will not recognize your participation in the classes.
Buying Auto Insurance
One thing that you may find hard to do now is to purchase auto insurance. Start the search by contacting your former provider and explaining what happened. Do not expect your previous policy to be automatically reinstated upon tendering a payment. Now that the court considers you to be a high risk, the insurance provider will also. If that provider does not extend coverage to high risk drivers, you will have to work with a different insurance company.
Keep in mind that before you can recover your lost driving privileges, you will have to obtain what is known as an SR22. You may hear court officials and even your attorney refer to this certification as SR22 insurance. Strictly speaking, this is not insurance coverage. It is a document supplied by your insurance provider that serves as proof that you have coverage and that you are managing your policy in a financially responsible manner. Upon securing a new plan, you must request the SR22 Certificate of Personal Responsibility from the insurance provider and make sure it is presented to the court within the time frame allotted by the judge.
Taking a Driving Test
Even if you have years of driving experience, the court may require that you take a driving test before recovering your license. Contact the local Department of Motor Vehicles and find out when the written and road tests are offered. To make sure you know the rules of the road, go over the materials offered by the DMV before the date of the test. Upon passing both tests, you'll receive a certificate that must also be presented to the court.
Remember that the best approach is to never put yourself in this position. If setting up an automatic payment with your insurance provider is not practical, always respond quickly when you receive a notice that the current plan is about to expire. Even if it means putting off the purchase of something you really want, do not allow your coverage to lapse. In the long run, you'll save a lot of time, and avoid having to deal with fines, court costs, and other expenses. For more information, visit sites like http://www.greatnortherninsuranceagency.com.
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