Auto Insurance SR22 Washington

Reader’s Question:

Can you please tell me what the RCW is with respect to the SR-22 requirement. Is it is it 3 years from the date you get your license back or 3 years from the date of license suspension ? Does having SR-22 insurance while having an occupational license count toward the three year requirement?

Albert

Seattle, WA

The usual time that a driver is required to maintain an SR-22 is three years in the state of Washington. The reason that you are required to acquire the SR-22 may change the length of time you are required to maintain it though.

You can be mandated by Washington state to get a SR22 for different reasons from a driver’s license suspension reinstatement because of DUI, a second or subsequent offense of leaving a child unattended in a running vehicle, accident without insurance, etc.

In Washington, normally when you are eligible to reinstate your driver license, you must file future proof of financial responsibility, also known as an SR-22, for three years from the date you are eligible to reinstate your driver license for that incident.

Your may contact the Washington State Department of Licensing to get more information on how long you will need to carry the SR-22 and if you get a ORL if this times counts towards the total amount of time you must maintain this proof of financial responsibility.

While your driver license is revoked or suspended, you may be eligible to receive an Occupational/Restricted Driver License (ORL). An ORL is good for the length of your revocation or suspension period.

Car Insurance Washington

Reader’s Question:

How long after purchasing a vehicle do you have to obtain car insurance in the State of Washington?

Denver

Spokane, Washington (WA

 

According to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state, the State requires individuals that operates a motor vehicle to have liability insurance. There is no grace period for the liability insurance.

In addition to that, the insurance regulator for the state of Washington noted that all insurance providers have different time requirements to add a newly acquired car to the policy. You would need to verify with your insurance company to find out if there is a grace period for adding that new car to your existing insurance policy. Most dealers require physical damage coverage on the car before it leaves the dealership.

If you do not already have an car insurance policy on any car but are purchasing a vehicle then you will need to get insurance before leaving the lot with the vehicle normally. You can provide an insurance carrier information on the car ahead of time so that the policy can be started. The dealership may need to contact or fax the insurance agent with information as well. If for some reason you do not end up purchasing the vehicle then you would inform the insurance provider so that the policy would not go into effect.