SR-22 certification is often necessary after you've had a tangle with the legal system. SR-22 certification is needed to be able to drive, and serves as a way for the state to verify you have insurance. You can only purchase SR-22 certification from an insurer after you've purchased an insurance policy.

What Causes The Need For SR-22 Certification

The reasons why a court will order you to get an SR-22 certification are many. However, SR-22 certification is typically only required when you've committed numerous or severe driving infractions. So if you've only gotten a ticket or two, you probably won't have to worry. You may be expected to get SR-22 certification if:

• You've been caught driving without insurance.
• You've been caught driving under the influence.
• You've received several violations in a short period of time.
• You've started driving again after a license suspension or revocation.

How Long Is The Need For Certification

SR-22 certification can impact your ability to drive but it's not permanent. Depending on where you live, your need for SR-22 certification may vary from 1-5 years. Different states vary the length of time of the certification based on a flat rate of time for all certifications or based on how severe your infraction was.

Saving Money With Your Certification

The SR-22 certification itself isn't the expensive part, it's your infraction that can hike up your insurance rates considerably. One of the biggest things you can do to drive the costs related to SR-22 certification down is to make sure you remain violation-free on the road.

Another way to save on your coverage is to increase your credit score. Many insurers base the amount of risk you pose based on if your credit score is high or not. The higher your score, the less risk you may pose to an insurer, and the lower the rate you'll receive.

You should also take advantage of paying a policy in full to yield a discount rate. You can also save money on your higher insurance rates by signing up for auto-pay, driving less or getting liability only insurance coverage. The more of these things you're able to do, the more financially bearable your SR-22 certification will be.

You may also be able to save money on your SR-22 certification and auto insurance if you have multiple policies with the same insurer. If the rate your current insurer offers you is too high, you may be able to save by switching your insurance policies to a different carrier. 

For professional auto insurance, contact a company such as Illinois Automobile Insurance.