Best New Mexico SR-22 Insurance in 2024

New Mexico SR-22 requirements

New Mexico is one of the few states that doesn’t require an SR-22 form. New Mexico requires all drivers to have a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage, but it doesn’t require its drivers to get SR22 insurance after certain driving violations like most states do.

For states that require an SR-22 form, it means the driver committed a driving violation and has been required by their state or court to file it. The SR-22 insurance form is a proof of insurance and it guarantees to the state that you have the minimum amount of insurance coverages required of you and it allows you to drive in the state. SR22 forms are typically required after a driver has been convicted of a DUI, was caught driving without insurance or committed another serious violation.

SR-22 insurance limits in New Mexico

Although New Mexico does not require drivers to have SR-22 insurance after certain convictions, the state still requires all drivers to meet its minimum car insurance coverage. New Mexico drivers are required to have the following car insurance limits:

• $25,000 for bodily injury or death per person
• $50,000 for bodily injury or death per accident
• $10,000 for property damage coverage per accident

Failure to have the mandatory car insurance in New Mexico results in penalties that could include having your vehicle registration suspended and fines.

Who needs an SR22 in New Mexico?

Even though New Mexico does not require its drivers to have SR22 insurance after certain convictions, if you’re a driver in New Mexico and you’re moving to a state that requires SR-22 insurance, you may need to have SR22 insurance in your new state. SR22 insurance is required in a few scenarios in order for you to get your license reinstated.

You could need SR22 insurance for the following reasons:

• Conviction for driving under the influence (DUI or DWI)
• Driving without car insurance
• Driving with a revoked or suspended license
• Having repeated traffic violations in a certain amount of time, including speeding tickets
• Numerous at-fault accidents
• A fatal at-fault accident or one that results in injuries
• Reckless or dangerous driving
• Assignment from a court order
• Failure to pay fines from tickets
• Refused consent to breathalyzer or blood alcohol test

If you’re moving to a new state and need to get SR-22 insurance, you’ll need to get SR22 insurance from an insurance company that offers SR22 insurance in your new state. The form will need to be filed with your new state rather than with New Mexico.

New Mexico SR-22 insurance rates

One of the most common reasons drivers need SR-22 insurance is being convicted of a DUI. If you’ve been convicted of a DUI, while you won’t be required to get SR-22 insurance in New Mexico, your car insurance rates may still be affected because you will be considered a high-risk driver. Drivers who’ve been convicted of a DUI pay an average of $1,600 per year for car insurance, which is 75 percent higher than standard car insurance in New Mexico. In the table below, you can view average insurance rates for drivers in New Mexico who’ve been convicted of a DUI.

*USAA is only available to active and former military members and their families.

These rates are based on a 35-year-old single adult with one driver and one vehicle on a policy. The car used was a 2015 Toyota Highlander LEs. Full coverage was used with 100/300/50 limits and a $500 collision and comprehensive deductible. The driver had 1 DUI on their record. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates for high-risk insurance in New Mexico will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.

While car insurance policies with a DUI are expensive, if you maintain your car insurance while keeping a clean driving record, your rates in New Mexico may go down over time.

How to get SR22 insurance in New Mexico

If you’ve been convicted of a driving violation in New Mexico, you may be considered a high-risk or non-standard driver. This may result in your car insurance rates to increase.

Even though New Mexico doesn’t require an SR22 form, drivers with violations typically associated with SR22 insurance may have a harder time finding an insurance company that will sell them a policy. If you’re considered a high-risk driver, it may be a good idea to shop for a new car insurance company in New Mexico.

Use the table at the top of this page to find all the car insurance companies that offer high-risk insurance in New Mexico with a minimum of 25 car insurance reviews. If you want to see which companies customers say are the best car insurance companies for high-risk insurance in New Mexico, sort the table by highest rated. You can sort through companies and find the ones you want to get quotes from. To get quotes, click on the orange “Click for quote” button next to the company, call the number available or visit the company’s website.

If you want to read customer reviews of the company, click the company name in the table and you will be directed to the company’s profile page containing information about the company and reviews.

SR-22 fees in New Mexico

SR-22 insurance is not required in New Mexico, therefore there are no fees associated with the form.

However, even though drivers don’t have to file the form, they still have to pay fees and face penalties for committing violations. If you are driving without insurance in New Mexico, your vehicle registration will be suspended and the fee to get your registration reinstated is $30.

A DWI is a very costly offense and faces many requirements in order to get your license back. If you’re convicted of a DWI in New Mexico your car insurance rates will increase. You’ll have to pay additional fees to the state and may have to pay court fees. As a result of a DWI conviction, your license could be revoked from 6 months to multiple years depending on the circumstances around your conviction. You could also face jail time.

If your license was suspended for any reason, including a DWI conviction, you’ll be required to pay a license reinstatement fee.

How car insurance rates are calculated

When searching and comparing car insurance quotes, it can be frustrating trying to understand how your insurance rates are calculated. While there is no exact formula that each car insurance company uses when providing you a quote, there are many factors that do contribute to the price you pay for your insurance. Among the factors that car insurers consider are:

• Your driving record
• How much you drive
• Location
• Age
• Marital status
• Gender
• Your car’s make, model and year
• Your credit history (in some states)
• Amount of car insurance coverage (required coverage and optional add-ons, such as collision and comprehensive)

One of the biggest misunderstanding when it comes to insurance rates is that the history of drivers in your area also contributes to how much you pay. For instance, even if you go two years without an accident, if there were a lot of accidents near you recently, your rates might still go up. Why is that the case?

Insurance companies disperse risk across all policyholders so that when it comes time to pay a claim, they have enough money to pay out. But imagine a scenario where they only raised rates for drivers with an accident. For drivers who had an expensive claim, the drivers simply wouldn't be able to afford the raised rates that are based off how much their insurer had to pay after an accident. So instead, insurance companies slightly increase rates across the board to offset the costs, though of course the at-fault driver may see a larger increase.

How much car insurance do I need?

You certainly don’t want to be underinsured or uninsured while staring at a claim after a car accident or other damage to your car. But at the same time, there’s no sense in paying for more coverage than you need, right? So it begs the question: How much car insurance coverage do you actually need?

The answer, as frustrating as it may be, is it depends. For example, someone insuring a brand-new, leased car is likely required to purchase collision and comprehensive coverage, but for someone driving an older car that doesn’t have much value, it may not make sense to purchase optional coverage. Plus, states have different car insurance requirements. There are 12 no-fault states that require its drivers to purchase personal injury protection (PIP).

So when it comes to determining what car insurance coverage and limits you should purchase, it’s important to do your research. Talk with an insurance agent or your insurance company to determine what makes the most sense for your situation.

How to save money on your car insurance

At the end of the day, we’d all like to have the best coverage at a cheap, affordable price. While you never want to sacrifice quality to save a couple of dollars, there are some different ways you can lower your car insurance premium.

Here are six ways you may be able to lower your car insurance rates:

• Bundle your car insurance with other policies
• Consider raising your deductibles
• Pay your car insurance policy in full
• Try usage-based car insurance
• Monitor price changes to your policy
• Shop for better insurance rates

How we rank car insurance companies

Wondering how Clearsurance determines scores for insurance companies? Our algorithm analyzes a range of inputs from our community of unbiased insurance customers, including:

• Cost
• Customer Service
• Overall Experience
• Claim service
• Purchasing experience
• Likelihood to recommend

Guide to understanding car insurance

Whether you’re buying your insurance direct or going through an agent, understanding the different car insurance coverage options is a must. Do you know what is covered by comprehensive coverage? Are you familiar with uninsured motorist coverage? Do you know how a deductible works?

We want to make sure you’re equipped with a proper knowledge of car insurance, so check out our practical guide to understanding car insurance. Looking for more educational information about car insurance? Check out our blog for more information and topics related to car insurance.