SR-22 insurance in Tennessee: Quotes, rankings and information
Why would someone need an SR-22 in Tennessee?
If you need to file an SR-22 form in Tennessee, it means you’ve committed a driving violation and have been required by the state or court to file it. The SR-22 insurance form guarantees to Tennessee that you have the minimum amount of insurance coverages required of you and it allows you to drive in the state. It's a good idea for this reason to know who offers the best insurance in Tennessee.
You’ve likely heard the term SR-22 insurance if you’re required to file an SR22 in Tennessee. While SR-22 insurance isn't a specific variant of auto insurance coverage, it does affect what you'll pay and what type of coverage you'll need. It becomes your financial responsibility to file an SR-22 and maintain the level of coverage required. This means you'll also need to know what your minimum limits are as well. Your SR-22 acts as proof of insurance, showing you've taken the steps necessary as per your states guidelines. In Tennessee, SR-22 insurance after a DUI conviction costs an average of 89 percent more than car insurance for standard drivers. Needing SR-22 insurance means you are a high-risk or non-standard driver.
In Tennessee, SR-22 insurance is required for a period of three to five years. Throughout this time, you must maintain your auto policy without any lapse in coverage. Your car insurance rates will be increased throughout the duration of your SR-22 filing period.
If you maintain your SR-22 insurance for your required filing period and keep a clean driving record, you won’t need to file the form any longer after your period is up. This could result in your coverage and car insurance rates decreasing, depending on your violation. DUIs may stay on your record for much longer.
With a license suspension due to your conviction, you’ll need SR-22 insurance in order to get your license reinstated after your suspension period is complete.
If your SR-22 insurance policy is canceled at any point, by you or your car insurance company, or if you have a lapse in coverage during your filing period, your Tennessee driver’s license may be suspended.
When you're putting together the list of things you need to be aware of, such as your minimum coverage requirements and what average cost you're able to spend, you may discover your current policy isn't doing you any favors. If you need to compare insurance companies, we offer an online, free tool that can help you.
What are the SR-22 insurance limits in Tennessee?
There's generally some amount of financial responsibility that comes with having an SR-22 on your record. Your insurance costs will increase, but you will also need to follow the minimum requirements as well. If you’re required to have SR-22 insurance in Tennessee, you’ll be required to have at least the following coverage:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death per person
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death per accident
- $15,000 for property damage coverage per accident
Naturally with auto insurance policies there are more than just these types of coverage, but these are looked at as being the SR-22 requirement amount.
Who needs an SR22 in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, SR-22 insurance is required in a few scenarios in order for you to get your license reinstated. SR-22s are required after you’ve committed certain violations with the law. You may even be required to have an SR-22 if you’ve had a series of small violations within a short span of time. You could need SR-22 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
Some of these may result in jail time, which most people want to avoid at all cost. If your license was suspended and you’re required to have SR-22 insurance in Tennessee because of your accident history or any other one of these violations, you must file an SR-22 after your suspension period is over in order to drive.
What are the SR-22 insurance rates in Tennessee?
If you need SR-22 insurance, your car insurance rates will likely increase significantly. When you’re required to have an SR-22, you’re considered a high-risk driver by insurers. High-risk drivers tend to pay the highest car insurance rates, but the cost of car insurance can vary by company and by state. There are many other factors that go into the cost of SR-22 insurance such as your age, gender, location, credit score, vehicle type, marital status and so on.
A DUI conviction is one of the most common reasons drivers need SR-22 insurance. On average, drivers with one DUI conviction in Tennessee pay $1,917 per year for car insurance, which is 89 percent more than drivers with clean driving records. However, the cost you pay differs significantly based on the company you buy car insurance from. In the table below, you can find average rates for Tennessee drivers who have one DUI conviction from some of the largest companies in the state.
| Company | Car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $896 |
| Farmers | $1,147 |
| Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee | $1,192 |
| Erie | $1,315 |
| State Farm | $1,397 |
| Travelers | $1,567 |
| USAA* | $1,801 |
| Allstate | $1,890 |
| Nationwide | $2,073 |
| Cincinnati Insurance Company | $2,151 |
| Geico | $2,592 |
| Auto-Owners | $2,755 |
| Safeco | $4,605 |
*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 Tennessee will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.
While SR-22 insurance policies are expensive, if you maintain your car insurance and SR-22 form for the duration needed all while keeping a clean driving record, your rates may go down over time.
How can you get SR-22 insurance in Tennessee?
To get SR-22 insurance in Tennessee, you’ll need to contact your car insurance company. An SR-22 can only be obtained through an insurance carrier that’s licensed through the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance; you can’t file it on your own. If your auto insurance company offers insurance coverage to drivers who need an SR-22, your company can file the form with your state and offer you car insurance coverage. If not, you’ll need to shop for a new insurance policy from a company that offers SR22 insurance coverage.
Even if your company does offer SR-22 insurance, it may be a good idea for you to shop around for a new policy. Because SR-22 insurance significantly affects your rates in Tennessee, and rates can vary by company, you may want to see if a different company can offer you a better rate.
Use the table at the top of this page to find all the car insurance companies that offer SR-22 insurance in Tennessee with a minimum of 25 car insurance reviews. If you want to see which companies customers say are the best for SR-22 insurance in Tennessee, 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.
Are there any alternatives to SR-22 insurance in Tennessee?
If you don’t want to get SR-22 insurance in Tennessee, the alternative option is to wait out the three to five year filing period. This involves surrendering your driving privileges for the entire period in order to avoid having to get SR-22 insurance. This means that you need to weigh having SR-22 coverage against not being able to drive.
Are there any SR-22 fees in Tennessee?
You may be required to pay a fee to file the SR22 form in Tennessee. You may need to file an SR-22 after your license has been suspended in order to get your license back. If that’s the case, you’ll have to pay a reinstatement fee. The fee can be paid online, by mail or in person at select Reinstatement Centers. If you owe more than $200 in reinstatement fees, you may be eligible for a payment installment plan.
If you’re convicted of a DUI, your license will be suspended for one year if it’s your first offense, and much longer if you’re a repeat offender. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DOS), a single DUI conviction can cost you $5,000or more for fees and fines.
How are car insurance rates 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 can you 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 does Clearsurance rate and rank 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
Is there a guide with more information available?
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.
We also have a free tool that will let you compare quotes from different companies. The insurance industry is vast, so having tools and reference guides to help you will make the process a little smoother.
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.