Your DUI triggered an SR-22 requirement, and your current carrier either cancelled your policy or tripled your rate. Not every carrier writes SR-22, and the ones that do price high-risk drivers differently. Here's where to find coverage and what it actually costs.
Which Carriers Actually Write SR-22 After a DUI
Not every carrier writes SR-22 policies, and a DUI narrows your options further. Many national brands that advertise standard auto insurance route high-risk business to specialty subsidiaries or decline it entirely. Progressive writes SR-22 directly in most states and consistently quotes DUI drivers. GEICO writes SR-22 through multiple entities depending on the state. State Farm and Allstate typically decline new SR-22 business after a DUI but may retain existing customers at higher rates.
The key is knowing which entity actually underwrites the policy. A quote from "GEICO" might come from GEICO General, GEICO Indemnity, or GEICO Casualty — each prices DUI risk differently. If an aggregator sends your information to the wrong entity, you'll either be declined or quoted for coverage the carrier won't actually bind. This is why direct carrier shopping or a broker familiar with SR-22 entities produces better results than national aggregators.
Regional carriers and non-standard specialists write most SR-22 policies after DUI. The General, Bristol West, Dairyland, and National General actively compete for this business. Their base rates start higher than Progressive or GEICO, but their DUI surcharge multipliers are often lower, which can make them cheaper overall once the violation is factored in.
What SR-22 Insurance Costs After a DUI
A DUI typically increases your premium by 70–130% before the SR-22 filing fee. The filing itself adds $15–$50 depending on the state and carrier. If you were paying $110/month for liability coverage before the DUI, expect $190–$250/month after, plus the filing fee. Full coverage costs $280–$450/month for most drivers in the first year after a DUI, again depending on state minimums, your age, and prior claims history.
SR-22 filing is required for 3 years in most states, measured from the date the court or DMV ordered it — not from the date you actually filed. If you delay filing by 60 days, you still owe 3 years from the original order date in most jurisdictions, meaning your requirement effectively extends to 3 years and 60 days. Letting the policy lapse during the filing period resets the clock to zero in many states, forcing you to restart the 3-year count.
Rates drop 10–20% in year two if you maintain continuous coverage and avoid new violations. By year three, expect another 10–15% reduction. Full rate normalization to clean-record pricing takes 5–7 years after the DUI conviction date, not after the SR-22 requirement ends. The SR-22 filing itself falls off when the requirement ends, but the DUI conviction remains on your driving record and continues to affect pricing until it ages past the carrier's lookback window.
Find out exactly how long SR-22 is required in your state
How to Shop for SR-22 Coverage After a DUI
Start by identifying which carriers actively write SR-22 in your state and accept DUI drivers. Not all do. Call or quote online with Progressive, The General, Bristol West, and National General first — these four write SR-22 nationally and price DUI risk competitively. If you're declined or quoted above $300/month for state minimum liability, move to a non-standard broker who works with multiple high-risk carriers simultaneously.
Quote with your current carrier even if they cancelled your policy. Some carriers decline to renew after a DUI but will write a new policy under a different entity or subsidiary at a higher rate. If your carrier offers to retain you, compare their quote to at least two competitors before binding. Loyalty discounts disappear after a major violation, and your existing carrier may not be cheapest once the DUI surcharge applies.
Get quotes within 10 days of your conviction date or SR-22 order. Rates are date-sensitive, and letting weeks pass between the order and the filing can extend your total requirement period. Most states require proof of insurance before they'll accept the SR-22 filing, so you need the policy bound first. When you receive quotes, confirm the filing fee is included in writing and ask explicitly whether the quote reflects the DUI surcharge. Some carriers quote clean-record rates initially and adjust after pulling your MVR.
State Minimum vs. Full Coverage with SR-22
State minimum liability meets the legal floor, but it leaves you exposed after an at-fault accident. If you cause $40,000 in damage and your state minimum is 25/50/25, you're personally liable for the $15,000 gap in property damage. After a DUI, one more at-fault accident can trigger a second SR-22 requirement or a permanent license suspension in some states, so the stakes for carrying adequate coverage are higher than they were before the violation.
Full coverage — liability plus collision and comprehensive — costs roughly double the price of liability-only for most DUI drivers. If your vehicle is financed or worth more than $5,000, full coverage is typically required by the lender and financially justified by the asset value. If you own the vehicle outright and it's worth under $3,000, liability-only makes sense for most drivers. The collision deductible on high-risk policies is often $1,000 or higher, which reduces the claim payout on lower-value vehicles.
Some carriers offer a middle option: liability plus comprehensive without collision. Comprehensive covers theft, weather, vandalism, and animal strikes — risks unrelated to your driving. It costs 30–50% less than full coverage and protects the vehicle's value without paying for collision coverage you may not need. Ask every carrier you quote with whether they offer this split — not all do for SR-22 policies.
When Rates Start Dropping After SR-22
Your rate begins improving 12 months after the DUI conviction date if you maintain continuous coverage with no new violations, claims, or lapses. The first-year reduction is typically 10–15%. Year two brings another 10–15%. By year three — when your SR-22 requirement ends in most states — you've recovered roughly 30–40% of the DUI surcharge, but you're not back to clean-record pricing yet.
The SR-22 filing itself is not the primary rate driver. The DUI conviction is. When your SR-22 requirement ends, the filing drops off, but the DUI stays on your record and continues to affect your rate for another 2–4 years depending on the carrier's lookback period. Most carriers use a 5-year lookback for major violations, meaning the DUI affects pricing until it reaches its fifth anniversary, not when the SR-22 ends at year three.
Reshop your coverage every 12 months starting immediately after the DUI. Carriers weight violation age differently, and the carrier that was cheapest in year one is often not cheapest in year two. Some carriers offer "step-down" programs that automatically reduce your rate at 12-month intervals if you stay claims-free. Others require you to reshop. Assume you need to reshop unless your carrier confirms automatic reductions in writing.
