Can I get auto insurance with 2 DUIs?

Once your DUIs are on your driving record, you are considered a high-risk driver.  In some states, this means your insurance rates will greatly increase – or your policy will be cancelled altogether.  If you either want to find new insurance or don’t have insurance before the DUIs, you have a couple of options.

First, be aware that in the states other than a few (Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania), you’ll need a form called an SR-22.  This form lets the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of your state know that you are officially insured, and it allows them to reinstate your driver’s license.  The insurance companies are the ones who offer the SR-22, so that means they’ll know that you have at least one DUI to your record – which also means you’ll probably have much higher rates.  The SR-22 also lets the DMV know if your insurance company cancels your policy.  It’s possible you’ll have to deal with an SR-22 for the rest of your driving life.

It’s also possible that your insurance company will never find out about your DUIs.  The communication between the DMV and the insurance companies isn’t always the strongest, and it’s not an automatic thing that the DMV will send out information to insurance companies about DUIs.  However, if the insurance company finds out after the fact, they have the right to instantly increase your rates and/or cancel or policy.