How to Get Car Insurance After a DWI

After DUI or DWI conviction, you want to put it all behind you. However, if you need a car to go to work or the supermarket, you will need insurance. But your car insurance premium might shoot up, or your policy might be cancelled altogether. And what if you don’t have car insurance in the first place? There are no laws regulating the premiums charged to DWI offenders. So, what will it take to have car insurance after a DWI?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Quotes from various insurance companies
• SR-22 form

1. Hire a good lawyer to fight your DWI case. You may reduce the charge in a plea bargain or even limit how long your license is suspended. If the suspension period is small, your carrier probably will not know and your license may not be suspended at all. If you succeed through an attorney in an appeal at a later date, call up your insurance company and demand being reinstated at old rates.
2. Take courses in addition to those that are required after a DWI which will give you a more responsible image to insurance companies. After a DWI case, showing your improved attitude towards safety is the only way to get on top of your insurance worries.
3. Get quotes from multiple carriers and choose the one that will quickly get you the ‘proof of insurance’ or the SR-22 form. You will need to show this to your local DMV in order to change your suspension status and get your driver's license reinstated.

Tips & Warnings

• With a DWI conviction, you will most likely do community service for a few weeks. During this time you must show the behavior of a responsible citizen. Get a letter of reference from the officer in charge of the community service center testifying to your attitude toward the community service. This may just get you a lower quote.