What could be the reason why my brother is being required to have SR22 insurance in Washington and how can he get that?

Aila

Everett, WA

Your brother must have received an alarming letter from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) asking a certificate of financial responsibility. He need not have to be so nervous because he can definitely get SR22 insurance in Washington.

SR22 insurance in Washington is a certificate filed by an insurance company that will guarantee the DMV that your brother has the minimum liability requirements for his car insurance. SR22 insurance in Washington is being asked for drivers who are considered high risk by insurance companies. There are a lot of reasons a driver is asked for SR22 insurance in Washington, including:

–DUI or Driving Under the Influence conviction
–causing a traffic accident and was not able to show car insurance coverage
–causing a traffic accident that resulted to death
–having numerous traffic tickets or accidents in a short period of time
–reckless speeding tickets

The state does not mandate car insurance companies to offer SR22 insurance in Washington. Still, your brother does not have to worry because there are a lot of car insurance companies that offer SR22 insurance in Washington, but for an additional cost. He can check with his current car insurance provider if they offer SR22 insurance in Washington, if not, he would have to shop around for his car insurance.

Tags: driving without insurance, drunk driving insurance, DUI, SR22 insurance

We have three cars at home and only my car is insured, my wife’s and son’s cars are not insured. My wife keep telling me that her car should also be insured together with my son’s car, she says it’s really important to get it insured. Why should one’s car get insured here in Washington?

Todd

Everett, WA

Washington requires all the cars on the road should be insured before getting it on the road. If you have escaped yourself from this requirement, you will not be able to escape yourself from a huge disaster when you got yourself in an accident. Car Insurance is just like having a savings account that you can get in case of emergencies on the road.

Car insurance is just as important as the homeowner’s insurance for with a Car Insurance with you on the road, it will help you survive, not from death or physical injury but at least you will be saved from financial problems in case you got yourself in an accident. Car Insurance doesn’t only cover you in case of accident but also the other party. Car insurance is not supposed to be expensive for the state has set a minimum requirement but this might not be able to get everything covered if you had a major accident. Just imagine yourself getting a car accident which is your fault and the other party is not insured, though it is breaking the law if you don’t get yourself insured, you still need to have both of your mishaps covered. This is how car insurance protects you, not only you but also the other party that makes it really important.

I’m looking to buy a second car for my town house here in Everett, Washington and I wanted to know what attributed of a vehicle would affect its insurance rates?

Myers

Everett, WA

The kind of vehicle you have, make and model, coupled with the location where you live, your age and driving record will have a big impact on how your car insurance rates will come out. But let’s focus just on the things in your car that can affect your insurance rates there in Everett, Washington:

Make and Model
whoever you choose to buy a car from and the particular model you choose, are all part of a rating system that an auto insurance company will look into as part of the process of determining your rates. They will look into statistical data from sources such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showing the likeliness or frequency of this manufacturer’s vehicle getting involved in car accidents. This spans years of accumulated data and information, giving insurance companies valuable information in their end to compute insurance rates.

Car Theft
If you have a top of the line vehicle, it will be more prone to car theft and vandalism as compared to an older model. Since car insurance companies insure the financial worth of your vehicle a newer, more expensive kind or model of vehicle will translate into higher insurance premiums.

Safety Features
Finally, the safer and more secure your car is from accidents and theft(installing anti-lock breaks, for example) the better your chances of getting lower insurance rates.

Do I have to consider the kind of car that I will purchase here in Everett, Washington if I’d like to have lower car insurance rates?

Tavion

Everett, WA

Yes, you have to take into consideration the kind of car that you will purchase in Everett, Washington if you would like to pay lower rates on your car insurance. Low profile vehicles usually are those that have lower car insurance rates. If the type of car that you have is in the higher risk of being stolen, then most likely, your rates will be higher than the rates of an average driver. Most car insurance companies take a look at the type of vehicle that are stolen frequently and necessarily adjust their rates.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the average number of vehicles being stolen has been dropping in the previous years because of increased surveillance and more security devices being installed. This is great news for every driver but it still essential to recognize the type of car you drive and to figure out that risk it has of being stolen. Although theft has been going down, the type of vehicles that are most stolen are still the same kinds of vehicle in general.

My drivers license was suspended because of the DUI and my parents would like to add me to their car insurance policy in Everett, Washington. Will the insurance company be able to know about the DUI charge?

John

Everett, WA

I would recommend that you allow the car insurance carrier and your parents know that your driver’s license is suspended because of the driving under the influence charge. You should not drive a car or be insured on their auto insurance policy in Everett, Washington with a revoked or suspended license. You could place your parents or their auto insurance policy at risk for non-disclosure.

The insurance carrier can pull up your motor vehicle record when they try to add you to the auto insurance policy. They can disclose the information that they cannot add you because of your your drivers license is suspended because of DUI. They can give the inquirer for the information to use in order to contact the reporting agency.

My son has been arrested because of a DUI offense in Everett, Washington. Many have emphasized about the importance of getting a lawyer to represent him on his case. But what can a lawyer do in my son’s case if they have hard evidence against him?

Fallon

Everett, WA

You should take your chances on your son’s case, Fallon, even if you think they have hard evidence against him. That’s more reason to get a good DUI lawyer to defend your son on his DUI case in Everett, Washington. The laws in the state of Washington are constantly under review and augments and revisions are constantly pending. You have to keep in mind that the consequences for DUI conviction have become very onerous so the old adage of “get a good lawyer” still holds true. Just think hard about this, your son’s financial well being, maybe including yours, as well as his mental well being is at stake.

Your son is risking much more than a differential in paying higher fines. He could be risking his liberty and his driving rights for many years, if not permanently that’s why having a qualified and competent Washington DUI lawyer is very critical at this point. Finding a DUI lawyer is not difficult and even negotiating a competitive rate is attainable because they know you can go just down the corridor. The bottom line here is the end result and the status of your son’s life going forward.

I just moved in to Washington days ago. My colleagues often told me that the Washington laws about DUI are one of the toughest in the nation. I like having a night out with my friends and drive myself off home. What are the basics that I need to know about DUI in Washington?

Elizabeth, Everett WA

Hey Girl,

I am more like you, kinda the party girl yet have the guts to drive home even after getting a few drinks. Your friends are right, here at Washington laws are stricter and you should be aware of that.

Here are some basics that you should remember when confronted with a police officer arresting you for DUI.

1. When the officer punches a hole right in your driver’s license, it means that the Department of Licensing is giving you an official notice that your driver’s license will be suspended for the mere fact that you are being suspected for DUI.

2. If asked to take the Breathalyzer test and you refused, you will have your driver’s license revoked for at least 1 year.

3. With regard to your car insurance, an additional 3 years will be given to you it is as if you are convicted. Same consequence applies.

If I were you girl, I aint going to drive when you are totally drunk. You will never know when you will be arrested for DUI. I was lucky to have passed the tests a couple of times and not faced conviction. However, just last month I was arrested and facing charges. It changed my life and I tell you, it is very difficult to find a job and get your life back after being convicted with DUI especially here at Washington. For just one night of happiness and being drunk out with friends, your life will change dramatically as DUI conviction has done to me. Next time you drink that tequila and you want to drive yourself home after a night out, think it twice if it’s all worth it.