Liability-Only Coverage: The SR-22 Default
- An SR-22 is a form your insurer files with the state — it is not a separate insurance policy.
- Expect a one-time filing fee (often $15–$50) plus a premium increase that reflects the underlying violation.
- You must keep the policy continuous for the state's full requirement period, usually 1–3 years.
Liability-only coverage pays for damage you cause to others — bodily injury and property damage — up to the policy limits, with no coverage for your own vehicle. It is the default SR-22 configuration because the filing certifies the state’s minimum liability requirements; physical-damage coverage (comprehensive and collision) is optional and unrelated to the filing. For drivers with older vehicles, liability-only SR-22 policies are the rational choice: the violation-driven surcharge applies to every coverage line, so adding full coverage to a $4,000 car can double the premium to insure a repair fund. The break-even is roughly when the vehicle’s value exceeds two to three years of the physical-damage premium. Remember the exposure: liability-only means an at-fault accident destroys your own car with no payout — a calculated risk, not a gap in compliance. See cost structure.