If got convicted of DUI and I would like to know if my insurance carrier in Palm Beach, FL will just cancel my car insurance policy or does it has to go through some sort of procedures?  Do I need a specific auto insurance specialist?

Josh

Palm Beach, FL

Insurance carrier’s guidelines vary however a conviction for driving under the influence (DUI) could result for an insurance provider terminating your automobile insurance policy. Usually your insurance carrier may cancel your insurance mid-term or cancel the car insurance policy at the end of the term due to your conviction for DUI.

If your insurance policy is terminated in this manner in Florida, your insurance carrier must send you notification stating why your car insurance policy have been canceled and then you will have to find another insurance carrier while now having a cancellation on your auto insurance claims history. Most states do not allow insurance carriers to just drop you in the middle of the car insurance policy term, even for a DUI. If you want to get more information about your state guidelines with regards to this, verify with your state’s insurance regulatory body.

I live in Kansas, and I wanted it to know if it’s likely that my employer will still cover me with commercial car insurance while I’m doing business, even though I have an SR22 form for drunk driving?

Nick

That’s a great question, Nick.

First of all, I find it very unlikely that you would even be able to be hired by a job for which you are required to do any more than a completely negligible amount of driving for a good, long time after you were required to file your first SR22 form after a drunk driving conviction. The most common number that I could throw out is ten years, although in many cases a company that requires driving will not hire you ever again after you have been convicted for drunk driving, especially, for example, a trucking job. There is already a big problem with the lack of safety among commercial vehicles on the roads, so employers are more cautious, at least in this area.

Secondly, as to whether or not your employer will insure you if you have an SR22 form filed, I really doubt it. It is possible that this could happen, but it would be entirely the decision of your boss or whoever is in charge of this aspect of your job. If your employer allows you to drive for business reasons under their own vehicle insurance policy, then they are taking on a substantial amount of risk. This could result in a rise in vehicle insurance premiums in the company, and could thus cause problems with your employment.

I would suggest that if you do find yourself in this situation, the best option for you, and most likely the only option that you have available, is for you to go and get a non owners car insurance policy. These types of policies are widely available, cheaper than normal, and will cover any car that you drive but do not own. It would be the perfect option for driving for business reasons if you have an SR22 form, or even if you don’t and your employer simply does not provide insurance.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.