Published 2026-09-21 · Last updated 2026-09-21.
How DUI affects cover/cost (general)
After a DUI, three things commonly change. First, your premium usually rises, sometimes sharply, because the offence stays on your record for a period set by state rules. Second, some insurers may decline to renew or quote you, so the set of insurers willing to cover you can narrow. Third, your state may require proof of financial responsibility — often an SR-22 filing — before your licence is reinstated or while the requirement lasts. Each of these is state-dependent, so a rule that applies in one state may not apply in another.
A DUI does not automatically mean you cannot get cover, and it does not automatically mean every insurer prices you the same way. Insurers weigh the offence differently, and they weigh your other factors — years licensed, other violations, claims, car, mileage, and cover chosen — alongside it. That variation is exactly why comparison matters, and why a single "cheapest" name quoted nationally would be misleading here.
SR-22 link
If your state requires an SR-22, your insurer files that certificate with the state motor vehicle agency to prove you carry at least the required minimum liability cover. An SR-22 is not itself a policy; it is a filing attached to a policy. The filing itself is usually a small fee, while the larger cost is the higher premium that follows the underlying offence. How long the filing lasts, and whether a lapse restarts the clock, are set by your state — check the SR-22 cost estimator page (A4) for the estimator structure and your state DMV / insurance department for the rule that applies to you.
Do not let a filing lapse without advice: a gap in cover during an SR-22 period can restart the requirement and can lead to a further suspension. If you move state, ask both states what happens, because the original state's requirement may still follow you.
By-state tool link
Because state rules and insurer appetite vary so much after a DUI, a national average is a poor guide to your price. Use the cheapest-by-state tool (A3) to structure the comparison: same state, same driver profile, same cover, different insurers. That is the only comparison in this cluster that keeps the DUI profile, the state, and the vehicle together instead of mixing them into one misleading average.
What to compare
Compare the same liability limits, the same deductible, and the same collision/comprehensive choices across quotes, so price differences reflect insurer pricing rather than different products. Check whether uninsured motorist cover is included, what happens at renewal, and whether any discount you are offered depends on conditions you can actually meet. Ask each insurer directly whether it files SR-22 in your state, and what it charges for the filing, rather than assuming it.
Also compare service and stability, not price alone: an insurer that will keep covering you through the SR-22 period, without a mid-term surprise, may be worth more than a marginally cheaper quote that disappears at renewal. Keep written records of every quote, including its limits, deductible, start date, and filing terms.