If your auto insurance company discovers you've been convicted on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you may be reclassified as a high-risk driver, and your premiums can be raised accordingly. Some insurance companies will simply cancel your policy outright, informing you in writing that you're no longer insured. Some states don't allow insurance companies to terminate policies midterm, but most states do. In addition, the court may order you to file proof of insurance covering a period of three or five years. This proof, in the form of a so-called SR-22 (S-R twenty-two) form, must be obtained from your insurance company, or if your policy has been cancelled, from an insurance company that's prepared to cover you. Your insurance company may not discover at once that you've been convicted on a DUI charge, but most states allow a three-year period following the conviction during which your risk factor can be reclassified and your insurance premiums can be raised. The effects of a DUI conviction on your auto insurance will depend on your location and may differ according to the company insuring you.
