Georgia Automobile Insurance

Legal Requirements for Acquiring Auto Insurance in Georgia

SafeAuto wants to help you get the lowest possible auto insurance rates. Being familiar with your state's financial responsibility requirements is an easy way to start. Here is the most recent information for Georgia:

The minimum amount of liability insurance coverage required to satisfy Georgia's Financial Responsibility law is 25,000/50,000/25,000. This means that your insurance policy must insure you against loss in an accident where you have been determined to be at-fault for a minimum of:

• Twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) because of bodily injury to or death of one (1) person in any one (1) accident
• Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) because of bodily injury to or death of two (2) or more persons in any one (1) accident, subject to the twenty-five thousand dollar ($25,000) per person limit
• Twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) because of injury to or destruction of property of others in an accident

Georgia does not consider an insurance card acceptable proof of insurance coverage. Instead, law enforcement officers and other state employees are able to electronically verify the insurance status for any vehicle that is registered in Georgia using the Georgia Electronic Insurance Compliance System (GEICS). Maintaining valid insurance at all times is very important. Your insurance status may be verified under the following circumstances:

• A law enforcement officer may verify your status while you are operating your vehicle, detained at a traffic stop, or when you are involved in an accident
• When you register for, replace or renew your vehicle tag

To ensure drivers continue to meet the Financial Responsibility requirements, Georgia requires insurance companies to notify the Georgia Department of Driver Services when a person buys insurance, adds or deletes a vehicle, or terminates coverage. If the Department of Driver Services is advised that insurance has been terminated, they may request written proof of coverage.

Penalty for failure to comply with Georgia's Financial Responsibility requirements:

Failure to maintain proper insurance could lead to the suspension or revocation of your vehicle registration. If an uninsured vehicle is detected by law enforcement or if the vehicle is involved in an accident, the owner will also be subject to fines and vehicle impoundment.

The following is required to reinstate a suspended vehicle registration:

• First occurrence:
  • Obtain and keep continuous Georgia liability insurance coverage on the vehicle
  • Pay a $25.00 lapse fee
  • Pay a $60.00 reinstatement fee
  • Pay any other registration fees and vehicle ad valorem taxes due
• Second occurrence during any five-year (5) period:
  • Mandatory suspension of the vehicle's registration for ninety (90) days
  • Obtain and keep continuous Georgia liability insurance coverage on their vehicle
  • Pay a $25.00 lapse fee
  • Pay a $60.00 reinstatement fee
  • Pay any vehicle registration fee and ad valorem taxes that may be due
• Third occurrence during any five-year (5) period:
  • Mandatory suspension of the vehicle's registration for six (6) months
  • Obtain and keep continuous Georgia liability insurance coverage on the vehicle
  • Pay a $25.00 lapse fee
  • Pay a $160.00 reinstatement fee
  • Pay any vehicle registration fee and ad valorem taxes that may be due

Additional penalties may apply if the vehicle's registered owner is convicted of driving a vehicle with a suspended or cancelled registration.

Certificate of Financial Responsibility (SR-22):

An SR-22 is a certification of future proof of Financial Responsibility issued by your insurance company to the state providing proof that you purchased liability insurance. The following circumstances may require a person to have an SR-22:

• To reinstate a suspended license after the person fails to pay an accident judgment;
• To reinstate a suspended license after the person fails to maintain proof of Financial Responsibility;
• To reinstate a suspended license after a DUI conviction; or
• To reinstate suspended license after any offense that requires a mandatory license suspension

SafeAuto does not currently issue SR-22's in Georgia.

Other helpful things to know about Georgia's Financial Responsibility laws:

Registered Owner - Voluntarily Cancellation of Vehicle's Registration:

A vehicle's registered owner may cancel their vehicle's registration at the Tax Commissioner's office in the county in Georgia where they reside when the vehicle is not driven. The County Tax Commissioner's office accepting the cancellation request will enter the required information (date registration cancelled) on the vehicle's record to stop any lapse and reinstatement fees from being assessed. To avoid lapse and reinstatement fees from being assessed, the vehicle's registered owner must cancel their vehicle's registration before or at the same time the vehicle's mandatory liability insurance coverage is canceled.

Military Personnel - Voluntary Cancellation of Registration:

A service member, deployed on official military duty, may cancel their vehicle's registration when the vehicle is not going to be driven on the public roads and highways of Georgia during their absence. The service member should complete, sign and submit a Service Member's Affidavit for Mandatory Insurance Relief to the Tax Commissioner's office in the county in Georgia where they reside. This form may be submitted before, during or after deployment.

Link to Georgia Department of Driver Services

http://www.dds.ga.gov

If you have any further car insurance questions then please visit the FAQ page or contact the Customer Service Department at CSD@safeauto.com.