If you drive in Long Beach and a DUI, a string of tickets or an accident without insurance has left you needing an SR-22, you still have options. Barua Insurance compares carriers that work with high-risk drivers, including drivers with a foreign license, and arranges the SR-22 filing with the policy.
What is an SR-22?
An SR-22 isn't a type of insurance. It's a certificate your insurance company files with the California DMV to show that you carry at least the state's minimum liability coverage: since 1 January 2025, $30,000 for injury to one person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 for property damage. You can't file it yourself. It has to come from a licensed insurer, attached to a real policy.
Why you might need an SR-22 in Long Beach
- A DUI conviction. After a DUI, the DMV usually wants an SR-22 on file before it reinstates your license. Three years is typical, and it can be longer after repeat offenses.
- An accident without insurance. If you're in a reported accident and can't show proof of insurance, your license can be suspended, and an SR-22 is usually part of getting it back.
- Other suspensions. Most moving violations add one point to your record, and a DUI, reckless driving or hit-and-run adds two. With 4 points in 12 months, 6 in 24 or 8 in 36, the DMV can suspend your license as a negligent operator. Your DMV notice says whether an SR-22 is required to reinstate it.
Suspended license, foreign license or no car
Suspended license. You can't legally drive while your license is suspended, but you can buy the policy and SR-22 that reinstatement requires, so the filing is on record when you become eligible.
Foreign license. Some carriers accept a foreign license, a passport or a matrícula consular. Tell us what you have and we'll find the carriers that take it. If you've moved to California, plan on a California license: new residents are expected to get one within 10 days.
No car. If the DMV wants an SR-22 but you don't own a vehicle, a non-owner policy can carry the filing.
What SR-22 insurance costs
The filing is the small part. What drives the price is the record behind it. A DUI raises premiums at every carrier, but not by the same amount, and some carriers won't take a recent DUI at all. That's why comparing carriers matters more after a DUI than at any other time. Your vehicle, ZIP code and the coverage you choose count too, so the only reliable figure is a quote.
How the filing works
Once your policy is in place, the insurer files the SR-22 with the DMV electronically. Keep the policy active for the whole period. If it lapses or is canceled, the insurer has to tell the DMV, and the DMV can suspend your license again. If a payment is going to be a problem, call us before it turns into a lapse.
Why Long Beach drivers call us
- We compare carriers. As an independent broker, we quote carriers that specialize in high-risk drivers, not just one company's price.
- A driving record doesn't disqualify you. A DUI narrows the field, but it rarely ends it.
- English or Spanish. Talk it through in the language you're most comfortable with.
Call (562) 273-3989 or start an SR-22 insurance quote online. Quotes are free, with no obligation. For more on how filings work in California, see our SR-22 insurance page.
Updated 8 October 2026: this article no longer quotes example prices or past promotions. What you pay depends on your vehicle, driving record, coverage and ZIP code, and a free quote is the only reliable number.