Reader’s Question:
I was convicted with DUI here in Alaska and it would still seem fortunate enough that I was able to avoid being in jail. What concerns me now is my car insurance. What will happen to my car insurance after my DUI conviction?
William
Anchorage, AK
In general, there are actually two ways insurance companies deal with customers convicted of DUI. First is that your insurance company will likely raise your car insurance premiums and label you a high-risk driver if it finds out you have been convicted of DUI in Alaska. Second is that your insurance company may cancel your insurance mid-term or terminate the policy at the end of the term because of your DUI conviction, especially if you are currently in a preferred class. Your insurance company would send you a notice stating why you have been cancelled, and then you would have to find another insurance company while having a cancellation on your claims history and a DUI on your driving record.
In Alaska, you will be required to file an SR22 so that you can have your driver’s license back. Your insurance company would have to provide SR22 form to Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This would serve as a proof of your insurance. You should carry the SR22 for three years after the last day of your driver’s license revocation.