Updated May 2026
What Is Compliance-Only Auto Insurance Insurance?
Compliance-only auto insurance meets your state's legal minimum liability requirements and nothing more. After an uninsured driving suspension, this is the cheapest path to satisfy SR-22 filing: bodily injury and property damage liability at state minimums (often 25/50/25 in many states, meaning $25,000 per person injured, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage). Your insurer files the SR-22 certificate with the DMV proving you carry continuous coverage, which is the gatekeeper to reinstatement. If you let this policy lapse during the SR-22 filing period, the insurer notifies the state within 24 hours and your license suspends again — in most states, the filing clock resets to day zero.
- You rear-end a car at a stoplight. The other driver has $8,000 in vehicle damage and $14,000 in medical bills. Your compliance-only policy with 25/50/25 limits pays the full $22,000 because it falls within your liability caps. Your own vehicle damage — $4,500 to replace your front bumper and radiator — is not covered. You pay that out of pocket or drive without repairs.
- An uninsured driver runs a red light and totals your car. You have $18,000 in vehicle damage and $6,000 in medical bills. Your compliance-only policy pays zero — uninsured motorist coverage is not included at state minimums. You sue the at-fault driver directly, but if they have no assets, you absorb the $24,000 loss yourself.
- You miss a payment four months into a three-year SR-22 filing period in Ohio. Your insurer cancels the policy and files an SR-26 notice with the BMV within 24 hours. Ohio suspends your license again immediately. When you reinstate, the three-year SR-22 clock resets to zero — you now owe three additional years of filing from the new reinstatement date, plus a second $50 reinstatement fee.
How Much Does Compliance-Only Auto Insurance Insurance Cost?
Compliance-only policies with SR-22 filing cost $45–$85/month ($540–$1,020/year) for drivers reinstating after uninsured suspension, depending on state minimums and violation history.
- State-required liability limits: California 15/30/5 minimums cost less than Florida 10/20/10 with mandatory PIP stacked on top
- SR-22 filing fee: one-time $15–$50 charge at policy start, sometimes annual in states like California
- Violation history: first-time uninsured suspension rates $20–$40/month lower than repeat offenders or accident-while-uninsured cases
- Non-owner vs standard policy: non-owner SR-22 for drivers without a car runs $25–$50/month, roughly half the cost of standard compliance coverage
- Payment plan: paying in full saves 5–10% annually compared to monthly installments with service fees
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Who Needs Compliance-Only Auto Insurance Insurance?
Compliance-only coverage is the correct choice if your license is suspended for uninsured driving, you need SR-22 filing to reinstate, and you either don't own a vehicle (non-owner SR-22) or own an older car worth under $3,000 with no lien. It satisfies state reinstatement requirements at the lowest possible monthly cost, and you can add collision or comprehensive later once your license is reinstated and rates drop after the SR-22 period ends.
Choose compliance-only if your only goal is license reinstatement and you can absorb the financial loss of your vehicle. If losing your car would eliminate your ability to work or you're in a state where 20%+ of drivers are uninsured, add uninsured motorist at minimum. If your car is financed, you have no choice — the lender mandates full coverage with collision and comprehensive until the loan is paid.