Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Alaska
Alaska has two laws in place to protect drivers on its roads by requiring auto insurance coverage: the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act and the Mandatory Motor Vehicle Insurance statute.
They require anyone driving in Alaska to carry a minimum amount of car insurance, provide proof of that coverage at any time and be responsible for financial damages in any accident they cause.
Anyone caught disobeying these laws will be penalized with $500 in fines and up to a year of suspended driving privileges.
Having violations on your record can also label you as a high-risk driver to insurers, which makes finding cheap auto insurance in Alaska difficult.
Type of penalty | First offense | Future offenses | If at fault for an accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | $500 | $500 | $500 |
|
Driver's license suspension | 90 days | 1 year | 1 year |
|
SR-22 maintenance | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
Penalties for driving uninsured in Alaska
Alaska requires registered drivers to have motor vehicle liability insurance in effect whenever driving in the state. The minimum required coverage has limits of 50/100/25. Alaska's financial responsibility law further states that motorists need to have an acceptable form of proof of insurance whenever they're on the road.
Law enforcement officials in Alaska are authorized to request proof of insurance at traffic stops or the scene of an accident. Proof can be your official insurance ID card, a copy of your insurance policy, a liability certificate from your insurer, your insurance binder or a digital representation of your policy on any of your electronic devices. Failure to prove that you have active insurance coverage in Alaska can lead to penalties.
First offense
The first time you are cited for driving uninsured in Alaska, you will be charged a $500 fine, and your driving privileges will be suspended for 90 days. If you were insured at the time of the citation but could not prove it, you must show proof to the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 30 days. If you fail to provide the appropriate documents within that time frame, your license will be suspended and you'll be fined. .
Future offenses
If, within 10 years of your prior conviction, you are caught driving without insurance again, you'll face another $500 fine. The second (and subsequent) times around, however, your license will be suspended for an entire year. The state will still offer you a 30-day grace period to provide evidence that you had an active insurance policy on the day you were handed your citation, but if you don't provide that proof, your suspension will take effect. You will only be able to get your driving privileges restored after the year is up.
If at fault for an accident
Complying with Alaska's insurance law becomes more crucial if you find yourself involved in a serious accident. This includes any crash or collision that results in death, injury, or more than $500 worth of property damage. Both parties, regardless of who is to blame, will have to provide the investigating officer with proof of insurance that meets the state's standards.
Additionally, if you are found to be at fault for a car crash, Alaska's financial responsibility law requires you to pay for any property repair or medical costs you caused the other party. Without liability coverage, you may be unable to pay and will face the penalties for driving uninsured.
Aside from the $500 insurance violation fine, you'll also lose your driving privileges for one year if you are at fault for a collision. The DMV will allow you 15 days to prove that you were insured at the time of the accident. If this can be verified, your suspension period can be shortened — provided you've settled payments you owe the other party involved in the crash.
Reinstating your driving privileges in Alaska
After completing your suspension period and paying your fine, you can begin the process of restoring your driving privileges with the DMV.
First, you will need to obtain proof of financial responsibility. This is usually an insurance policy meeting the state-required minimum coverage. You'll also need to ask your insurer to file an SR-22 certificate for you. The SR-22, which is also called proof of financial responsibility for the future, has to be maintained for three years, without a single day of lapsed payment on your premium.
Second, you will need to pay all of the fees included in the license reinstatement process. In Alaska, reclaiming your driving privileges can be quite costly. On top of the standard $20 license fee, you will need to retake a road test, which should cost you $15. In addition, the reinstatement fee is $100 for first-time offenders and $250 for second and subsequent offenses.
Reapplying for auto insurance in Alaska
Violations on your driving record can label you a high-risk driver — the kind who insurance carriers normally try to avoid covering. If you're being denied an auto insurance policy in the open market, you can try for one through the state's assigned risk pool, called the Alaska Automobile Insurance Plan.