What is SR 13? What is the Alabama SR-13 form for?

What is an SR 13?

Sometimes after a motor vehicle accident in Alabama, the police require you to fill out an SR-13 on your auto insurance. But what is an SR13?

The SR-13 is a Safety Responsibility Accident Report Form required by the Alabama Department of Public Safety (ADPS) after certain automobile accidents within the state.

When is it required to file an SR-13?

Some drivers are forced to fill out an SR-13 after being involved in an accident. Completion of this form is required for car accident cases occurring in the state of Alabama that caused death, personal injury, or property damage in excess of $250.

When is it not necessary, and when is it advisable to file an SR-13?

In the event of a single car accident that did not affect other people's property, it is not necessary to complete an SR-13.

If you cause property damage to items such as fences, mailboxes, telephone poles, etc., under $250.00, you will also not need to fill out the SR-13 form.

Also, unless the accident occurs on private property, you do not need to submit any other damage estimate attachments or the Alabama Uniform Accident Report (Crash Report) with the SR-13.

In accidents that occur on private property, an SR-13 is not required. However, there are situations where it is recommended, including the case where the accident occurs with an uninsured driver. In this case, filling out the Vehicle and/or Other Property Damage section is recommended. Since in these types of accidents the at-fault party must be determined, a copy of the Private Property Incident Report is required to be submitted with the SR-13.

If you hit any wildlife on the road, even causing damage greater than $250, you will not need to file an SR-13. However, if you hit a domestic animal, such as a horse or cattle owned by someone else, it is advisable to file an SR-13. This protects you against a possible claim that the owner may file against you for property loss.

In cases of being involved in a hit and run accident, it is advisable that you file the SR-13 only if you were able to obtain some information about the hit-and-run vehicle.

If someone could see the license plate number of the car, information about the owner who fled could be obtained. In this case, an Alabama Cash Report or Uniform Traffic Accident Report must be completed with this information.

Why is it convenient to file the SR-13 if you were not at fault for the accident?

Responding to questions made to DPS about why it is appropriate to file the SR-13 even when the accident was not at fault, DPS answered that it is the most advisable since perhaps the driver at fault is an uninsured motorist. By properly completing and filing the SR-13 form, the Department of Public Safety can suspend the at-fault party’s license for as long as the affected driver is waiting to be compensated for damages.

How to fill out an SR 13? What information must you provide?

The AL law requires that you file the SR-13 form, which is used to record all the necessary information about the accident and the insurance that covers you, just in case problems arise as a result of the incident.

The form may seem a bit confusing to some people since you have to fill in two different types of information. On the front of the form, you must fill in “Your Information,” and on the other side, you must fill in “Other Party Information.” The Alabama Department of Public Safety establishes that before sending the SR-13, both sides of the form must be completed with all the information available. However, the Crash Report may contain information that was not provided at the time of the accident.

In the “Your insurance information” block, most drivers will mark items 1 and 2. All information about the POLICYHOLDER and their insurance company will be filled in, including the name of the person (or company) insured. Points 3, 4, and 5 apply only to companies or commercial drivers.

The section on the SR-13 labeled PROPERTY DAMAGE must be completed when property other than a vehicle is damaged. This includes fences, railings, landscaping items, telephone poles, houses, etc.

The property owner must complete the section marked Vehicle and/or Other Property Damage (also called the claim section) if damages exceed $500.00, including personal injury. ADPS states that only $500.00 or more claims will be processed. You do not need to attach copies of loss estimates to the form.

Who is responsible for filing the SR-13?

Although sometimes the insurance company may accompany you when completing the form, it is the responsibility of the owner and/or driver to file and ensure that the Department of Public Safety receives the SR-13. If the driver is disabled and is not the owner of the motor vehicle involved in the accident, such a report may be filed by the car owner.

The form can be mailed to DPS once it is complete. According to the information indicated by the DPS, at the top of the front page of the form, there is the address where you should mail the completed form. You can also drop it off in person at the Department of Public Safety headquarters building.

What is the deadline to file the SR-13?

When drivers are involved in an accident where an SR-13 is required, they must file it by mail or in person with DPS within 30 days of the accident.

It does not matter if, at the time of the accident, the vehicle involved was insured with liability coverage or who was responsible for the accident; in any case, the term will be the same.

However, for drivers to understand why and how to file this form, more information is listed in an SR-13 fact sheet provided by Alabama DPS.

What happens if you don’t file the SR 13 properly?

There are circumstances in which the driver’s license of the person at fault for the accident is suspended for failing to file an SR-13. It generally takes 30-45 days for DPS to process the SR-13. However, suppose insurance information is needed, and the SR-13 has not been received. In that case, the AL Department of Public Safety will notify the driver responsible for the accident, requesting the necessary information. After this notice, the driver has 30 days to return this information. Otherwise, the driver’s license will be suspended.

Please note that if, for any reason, DPS does not receive the form, even when you have submitted it, or if you fill out a partially completed form, they will generate a suspension notice. A suspension notice may also be issued if you were driving on non-valid insurance and become at fault for the accident.

Contact the Alabama Department of Public Safety if you need more information about the SR-13 form. Make sure you choose a car insurance policy with the right amount of coverage in Alabama that meets state requirements and your individual needs.