Records, Insuranse & CDL
Getting Your Records
The only records you personally can obtain are your driving history or an accident report. To obtain your driving record, you can go into any full service DMV Branch Office and provide them with two forms of identification as well as your name, address, driver’s license number, date of birth and a Copy Records Request (form J-23) along with the required fee and they will give you a certified copy of your driving record. An accident report can be obtained from the local police department of the town where the accident occurred approximately 3-5 days after the accident. No other records are available at public request. Your attorney is the only one who can obtain your criminal records, police reports, or any other private records that would be important to your case.
Insurance Issues
It is important for you to understand that your insurance company for your motor vehicle is assessing you on many different levels to determine the premium you will pay. A Conning and Co. investigation completed in July of 2001 into insurance reports found that 92% of insurers use scoring which can include credit data when they determine your auto insurance policy premium rates. These credit reports put you into a class system to determine your pricing tier. Insurers feel that there is a direct correlation between the scores they determine for customers and the probability that they will file a claim.
If you would like to obtain a copy of your driver’s license history you need to contact the State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles and request a J-23 form. You can do this over the phone and have it mailed to you, fill out the request form online at the DMV website, or you can request it in person from any full service DMV branch. You must have two forms of identification (one must be photo), a check for $20, name and address, date of birth and drivers license number. After the forms are submitted, it takes about two weeks to receive the certified copy of your driver’s license. After receiving your driver’s license record, you may be able to see some of the reasons for the insurance score and ranking based on your driving history.
If you have been arrested for a DUI offense, it will directly impact your insurance score. If you are arrested and convicted of a serious violation of the law in relation to your driver’s license,
you must obtain an SR-22 to have your driver’s license reinstated. It is a Financial Responsibility Certificate that can be obtained from either your insurance company or insurance agent. It is a separate document from your regular automobile insurance policy. Your insurance company must file the certificate before your license privileges can be restored. This helps to keep insurance companies informed about serious offenders so that they may treat them as high-risk drivers and charge them accordingly. To file an SR-22 in the State of Connecticut, the original copy must be transmitted by your insurance company to the Driver Services Division at the following address:
State of Connecticut
Department of Motor Vehicles
Driver Services Division
60 State Street
Wethersfield, CT 06161-2525
Many insurance companies check your motor vehicle record only once every three years or when you’re applying for a new policy. Sometimes accidents, tickets and drunk driving convictions can escape your insurer’s attention or don’t end up on your motor vehicle record. However, if your insurer does find out about a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction, or an administrative suspension or a diversionary program, you’re likely to feel the pinch of higher rates and possibly policy cancellation or non-renewal.
There are two ways insurance companies generally deal with customers convicted of DUI. First, your insurer will likely raise your insurance premiums and label you a high risk driver if they find out you’ve been convicted of a DUI. In this case, you’ll likely have to provide proof of insurance for three – sometimes five – years with your state’s department of motor vehicles. Your insurance company will have to provide the DMV with an SR-22 form, which removes your license suspension by providing the state with proof of insurance. An SR-22 also means your insurance company is required to notify the DMV if it cancels your insurance for any reason. In addition, your company may cancel your insurance mid-term or terminate the policy at the end of the term because you are currently in a preferred class. Your company will send you a notice stating why you’ve been cancelled, and then you’ll have to find another insurer while having a cancellation on your claim history.
Some insurance companies don’t offer SR-22 policies, so you may also be non-renewed or canceled because your company can no longer provide what you need. Insurers can miss DUI convictions and it is possible that your insurance company will never find out about your conviction, especially if you do not have to get an SR-22. Rates do not always go up. You may be surprised to know that when your insurer does find out about a DUI conviction it doesn’t automatically impose higher premiums. The insurer will look at your history with the company and your claims record, and your fate is in their hands.
Commercial Driver License Issues
There are a variety of reasons why a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or License with Public Passenger Endorsement could be suspended or disqualified. One reason would be for operating a motor vehicle under the influence whether it is the commercial vehicle or your personal vehicle. Once a driver has
been disqualified they are prohibited from operating a commercial motor vehicle. Tickets or convictions from out of state also hold reciprocity in the state of Connecticut. They will be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles and then transferred to your Connecticut Drivers License.
If one of these offenses occurs in conjunction with driving a vehicle that is transporting hazardous materials, the minimum disqualification will be for three years. If convicted twice for either driving under the influence or refusal or failure of a BAC test, the result would be a lifetime disqualification of your Commercial Driver License. A first offense of using a commercial vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance will also result in a lifetime disqualification.
Disqualification will result from a conviction of any one (1) of the following:
• Operation under the influence of alcohol.
• Refusal to take a blood, breath or urine test.
• Failure of a blood, breath or urine test (0.04 or greater).
• Evading the police.
• Use of a commercial vehicle in conjunction with a felony
conviction.
If an additional violation occurs following the completion of a driver retraining class, it is possible that the class may have to be repeated. These classes are under the discretion of the retraining associations and are not held at the DMV. If the class is not completed by the effective date of suspension, a restoration fee in the amount of $125 must be paid by check or money order payable to DMV and mailed to:
State of Connecticut
Department of Motor Vehicles
Driver Services Division
60 State Street
Wethersfield, CT 06161-2525
(Include the license number and name with payment.)
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