House committee advances bill to raise required liability coverage after DUI convictions; insurers warn of affordability risks

The House Insurance Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 121 after lengthy testimony and questions about cost, enforcement and possible unintended consequences.

Sen. Harbin, the bill’s sponsor, said Georgia’s minimum liability limits have not been increased for 14 years and that the measure would require drivers convicted of driving under the influence to maintain higher liability limits and to file proof of coverage under SR-22 for a statutory period. “What this bill will do is if someone is convicted, their first DUI, they are required to increase their limits,” Harbin said, arguing that current minimums no longer reflect vehicle and medical costs.

The sponsor and several members discussed the current baseline limits cited during the hearing: $25,000 for property damage and $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident for bodily injury. Harbin said the bill would require higher limits for drivers with DUI convictions and that the higher limits would be required for a set period after conviction; the transcript records the required SR-22 filing and a three‑year duration for the higher limits.

Bobby Pollard, who spoke for State Farm Insurance Company and volunteered comments on behalf of industry listeners on the Senate side, said insurers on the whole did not oppose the bill as presented. Pollard said insurers had raised concerns about whether those with convictions could afford higher premiums and whether the law would push some drivers into the uninsured category. “We did not oppose this bill,” Pollard said, but he warned the “fundamental policy concern” is whether affected drivers can afford the required coverage.

Committee members asked how the requirement would be enforced and how it would interact with vehicle owners’ primary coverage. The sponsor and witnesses explained that proof of insurance can be shown electronically or on paper under the cited code section and that an owner’s policy remains primary for a vehicle the owner permits another person to drive; a driver who does not own a car may need a non‑owned policy to comply.

Members also discussed sample premium estimates provided by the sponsor for context; the sponsor said he had included a sample six‑month premium for a Fulton County Honda Accord in committee materials to show a range of costs under different limits.

After public comment and additional questions, a member moved to report the bill favorably; the committee approved it by voice vote and advanced SB 121 out of committee.

The transcript records no roll‑call tally. The bill will now proceed to the next stage of the legislative process.