IRS Fail Insurance Alberta
Helping Alberta drivers move forward after an Immediate Roadside Sanction (IRS).
Receiving an Immediate Roadside Sanction (IRS) can leave you with questions about your licence, insurance, and what comes next. At DND Insurance, we specialize in helping Alberta drivers obtain the insurance they need after an IRS with clear guidance, confidential service, and a straightforward process.
Understanding What Just Happened
An Immediate Roadside Sanction (IRS) is an administrative sanction issued under Alberta’s impaired-driving laws.
An IRS Fail is the most serious level of Immediate Roadside Sanction and can result in an immediate licence suspension, vehicle seizure, financial penalties, education requirements and additional steps before you can legally drive again.
For an IRS Fail, the process begins with an immediate 90-day driving suspension. After that initial period, a further suspension applies depending on whether it is a first, second or subsequent occurrence.
During the longer suspension period, some drivers may be able to return to driving by participating in Alberta’s Ignition Interlock Program. Otherwise, they remain suspended until they have satisfied the applicable requirements.
If you’ve just received an IRS Fail and aren’t sure what happens next, DND Insurance can help explain the insurance and licence-reinstatement side of the process.
An IRS Fail can significantly change your insurance options and premium.
Even though an IRS is an administrative sanction rather than necessarily a criminal conviction, insurance companies may still consider the impaired-driving event when deciding whether they will insure you and what premium they will charge.
Your current insurance company may no longer be the best option—or may not be willing to continue providing the same coverage.
This is where DND Insurance specializes. We work specifically with Alberta drivers following DUI convictions and IRS Fails and can determine whether you qualify for our exclusive DUI & IRS Fail insurance program through Peace Hills General Insurance Company.
“DUI insurance” isn’t technically a separate type of auto insurance policy.
It is a term commonly used to describe the insurance a driver needs after a DUI conviction, IRS Fail or other impaired-driving incident has changed their insurance eligibility.
The coverage itself is still auto insurance. What changes is which insurance programs you qualify for, how the impaired-driving incident affects your premium, and what you may need to do before returning to the road.
DND Insurance specializes specifically in helping Alberta drivers navigate this situation.
There isn’t one universal answer because the insurance impact depends on the type and date of the incident, your driving history and the insurance program you qualify for.
A DUI or IRS Fail can affect your insurance premium for several years.
It’s also important to understand that your licence suspension, ignition interlock requirement and insurance rating are separate things. Completing your interlock requirement or having the device removed does not necessarily mean the insurance impact disappears at the same time.
When we review your driver’s abstract, we can explain how your particular DUI or IRS Fail is affecting your insurance now and what you can expect moving forward.
Can I Still Get Insurance?
Yes.
A DUI conviction or IRS Fail does not mean you are uninsurable.
Your choices may be more limited and your premium will usually be higher than it was before the incident, but coverage is still available for many Alberta drivers.
DND Insurance specializes in exactly these situations. We’ll review your driving record and circumstances and determine whether you qualify for our exclusive DUI & IRS Fail insurance program through Peace Hills General Insurance Company.
No.
Insurance companies have different underwriting rules, and not every company is willing to insure a driver following a DUI, IRS Fail or ignition interlock requirement.
This is one reason working with a brokerage that understands this specific market can make the process much easier.
DND Insurance works exclusively with Peace Hills General Insurance Company for our DUI & IRS Fail program. If you qualify, we can help you secure coverage without having to repeatedly explain your situation to brokers who may not regularly deal with impaired-driving insurance.
Yes, in many cases.
You do not necessarily have to remain with the insurance company you were with before your DUI or IRS Fail.
Before cancelling an existing policy, however, it’s important to make sure your replacement coverage has been confirmed. Cancelling first and looking for insurance afterward can create an unnecessary gap in your insurance history.
Contact DND Insurance first. We can review your current situation, prepare a quote and explain your options before you make any changes.
Yes, depending on what you need the insurance for.
Having a suspended licence does not necessarily mean your vehicle has to be completely uninsured.
You may need coverage while the vehicle is parked, while another properly licensed driver uses the vehicle, or while you’re preparing to enter the Ignition Interlock Program and obtain restricted driving privileges.
What you cannot do is drive the vehicle while you are fully suspended.
Tell us what you’re doing with the vehicle and where you are in the reinstatement process, and we’ll help determine the appropriate coverage.
Getting Back on the Road
Yes—and for drivers entering the Ignition Interlock Program, insurance is an important part of getting back on the road.
DND Insurance regularly works with Alberta drivers who require ignition interlock.
In the process outlined for our clients, insurance needs to be in place before the interlock installation and before the registry can issue the restricted licence.
Once your interlock application is approved and your insurance is ready to begin, you can arrange the installation of the device and continue through the reinstatement process.
You need active auto insurance appropriate for the vehicle and your driving situation before returning to the road.
If you are entering the Ignition Interlock Program, insurance is generally put in place before the interlock is installed and before the registry issues your restricted licence.
The exact coverage you need will depend on your vehicle, whether it is financed, the drivers on the policy and your individual circumstances.
DND Insurance will review that with you and make sure the required insurance is ready at the right point in the process.
The exact process depends on your situation, but for many Alberta drivers it looks like this:
- Serve the initial licence suspension.
An IRS Fail begins with an immediate 90-day period where you cannot drive. - Complete the required education program.
This may include AMA Planning Ahead for a first occurrence or AMA IMPACT for repeat occurrences. - Apply for the Ignition Interlock Program, if required or if you are using interlock to obtain restricted driving privileges.
- Get your insurance in place with DND Insurance.
- Book and complete your interlock installation, if required.
- Complete your registry requirements and obtain the appropriate licence before driving.
The important thing is that you don’t have to figure out the entire process on your own. We deal with clients going through these steps every day and can help you understand where insurance fits into your particular situation.
No.
Needing specialized insurance after a DUI or IRS Fail does not mean you will always need it.
As time passes, your driving record changes and you maintain a clean insurance and driving history, your insurance options may improve.
Eventually, you may become eligible for standard auto insurance again.
The timeline is different for every driver, so we can review the dates on your record and help you understand what your path back toward standard insurance may look like.
Cost
This is probably the question we receive most often—and unfortunately there isn’t one price that applies to everyone.
Your insurance premium can depend on factors including:
- Your DUI, IRS Fail and other convictions
- Your overall driving record
- Your insurance history Claims history
- The vehicle you’re insuring
- Where you live
- Who will be driving the vehicle
- The coverage you require
DND Insurance has an exclusive DUI & IRS Fail insurance program through Peace Hills General Insurance Company for qualifying Alberta drivers, which may provide some of the most competitive premiums available for this type of risk.
The only way to know your actual cost is to let us prepare a personalized quote.
Insurance premiums are based heavily on risk.
After a DUI or IRS Fail, an insurance company may consider you a higher-risk driver than you were before the incident. That increased risk can result in a higher premium and fewer available insurance options.
That doesn’t mean every driver with a DUI or IRS Fail should pay the same amount.
Your full driving and insurance history still matters. That’s why we review the entire situation rather than giving you a generic “DUI insurance rate.”
Your rate does not necessarily drop as soon as your suspension ends or your ignition interlock device is removed.
Those are licensing requirements. Insurance companies use their own underwriting and rating rules when determining how long an impaired-driving incident affects your premium.
The good news is that the situation is not permanent. As the incident gets older and you maintain a clean driving and insurance record, your options can improve.
If you give us your driver’s abstract, we can look at the actual dates on your record and explain what you can reasonably expect going forward.
Getting a Quote
Two of the most important things to have ready are:
- Your 5-year driver’s abstract
- Your driver’s licence number
Your driver’s licence number is separate from your MVID number. 6We may also need information about the vehicle you want to insure, the drivers in your household and your current or previous insurance.
Don’t worry if you aren’t sure what you need. Call us first and we’ll tell you exactly what to provide.
In many cases, we can begin working on your quote right away.
The fastest way to get an accurate quote is to have your 5-year driver’s abstract and driver’s licence number ready when you contact us.
Some situations require additional information or underwriting review, so we don’t promise the same turnaround time for every client.
Our goal is simple: get the information we need, explain the process clearly and move your quote forward as quickly as possible.
No.
You do not need to visit our Edmonton office to get insurance through DND Insurance.
Most of the process can be completed by phone and electronically.
That means whether you’re in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat or a smaller Alberta community, our team can help you.
In most cases, yes.
We regularly work with clients entirely by phone, email and electronic documents.
We’ll collect the information required for your quote, explain your coverage, arrange your insurance documents and guide you through the next steps without requiring you to come into the office.
If something in your particular situation requires an additional step, we’ll let you know.
Yes.
DND Insurance is an Alberta brokerage and helps clients throughout the province.
Although our office is located in Edmonton, you do not need to live nearby. We regularly help drivers in communities across Alberta and can complete most of the insurance process remotely.
Yes.
We understand that a DUI, IRS Fail, licence suspension or impaired-driving charge can be a very personal and stressful situation.
Our job isn’t to judge what happened. Our job is to understand your circumstances, explain your insurance options and help you move forward.
Your information is handled professionally and confidentially throughout the quoting and insurance process.
Why DND Insurance?
Because this isn’t simply one type of insurance we happen to sell.
It is our specialty.
DND Insurance has been helping Alberta drivers through DUI, IRS Fail, ignition interlock and licence-reinstatement situations for years. Our team understands the questions that come after an impaired-driving incident because we deal with them every day.
There are several things that make DND different:
We specialize in DUI & IRS Fail insurance.
You don’t have to explain the entire process to a broker who rarely deals with these situations.
We have an exclusive Peace Hills program.
DND Insurance is the only brokerage in Alberta with access to our exclusive DUI & IRS Fail insurance program through Peace Hills General Insurance Company.
We understand the process beyond just the insurance policy.
We regularly help clients understand how insurance fits alongside their suspension, education requirements, ignition interlock and licence reinstatement.
We help clients throughout Alberta.
The process can generally be completed by phone and electronically.
We provide monthly payment options.
Through Insurance Premium Solutions, monthly premium financing is available, including options regardless of credit.
We believe in judgment-free service.
Our goal is to provide compassionate client care, professional guidance and a clear path forward. You made a mistake or found yourself in a difficult situation.
Our job is to help you understand what comes next and get properly insured.
DND Insurance works with Peace Hills General Insurance Company through an exclusive DUI & IRS Fail insurance program available only through our brokerage in Alberta.
This is important because DND is not shopping your DUI or IRS Fail insurance through a long list of insurance companies.
We have one specialized insurance market for this program: Peace Hills.
Because the program has been built specifically for qualifying DUI and IRS Fail drivers, eligible clients may have access to some of the most competitive premiums available for their circumstances.
Not everyone automatically qualifies. Our team reviews your driving record and situation to determine whether you meet the program’s eligibility requirements.
Yes.
DND Insurance offers monthly payment options through Insurance Premium Solutions (IPS), our premium-financing solution.
Instead of paying your entire annual insurance premium upfront, the premium can be financed and paid according to an agreed payment schedule.
One of the advantages of the program is that monthly payment options are available regardless of credit.
When we prepare your insurance quote, we’ll explain both the insurance premium and the payment option so you know exactly what you would be paying before moving forward.
Ready to Move Forward?
Receiving an Immediate Roadside Sanction (IRS) doesn’t mean you’re out of options. At DND Insurance, we’re here to answer your questions, explain your insurance requirements, and help you secure the coverage you need. Contact our experienced Alberta team today and take the next step toward getting back on the road.
What You’ll Need to Get Started
To get started, please have:
- Your 5-year driver’s abstract
- Driver’s license number
- Vehicle information
- Current or previous insurance details
- Any DUI / IRS / interlock paperwork you have.
If you do not have everything ready, call us anyways and we will walk you through what is needed.
