What’s the Law About Car Insurance in Florida?

Florida has rigorous regulations and legislation governing all aspects of car ownership. Insurance is of course a necessity for vehicle owners who live in this state.

Understanding the ins and outs of auto insurance laws for Floridians is sensible.  Both to ensure that you are compliant with them, and that you can also keep the costs of cover to a minimum.  So keep reading to bring yourself up to speed.

The basics

There are two types of insurance that are needed as a minimum if you want to own a car in Florida, as the state authorities insist on motorists having both PIP (personal injury protection) as well as PDL (property damage liability) with base level cover of $10,000 for each.

You’ll need to go further still in the case that your car is registered as a taxi. Topping this up with BIL (bodily injury liability) of at least $125,000.

If you don’t adhere to the fundamental legal obligations of Florida’s auto insurance laws, you could have your license suspended.  That will  cost you $500 to get it reinstated. 

Things will be much worse if you drive without insurance and are involved in an accident.  Therefore, of course you could be liable for the full costs incurred.

Finding cheap insurance that covers Florida’s minimum requirements

The good news is that car insurance in Florida which is up to code doesn’t need to cost the earth. In fact, thanks to comparison sites like Cheap Insurance, anyone can find affordable cover in Florida, as well as further afield.

It’s important to compare quotes from as many insurance providers as possible, because not all will give the best deal to Florida residents, while some might have packages set up specifically for locals.

State-specific considerations

Speaking of the things that make Florida unique when it comes to car insurance, it’s worth noting that policies tend to be more expensive here than the national average.

The reason behind this is nothing to do with the driving habits of Floridians, but rather the climate. Extreme weather conditions can crop up here quite often, with tropical storms leading to property damage, including cars.

As such, insurers have to factor this into the prices they charge. This factor could also influence how you store your vehicle.  As even small steps can protect it from unwanted damage over the years.

Post-conviction considerations

Like lots of other states, Florida requires anyone who has been convicted of a serious driving offense to apply for an SR22 form.  In order to get back behind the wheel once more, with insurance in tow.

SR22 insurance is filed by the provider, rather than the customer.  However in order to get this must-have document that recognizes your BIL and PDL minimum coverage.   If you are in this situation, you’ll need to make it clear at the point of applying for insurance.

Failing to disclose this, or being inaccurate in any other way on your car insurance application, will usually render it invalid.  Along with any cover and liability protection it includes. So there’s no point being dishonest to make a saving.  As this won’t help if you are involved in an accident.

Final thoughts

Florida’s car insurance laws are roughly in line with what you would expect to find across the rest of the country. 

There are only a handful of states that don’t have minimum insurance requirements.  Even here you will need to register as uninsured and confirm that you will cover costs if found liable for an accident.

Doing your research, comparing insurance quotes and reading up on the laws that apply to car owners in Florida will let you drive safely.  With full protection of your finances.

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