Florida Car Insurance

Auto insurance in Florida has several distinct differences from auto insurance in many other states. If you’re moving to the Sunshine State, or if you already live there, it’s important to familiarize yourself with how Florida auto insurance works.
 
Requirements
 
Florida is a “no-fault” insurance state, meaning that auto liability insurance covers you, your passengers and your vehicle regardless of fault in an accident. This is in contrast to the “traditional tort” auto insurance setup in most other states, which mandates that auto liability insurance pays for property damage and personal injury to the other party if you're found at fault.
 
Florida law requires you to carry $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) auto liability insurance. These are among some of the lowest required auto insurance limits in the United States. While one may be tempted to carry minimum insurance, keep in mind both medical bills and the cost to replace a vehicle can easily exceed the $10,000 limit, even in minor accidents.
 
Two other types of auto liability insurance are available in Florida, Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) and Property Damage Liability (PDL). These coverages cover claims for bodily injury and property damage respectively to others if you are found liable in an accident. Note these coverages are not required in Florida as they are in many other states. Even so, many insurance professionals strongly recommend carrying them.
 
Unfortunately, Florida ranks among the worst states for auto insurance fraud. If there’s only a bare-bones policy on your vehicle, you leave yourself dangerously exposed to being victimized by a fraudulent claim.
 
Consider full coverage
 
While there is no statutory full coverage requirement in Florida, bear in mind most auto lenders require full coverage insurance as part of their loan contract. In addition, a liability only policy does not cover theft or vandalism. Failure to secure full coverage while making car payments may result in your lender “force placing” full coverage on your vehicle. Force placed insurance is extremely expensive. Getting full coverage on your own is always the better option.
 
Florida is one of the worst states in the country for auto theft, ranking third in recent statistics. One should strongly consider keeping full coverage even after the car is paid off.
 
Get Florida auto insurance now
 
Because so many people live in Florida on a part-time basis, it is sometimes unclear whether one needs to stay insured in Florida if one is out of state for an extended period. To address this, Florida law specifically requires you to carry Florida auto insurance as long as you have Florida plates on your car. In addition you must carry Florida insurance if you live in Florida for 90 days out of the year, even if they’re not consecutive.
 
Insurance is required to register a vehicle in Florida. If you are caught without insurance, your driving privileges can be suspended for up to three years with no exceptions for driving to work or school. Proof of insurance and a hefty reinstatement fee will be required to get your license back.
 
Fill out our free quote form today to get in touch with a licensed, professional Florida insurance agent who can tailor a cost-effective auto insurance policy to fit your needs.