Florida Auto Insurance

We know that Florida auto insurance can be very confusing. With so many different coverage options, it’s difficult to tell what you really need or don’t need. Use our Q & A format below and our interactive tools to the right to answer all of your questions.

Get Florida Auto Insurance Quotes Now

Or call us toll free for a fast phone quote 1-888-929-2467.

What are the Florida auto insurance requirements?

What other coverages are available on a Florida auto insurance policy?

How can I save money on my auto insurance?

How does insurance pay if I am in an accident?

What are the Florida auto insurance requirements?

*Be very careful here when shopping for Florida auto insurance. All too often we hear drivers say, “I just need the minimum state requirements for right now. We can look at raising the coverage up in the furture”. While we understand you want to make sure you are paying the best rate for your auto insurance, make sure you are not sacrificing protection to get there. There is nothing like getting into an accident and hearing those infamous words “we’re sorry, that’s not covered”. Currently a very minimal amount of insurance is all that’s required to register your auto in Florida.

Florida Auto Insurance Requirements:

A minimum of $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP).
A minimum of $10,000 of property damage liability.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

This covers you in an accident, regardless of fault. The coverage is $10,000. PIP pays:

80 percent of reasonable medical expenses.
60 percent of lost wages.
Up to $5,000 death benefit.

Property Damage Liability

This pays for damage to property owned by others accidentally caused by you or the driver of your auto.

Covers property such as fences, utility poles, buildings, automobiles, etc.

So, if you are at fault for an accident, and all you have is the minimum Florida auto insurance requirements:

Your policy would pay up to $10,000 to repair the damage you caused to the other party under you Property Damage Liability. If you or a passenger get injured in the accident and need to see a doctor your Personal Injury Protection will pay 80% of your medical bills up to $10,000 and you could be subject to a $1,000 deductible before it even starts to pay. That’s it!

What if you need more? You could have purchased more, but this is all the minimum florida auto insurance requirement covers. If you injured someone and need to pay for their medical expenses, your on your own. Repairs for damage to your auto comes out of your pocket. If you need to be towed from the accident scene or need a rental car? You guessed it. Your on your own. So review this very carefully.

*Notice: Bodily Injury Liability insurance is not required to register an auto under Florida law. However, if you are involved in an accident you could be required to have bodily injury coverage in order to meet the requirements of the “Florida Responsibility Law”. If you do not have bodily injury liability coverage at the time of the accident you could be responsible for paying tens of thousands of dollars, out of your own pocket, to the individuals you may have injured. The state of Florida can suspend your driver’s license until all restitution is paid. That’s why Statewide Insurance and the Insurance Information Institute recommend carrying $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $300,000 per accident as well as $100,000 in property damage liability.

Bodily Injury Liability

Pays for injury you cause to others while driving your auto. This also pays for your legal expenses incurred.
Is strongly recommended.
Is not mandated by Florida law unless you have demonstrated financial irresponsibility following a previous accident.
If you are at fault for an accident, and do not carry bodily injury, your license will be suspended until you can pay back restitution to the injured party. You will also be required to carry bodily injury and a financial responsibility filing for 3 years.

What other coverages are available on a Florida auto insurance policy?

Medical payments. Most carriers offer up to $10,000 for medical payments. This pays for medical expenses due to an auto related injury.
Uninsured motorist. In the event you are injured by someone who does not have insurance or enough insurance to pay for your medical expenses. It also pays for lost wages and a death benefit up to the limit you choose. You cannot carry more uninsured motorist coverage than you carry for bodily injury liability, so keep that in mind when you make your purchase.
Comprehensive coverage. Pays for damages to your auto outside of an accident. For example, theft, vandalism, windstorm, or if you strike an animal. Comprehensive also covers damage to your glass. In Florida if your front windshield is damaged, your carrier will replace it at a zero deductible regardless of the deductible you choose for this coverage.
Collision coverage. Pays for damage to your auto when it is involved in a collision.
Car rental coverage. Pays or helps pay for a rental vehicle while your auto is being repaired due to damage covered under the comprehensive or collision portion of your policy.
Towing and labor. Pays for towing or service costs associated with a breakdown or locksmith in the event you lock your keys in your car.
Gap coverage. If your auto is totaled and you owe more than what the auto is worth, the gap coverage will pay off the loan amount.

How can I save money on my auto insurance?

The best way to save money on your auto insurance in Florida is to shop around. Our experts have access to more than 10 top Florida auto insurance companies. Get a quote now!
Mature Driver. If you are 55 or older, you may qualify for a discount by successfully completing an accident prevention course. For more information, contact the AARP at 1-888-687-2277, or the National Safety Council at 1-800-621-7615.
Retired? If you have retired or otherwise do not earn wages, you may reduce your premium by excluding coverage for lost wages.
Deductible. You may increase your deductible in order to reduce your premium, but you should carefully consider such factors as how much of a discount you will receive for a given deductible, and how much you can afford to pay for each claim.
Good driver discounts. Many companies offer discounts to policyholders with accident free driving records and violations for an extended period of time.
Older Vehicle. You may drop collision and/or comprehensive coverage on older vehicles because of their decreased value, unless a lienholder, such as a bank, requires it.
Restraint Systems and Anti-theft Devices. Companies may offer discounts for certain
equipment such as anti-lock brakes, air bags, anti-theft devices or vehicle-recovery systems.
Type of auto. Newer, more expensive cars are more costly to repair or replace, and insurance prices reflect this.
Territory. Where you keep and drive the auto, population, and the number of accidents in an area can all affect risk. This is why drivers in heavily poplulated cities will generally pay more for insurance than rural drivers.
Usage. Someone who drives fewer miles, say only to work or for pleasure, will pay lower rates than someone who puts many miles on or uses their auto for commercial purposes.
Gender. Statistics show that men have twice as many fatal accidents as women. Insurance companies typically charge higher premiums for males, especially those younger than 25.
Age. Statistically, Florida drivers younger than 25
or older than 65 make up a larger share of people involved in accidents, and may pay higher premiums.
Credit history. Insurance companies are permitted to use credit history as one of the factors that determine risk, and therefore premium cost.

How does insurance pay if I am in an accident?

If you are at fault for the accident your policy should pay the damages to the other party, under your property damage liability, up to the limit you carry. If you do not have enough coverage to cover these expenses you could be responsible for the remaining expenses out of pocket. If you injure the other party, your bodily injury liability should pay for their medical expenses and lost wages, up to the limit you carry. If your bodily injury limit is not enough to cover their medical expenses you could again be liable for paying those additional expenses on your own. With soaring medical costs and the costs of vehicles rising it is very important to make sure you have enough liability to protect you.
If someone in your vehicle is injured, the first coverage to respond is always your personal injury protection. This pays if you are the driver, passenger, or a pedestrian involved in an accident regardless of who is at fault. See payout information for PIP above.
The damage to your auto should be covered by your collision coverage. This will pay for the cost of damages less your deductible. If you carry towing coverage your policy will pay the limit to have your auto towed. If you carry car rental coverage and need a rental auto while your auto is being repaired this expense would be covered up to the limit as well.

If another party is at fault for the accident the other party’s insurance is liable to pick up the tab.(If they are insured)
If you are injured you are still required to file a personal injury claim with your carrier. In Florida, since we are a no fault state, we are each required to pay the first $10,000 of our own medical bills before the other party pays. Our PIP pays this expense, however, it only pays 80% of medical expenses. This means you could pay 20% of up to $10,000 out of your own pocket before the other party pays anything. This is why it is important to carry medical payments. Medical payments pays up to the limit you carry with no percentages, deductibles, or co-pays. If you carry at least $2,000 in medical payments it should be sufficient to cover your 20% responsibility.
If your injuries exceed the $10,000 PIP covers, the other party’s bodily injury liability should pay the overages for those expenses as well as lost wages.
As for damages to your auto, the other party’s property damage liability should pay for the cost to repair your auto as well as your towing expenses and car rental expenses.
If you are injured your PIP and medical payments still apply as above.
If your injuries exceed the $10,000 PIP covers, this is where uninsured motorist would begin to pay additional medical costs and lost wages.
As for damages to your auto, you would have to file against your insurance company under the collision coverage of your policy and your deductible would apply. You would also need to file against your insurance company if you carry car rental or towing coverages.

The Florida Financial Responsibility Law:

“Requires that any person at fault in a crash resulting in bodily injury and property damage to others must have in effect at the time of the crash full liability insurance coverage. This coverage includes minimum limits of bodily injury liability of $10,000 per person, $20,000 per crash, $10,000 property damage liability per crash, and personal injury protection limits of $10,000 per person per crash.”

Source: Bureau of Financial Responsibility

Serving all of Florida, including Tampa, St Petersburg, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Tallahasse, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Pembroke Pines, Dade City, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills

Disclaimer: This is only an example of how coverage could apply and does not represent any guarantee of coverage. This site contains general information relating to Florida auto insurance and is not intended to be a substitute for the law.

Auto Insurance Quote

Get auto insurance quotes from top Florida insurance companies. We make it easy with our Single Entry Form.

Auto Quote

Insurance Basics

Auto Insurance Basics

Auto insurance basics walks you through a Florida auto insurance policy in this interactive guide.

Insurance Basics

Better Coverage Basics

Coverage Selector

View all of the coverages available to you on your Florida auto insurance policy with this interactive tool.

Coverage Selector