Drivers in Florida are solely required to buy low ranges of non-public damage safety and property harm legal responsibility insurance coverage. But because of elevated dangers from uninsured or underinsured motorists, insurance coverage fraud, extreme climate occasions, and extra, many Florida drivers go for extra automobile insurance coverage safety than the state minimums.
“Florida has the third-highest price of deadly auto accidents within the nation and third-highest price of auto thefts,” stated Mark Friedlander, senior director of media relations for the Insurance coverage Info Institute (Triple-I), primarily based in St. Johns, Fla. “It has probably the most litigated private damage claims within the nation,” and “a really excessive stage of auto insurance coverage fraud, particularly staged accident schemes.”
This text delves into how a lot automobile insurance coverage is required in Florida, what added protections Florida drivers ought to take into account, what units Florida automobile insurance coverage aside from different states, and methods Floridians can save on their premiums.
Be taught extra: Automobile insurance coverage charges are climbing. Listed below are 11 methods to save lots of.
Florida is taken into account a “no-fault” state, that means you’re required to buy private damage safety (PIP) that covers accidents you or your passengers could incur in an accident, no matter fault.
Florida drivers are additionally required to pay for property harm legal responsibility (PDL) protection in case they harm property belonging to another person.
The minimal protection restrict for PIP and PDL is $10,000 every per accident.
Be taught extra: Minimal automobile insurance coverage necessities in all 50 U.S. states
Essential be aware: If you happen to maintain critical accidents or die, you or your loved ones can sue the occasion who precipitated the accident to cowl extra medical prices and for ache and struggling.
“Center- to upper-income people personal properties and have belongings to guard, so it is not uncommon for them to hold auto insurance coverage limits above the state-required minimal,” stated Mary Katharine (Croley) Lawler, ARM, company president of Doug Croley Insurance coverage Companies, a division of AssuredPartners that’s primarily based in Tallahassee, Fla.
For ample monetary safety, Triple-I recommends that Florida drivers carry no less than 100/300/100 legal responsibility protection limits, in addition to non-compulsory complete, collision, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages, Friedlander stated.
The numbers “100/300/100” check with $100,000 per individual for bodily damage, $300,000 complete per accident for bodily damage, and $100,000 for property harm.
Be taught extra: What’s legal responsibility automobile insurance coverage and the way a lot do you want?
To make sure you have ample safety from extreme climate hazards, together with windstorms and flooding, Triple-I strongly recommends Florida residents buy non-compulsory complete protection, Friedlander stated.
“Along with climate occasions, complete in Florida additionally consists of protection for theft, vandalism, fireplace, falling objects, putting an animal crossing the highway, and windshield alternative,” he stated. “Florida is one of some states that has no deductible for windshield restore or alternative.”
If you happen to harm your personal automobile or hit an object like a phone pole, collision protection both pays for the restore or pays you in money for the present worth of your automobile. Insurance coverage corporations in Florida usually require you to purchase complete protection earlier than you should purchase collision protection.
Be taught extra: What does collision insurance coverage cowl?
“Florida has the bottom legal responsibility limits within the nation — a key cause why it’s the second-highest state for underinsured motorists,” stated Friedlander.
Friedlander cited a 2025 research from the Insurance coverage Analysis Council, “Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017-2023,” displaying that 38.3% of adults driving within the Sunshine State are underinsured. Moreover, Florida has the seventh-highest proportion of drivers on the highway who’re uninsured, at greater than 20%.
If you’re in an accident and the at-fault occasion is uninsured or underinsured, uninsured/underinsured motorist protection from your personal insurance coverage service can present funds above your PIP for extra medical bills, misplaced wages, ache and struggling, and different bills.
You may also select to buy bodily damage (BI) legal responsibility protection, which pays for the prices of accidents of one other occasion if you’re at fault in an accident. If you’re sued for inflicting this accident, BI protection also can pay your prices to defend your self.
You have to purchase BI protection when you have been at fault for a earlier accident or when you have been cited for sure violations. You’ll be able to go for the minimal limits of $10,000 per individual and $20,000 per accident, however you probably have been convicted of driving underneath the affect, you should buy greater limits — $100,000 per individual and $300,000 per accident, in addition to $50,000 for property harm legal responsibility protection.
The state of Florida makes use of a number of components to find out your particular premium price, and it additionally has a listing of things it’s lawfully not allowed to make use of to calculate pricing.
In line with the Florida Division of Monetary Companies Car Insurance coverage Toolkit, insurance coverage corporations can use these components to find out your premium:
Sort of auto. Costly ones price extra to restore or exchange and are magnets for thieves or vandals.
Driving historical past. Insurance coverage corporations can cost you greater charges or refuse to concern you a coverage relying on the quantity and sort of accidents and/or violations.
Automobile utilization. How a lot distance you usually drive daily performs a job.
Gender. Males have greater than twice as many deadly accidents as females, which drives greater premiums, particularly for males underneath age 25.
Age. Drivers youthful than 25 and older than 65 usually pay greater premiums as a result of they’re concerned in additional accidents.
Credit score historical past. Credit score reviews can be utilized for insurance coverage underwriting in most cases.
ZIP code. For specific areas, insurers will take into account what number of automobiles and other people reside there, the variety of accidents which have occurred within the space, in addition to the circumstances of the roads and the prices to restore automobiles and deal with accidents.
In line with Florida’s Car Insurance coverage Toolkit, underneath Florida legislation, you possibly can’t be refused automobile insurance coverage primarily based solely on the next:
Your gender, ethnicity, nation of beginning, and whether or not you’re married
The place you reside and work, how previous you’re — except these components mixed current larger publicity to danger
You don’t present collateral for insurance policies — although insurers can demand collateral for extra legal responsibility protection
You don’t purchase companies from the insurer which can be outdoors of insurance coverage insurance policies
You’re a public official
If you happen to’ve been beforehand refused protection by one other insurer
Younger drivers, ladies, and senior residents are sometimes the goal of automobile insurance coverage fraud, Lawler stated.
“For instance, a fraudster could reverse into the automobile behind them after which declare that the opposite driver backed into them, which, after all, will not be true,” she stated. “Most industrial automobiles have cameras now, and we’re seeing and recommending that particular person drivers additionally use cameras to guard themselves to seize what actually occurred.”
In 2023, Florida Senate Invoice 1002 was handed into legislation “prohibiting motorized vehicle restore retailers or their staff from providing something of worth to a buyer in trade for making an insurance coverage declare for motorized vehicle glass alternative or restore…”
Windshield repairs have been beforehand “a significant driver” of insurance coverage fraud and frivolous lawsuits in Florida, Friedlander stated.
“Unscrupulous glass alternative distributors preyed upon Florida drivers by soliciting enterprise at fuel stations, automobile washes, and different retail parking tons in search of vehicles with cracked windshields,” he stated. “They might promise reward playing cards in trade for driver signing over their glass declare by way of project of advantages. They might then restore the automobile and cost insurers 5 to 10 instances the going price to interchange a windshield.”
When insurers balked at paying these “outrageous prices,” lawsuits would ensue, Friedlander defined. The price of this excessive stage of “frivolous litigation” was handed alongside to shoppers within the type of greater premiums.
Florida’s auto insurance coverage reform laws additionally eradicated one-way legal professional charges, that means insurers have been chargeable for paying all authorized charges for the plaintiff after they have been sued — an incentive for billboard attorneys to file massive volumes of frivolous lawsuits towards insurers, defined Friedlander.
In line with a Triple-I evaluation, glass declare lawsuits in Florida declined by 500% in 2024 following the reform the yr earlier than. Gov. Ron DeSantis in February introduced that State Farm, Progressive, and GEICO — the highest three U.S. auto insurers by market share — plan to file for price decreases this yr in Florida due to the optimistic impacts the reform has had on decreased auto glass declare lawsuits within the Sunshine State.
Florida is a really aggressive market with dozens of nationwide and regional auto insurers writing protection throughout the state, Friedlander defined.
“When searching for a coverage, we suggest getting no less than three quotes,” he stated. “Working with an area insurance coverage agent may be very helpful to make sure you acquire ample protection and to additionally make it easier to establish quite a few reductions that may considerably cut back the price of your coverage.”
The Florida Workplace of Insurance coverage Regulation provides CHOICES: Auto Price Comparability Instrument, a web based software that gives pattern common charges for a “senior married couple,” “single feminine,” and a “household with younger drivers,” relying on the county you reside in. The information displays info obtained from the latest price filings by insurers.
Be taught extra: Methods to change automobile insurance coverage corporations
Friedlander and Lawler stated most Florida auto insurers provide a wide selection of reductions, together with:
Bundling
Multi-vehicle
Paying your invoice in full
Digital billing
Protected driver
Declare-free
Being an active-duty army member or veteran
Security programs for teen drivers
Good scholar (A or B common)
Security programs for senior drivers
Telematics
Be taught extra: Methods to get all the perfect automobile insurance coverage reductions
Telematics is one other nice solution to save if you’re comfy with having your insurance coverage firm monitor your driving habits by way of a cellular app, Friedlander stated. Telematics seize information on the time of day you drive, what number of miles you drive per day, and your braking and acceleration habits. Nevertheless, some insurers may increase your charges in the event that they detect poor driving habits.
“Insurance coverage corporations don’t pressure you to do telematics — it is as much as you, the patron,” Lawler stated. “Not all insurance coverage corporations provide telematics, and the businesses that do provide the usage of telematics have completely different guidelines and charges. Shoppers have to work with their insurance coverage brokers to find out which choice is finest for his or her particular person wants.”
Above all, be sure to carry the right coverages for your loved ones, Lawler stated. Insurance coverage is fluid — the insurance coverage wants of your family when youngsters are little are completely different than when you’ve teenage drivers or when youngsters transfer out of your house.
“It’s essential that you just work with a licensed insurance coverage agent, whether or not they’re unbiased or working for an insurance coverage firm,” Lawler stated. “They’re in the perfect place that can assist you decide the right coverages and insurance coverage firm for you and your loved ones.”
