The New Florida Vehicle Insurance Laws You Need to Know in 2024
In today’s article, we shall be looking at the Florida vehicle insurance requirements for anyone that desires to drive within Florida without going against the law.
Basic Information About Driving a Vehicle in Florida
What type of car insurance policy is required by law in Florida? A proof that you have purchased Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) automobile insurance must be presented before you can be allowed to register a vehicle with at least four wheels in Florida.
While your Personal Injury Protection auto insurance covers 80 percent of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000 resulting from a covered injury, no matter who caused the crash, your Property Damage Liability coverage pays for damage to another person’s property caused by you or someone else driving your insured vehicle.
You can only obtain your proof of the personal injury protection automobile insurance coverage and property damage liability insurance from an insurance company with an active license to sell insurance policies in Florida or by qualifying for a self-insurance certificate issued by Florida Highway and Safety Motors.
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Any car with a current Florida registration must:
be insured with PIP and PDL insurance at the time of vehicle registration.
have a minimum of $10,000 in PIP and a minimum of $10,000 in PDL. Vehicles registered as taxis must carry bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage of $125,000 per person, $250,000 per occurrence and $50,000 for (PDL) coverage.
have continuous coverage even if the vehicle is not being driven or is inoperable. Surrender the license plate/tag BEFORE cancelling your insurance.
purchase the policy from an insurance carrier licensed to do business in Florida. (If you are new to the state, you may ask your agent to transfer your current insurance to a Florida policy.)
maintain Florida insurance coverage continuously throughout the registration period regardless of the vehicle’s location.
Florida Car Insurance Law for a Non-Resident
As a non-resident that recently moved to Florida, your vehicle must be registered in Florida, you must be issued a Florida license plate and you must be insured with a Florida policy.:
This includes when you accept employment or engage in a trade, profession or occupation in Florida; or when you enroll your children to be educated in a Florida public school.
You are given a window grace of 10 days to obtain your Florida vehicle registration and license plate after starting your employment.
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You must also have a Florida certificate of title for your vehicle unless an out-of-state lienholder/lessor holds the title and will not release it to Florida.
Florida Car Insurance Requirement When Moving Out of State
When moving out of Florida State for any reason, do not make the mistake of canceling your Florida vehicle insurance until you have duly registered your vehicle in the other state you are moving to or after you have surrendered all valid plates and registrations to a Florida driver license office and motor vehicle service center.
If you are staying with the auto insurance company that sold the policy to you in Florida, they can change your coverage to your current state of residence when you perfect the registration change.
Penalties for Violating the Car Insurance Laws
How car insurance works in Florida is that you must maintain the required insurance coverage throughout the registration period or your driving privilege and license plate may be suspended for up to three years. There are no provisions for a temporary or hardship driver license for insurance-related suspensions.
Turn in your license plate at your nearest driver’s license office and motor vehicle service center or Tax Collector’s office BEFORE canceling your car insurance to avoid suspension and reinstatement fees.
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Failure to maintain required insurance coverage in Florida may result in the suspension of your driver’s license/registration and a requirement to pay a reinstatement fee of up to $500.
