Florida auto insurance quote – The Sunshine State follows the No Fault law when it comes to automobile coverage; this means that all motorists must carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in the amount of $10,000 in order to keep state license plates valid and vehicles registered. States which follow the No Fault law do so to ensure that compensation is in place for injuries regardless of who is found responsible for causing the accident and also to try to reduce the amount of court cases. For instance, if an individual has been involved in a collision with an uninsured motorist, they may not need to file a lawsuit in order to receive compensation for injuries resulting from the collision (unless the limits of their policy are exceeded).

In addition to PIP, motorists must also carry Property Damage Liability (PDL) in the amount of $10,000; this will pay for property damage to a third party caused by the insured as a result of a traffic accident. This covers damages caused by the policyholder and any insured to another person’s vehicle as well as such things as fences and poles. Failure to maintain the required Florida auto insurance will result in the suspension of driving privileges, registration and license plates for up to three years or until proof of coverage is shown to the state. To have driving privileges reinstated, the motorist must pay a reinstatement fee of $150 and up to $500 for subsequent offenses; proof of a policy would need to be shown as well.

Higher FL car insurance Required for Certain Offenses

Motorists who have been involved in a crash or have been convicted of certain traffic offenses may have to purchase additional coverage and higher limits. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, individuals who caused an “at fault” accident which resulted in a third party being injured or sustaining property damage must purchase Bodily Injury Liability in the amounts of at least $10,000 for the bodily injury of one person and $20,000 for bodily injuries for more than one person in addition to the mandatory $10,000 in property damage liability; a combined single limit of $30,000 per occurrence can be purchased. Motorists must submit an SR-22 from their carrier to verify that they have purchased these limits.

Being convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can cause a big financial strain on motorists. Along with court costs and the fines that will have to be paid, those convicted of a DUI must carry quite a bit more coverage than the minimum legal requirements. The state requires that these individuals must carry bodily injury liability limits in the amount of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $50,000 for property damage; verification of these higher limits must be provided to the Bureau of Financial Responsibility with an FR-44 from the insurance provider. Having a DUI on a driver’s record will drive up premiums due to the fact that insurers will view these individuals as a higher risk to insure; combine these high limits required by the state following a conviction and drivers can expect to pay much more than they were previously paying.