Florida Car Insurance Laws (2026)

Unlike nearly every other state, Florida car insurance laws don’t require drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage. Instead, Florida drivers must have at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP).^[1]

Because Florida is a no-fault state, drivers must file a claim through their own insurer before suing an at-fault driver.

Auto insurance requirements in Florida

Florida insurance law requires drivers to carry proof of insurance showing they have at least:

• $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance

• $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) insurance

Florida’s $10,000 coverage limits for PIP and PDL are among the lowest car insurance requirements of any U.S. state.

Florida PIP coverage pays 80% of “necessary and reasonable” medical expenses up to $10,000, regardless of who caused an accident. It also covers 60% of a policyholder’s lost wages.

PDL coverage helps pay for damage you cause to someone else’s property, up to $10,000. Florida law requires you to have PIP and PDL coverage in place before registering a motor vehicle.

In certain instances, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles may allow drivers to self-insure. This proof of financial responsibility isn’t the same as an insurance policy.^[2]

To self-insure, you’ll need to apply for a certificate of self-insurance. This requires providing proof of at least $40,000 in unencumbered net worth, excluding your home, other motor vehicles, boats, or aircraft.

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Is state-minimum car insurance in Florida enough coverage?

Florida’s state-minimum coverage of $10,000 PIP and $10,000 PDL is almost never enough to fully protect you financially.

PIP insurance covers only up to 80% of your medical costs, leaving you to pay the rest out of pocket. Additionally, PDL coverage doesn’t pay to repair your vehicle after an auto accident. It covers only damage you cause to others, and only up to your policy limits.

For Florida drivers, the following optional coverages offer greater protection:

• Bodily injury liability (BIL): Bodily injury liability insurance covers medical bills, legal costs, and lost wages for others if you’re at fault in an accident.

• Collision: If a collision with another vehicle or object damages your car, collision coverage helps pay to repair or replace it.

• Comprehensive: Comprehensive coverage protects you financially from non-collision events, such as hail, fire, vandalism, and theft. Florida has the fourth-highest motor vehicle theft rate in the U.S.^[3]

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance (UM/UIM): In Florida, nearly 5% of drivers are uninsured.^[4] UM/UIM insurance pays when the other driver doesn’t have any, or enough, insurance coverage to cover your medical bills and repair costs after an accident.

Penalties for driving without insurance in Florida

Driving without insurance is illegal in Florida. If you miss a premium and your insurance lapses, the insurer will notify the state within 10 days, and you could lose your license and registration for three years. Afterward, the state may require you to file an SR-22, which causes insurers to view you as a high-risk driver.

These are the penalties for driving without insurance in Florida:

Lapse	Penalty
First offense	$150
Second offense	$250
Third and subsequent offenses	$500

Unlike some other states, Florida doesn’t allow a temporary or hardship driver’s license if you let your coverage lapse. This means there’s no getting around a suspension, even if the lapse is accidental.

Even though Florida requires car insurance, more than 835,000 drivers are uninsured, according to state registration records. In Jefferson County, located in the Florida Panhandle, the uninsured motorist rate is as high as 9.6%, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

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Florida is a diminished-value state

Florida is a diminished-value state, meaning it recognizes that a car accident reduces a vehicle’s market value compared to one that hasn’t been in an accident. Even if a vehicle’s repairs are flawless, the fact that it’s been in an accident still affects its market value.

Although Florida follows a no-fault system for bodily injury claims, insurers handle property damage claims on a fault basis. This means you can pursue a diminished-value claim through the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Several factors can affect a diminished value claim, including the vehicle’s age, make, and model, as well as the extent of the damage. Keep photos, accident reports, and repair invoices as documentation to strengthen your claim, as these can show exactly what happened and how a body shop repaired the damage.

Filing a diminished-value claim typically involves documenting the damage and repairs and requesting a professional appraisal of the vehicle’s value after the accident. Once you’ve gathered this information, you can submit it to the at-fault driver’s insurer. After investigating your claim, the insurer may negotiate a settlement.

Florida car insurance laws FAQs