Florida, a no-fault state, requires drivers to carry a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage liability coverage.
Cassie Sheets has a background in home and garden and real estate content. At Insurify, she translates industry jargon into insights that empower insurance buyers.
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
Mark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
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Car insurance requirements vary widely by state. Florida requires drivers to purchase two primary coverages, but the state’s no-fault insurance system can get complicated. Understanding the specific mandates in Florida will help you comply with the law and avoid facing harsh penalties for driving without sufficient auto coverage.
In addition to the mandatory minimum insurance, drivers often purchase additional coverages to extend their financial protection from at-fault accidents. The overall average monthly rate for car insurance in Florida is $261, which is higher than the national average of $155.
Here’s what you need to know to hit the road with confidence in the Sunshine State.
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Florida car insurance requirements
Florida has a 10/10 minimum requirement, meaning drivers must carry $10,000 in two specific types of motor vehicle coverage. This is among the lowest minimum requirements in the U.S. Knowing what the required car insurance pays for can help you decide if you want to add additional coverage to your policy.
Personal injury protection
The state of Florida requires drivers to carry $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) for all registered cars. PIP coverage protects you and your passengers if you’re injured in a car accident, regardless of who’s at fault. The minimum required PIP insurance covers 80% of your necessary medical expenses, lost wages, and other injury-related costs up to $10,000.[1]
PIP provides financial support as quickly as possible if you sustain injuries in a car accident. Florida is a no-fault state, so drivers need to file medical and economic loss claims with their own insurance companies after a crash, regardless of fault.[2] Unlike most states, Florida doesn’t require bodily injury liability insurance because PIP covers medical bills.
Property damage liability
Florida drivers also need to carry $10,000 in property damage liability coverage. This insurance covers accident-related damage you cause to another person’s vehicle or property. However, property damage liability doesn’t cover damage to your own vehicle.
Collision insurance is typically included in full-coverage policies and pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a car accident, regardless of fault. If you’re concerned about unexpected out-of-pocket expenses, consider purchasing collision coverage to extend coverage to your own vehicle.[3]
Do you need more than state-minimum coverage in Florida?
Liability-only insurance reduces your out-of-pocket costs after an accident, but you may decide you want more coverage. If you stick to Florida’s 10/10 minimum, your insurer will cover up to $10,000 of personal injury-related expenses and $10,000 in property damage for the other driver.
The average monthly cost of liability coverage in Florida is $216, while full coverage averages $306 in the state. Full-coverage policies usually include collision insurance, which pays for repairs for your vehicle after an accident, and comprehensive coverage, which applies to non-accident related damages from theft, vandalism, severe weather, and more.
If you have a limited budget, liability-only coverage could be the best option for you — especially if you drive infrequently or have an inexpensive vehicle. However, if you lease or finance your car, lenders typically require you to purchase full-coverage insurance. Drivers with expensive or new vehicles can benefit from purchasing a more robust policy.
Good to Know
Insurance professionals recommend purchasing additional coverage because the cost of a severe at-fault car accident can quickly surpass the required liability insurance. For example, the average economic cost of a disabling car accident is $155,000, according to National Safety Council data.5 Purchasing coverage beyond the minimum offers more financial protection.
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The cost of liability-only car insurance in Florida
The average liability-only policy in Florida costs $216 monthly, but some insurers offer more affordable rates. Liability insurance options vary by state, but the coverage required in Florida helps pay for your medical costs and lost wages after an accident and damage to the other driver’s vehicle or property through PIP and property damage liability coverage.
Liability-only insurance doesn’t cover damage to your vehicle from an auto accident or severe weather. You also won’t have coverage if you hit a deer or puncture your tire driving over a pothole, for example. In those scenarios, you would need comprehensive or collision insurance. Because liability coverage is more limited, it’s also more affordable.
You can find the average cost of liability insurance from auto insurers in Florida below.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Thursday, November 30 at 11:00 AM PST.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
The cost of full-coverage car insurance in Florida
Full-coverage insurance is more expensive, but it’s worth the higher monthly payment if you want to avoid considerable unexpected expenses. These policies typically include liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. The average monthly cost of full-coverage car insurance in Florida is $306, but drivers can find better deals if they shop around.
Here are the average rates for full-coverage insurance from different companies in Florida.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Thursday, November 30 at 11:00 AM PST.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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Penalties for driving without proof of insurance in Florida
Penalties for driving without insurance in Florida are severe. Drivers can face the following consequences if they allow insurance to lapse:
Driver’s license suspension: This can last for up to three years.
License plate and registration suspension: This can last for up to three years.
License reinstatement fee: You could face a fee of up to $500 to restore driving privileges.
You need to maintain continuous coverage for all vehicles with four or more wheels in Florida. Even if you no longer drive the car, or it’s nonfunctional, you still need to carry the state minimum insurance. Florida also doesn’t offer provisions for temporary or hardship licenses if your license suspension was insurance-related.
Optional car insurance coverages to consider
In addition to the required PIP and property damage liability insurance, you can purchase additional car insurance. Common optional coverages include:
Collision coverage
This helps pay for your repairs if your vehicle sustains damage in a collision with another car or object such as a tree, fence, or light pole. It can also pay in case of a rollover accident or pothole damage. Collision coverage also covers the actual cash value of your vehicle, which is the value of your car factoring in depreciation.
Comprehensive coverage
If a non-collision event causes damage to your vehicle, comprehensive coverage kicks in to help pay for car repair or replacement costs. This applies to damage from severe weather, natural disasters, fire, theft, vandalism, cracked windshields (with no deductible in Florida) and more. Florida's frequent weather events, including hurricanes, torrential rains, and flooded roads, can make comprehensive coverage particularly valuable to the state's drivers.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
If you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver, this coverage pays for your costs. In Florida, your PIP insurance covers injury-related expenses for you and your passengers, but you could face a hefty repair bill if the other driver doesn’t have property damage liability coverage. You can also purchase underinsured motorist coverage, which protects you if a driver doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your damages after an accident. Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country; 20.4% of the state's drivers are uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council.
Gap coverage
Also called guaranteed asset protection, gap insurance covers the difference between what you owe on your car and your vehicle’s actual cash value if you total your vehicle or someone steals it. Gap coverage helps you pay off your auto loan, so you’re not stuck with payments for a car you can’t drive.
Accident forgiveness
This optional coverage can prevent a rate increase following your first at-fault accident. Typically, you'll need to have a good driving history with no recent at-fault accidents to be eligible for accident forgiveness coverage.
Florida car insurance requirements FAQs
Florida has severe penalties for driving while uninsured or underinsured, so it’s important to understand the state’s car insurance requirements. Here’s what you need to know to make sure you have the right amount of coverage.
Is car insurance required in Florida?
Yes. Florida drivers must carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP and $10,000 in property damage liability coverages. Under state law, drivers must surrender their license plates to cancel car insurance policies. Otherwise, drivers need to carry continuous coverage, even for vehicles they don’t drive.
Drivers without the mandatory minimum auto insurance face severe penalties under Florida law, including three years of license suspension and a reinstatement fee of up to $500.
Do you need car insurance to register a car in Florida?
Yes. Florida drivers must show proof of insurance to register a car. If you want to drive any vehicle with four or more wheels in the state, you first need to secure the mandatory minimum in personal injury protection and property damage liability coverage from a company licensed to sell insurance in Florida.
Does insurance follow the car or the driver in Florida?
In Florida, insurance coverage follows the car. Whether your babysitter uses your car for after-school pickups or a friend borrows it for a weekend getaway, for example, your insurance will typically cover your vehicle if someone else is driving it, and you've given them permission to use your car. In most states, including Florida, when you lend your car to someone, you also lend them your insurance coverage.
If the driver who borrows your car has an accident, your PIP and property damage liability coverage follows the vehicle. Even if you’re not driving, your insurance can help pay for medical costs, lost wages, and damage to the other driver’s car or surrounding property.
What’s the new law for auto insurance in Florida?
Florida car insurance laws underwent a major change in March 2023 with the enactment of House Bill (HB) 837. The sweeping tort reform aims to protect insurance companies from fraud and frivolous lawsuits.
However, policyholders may have less power to sue insurers for underpaid or denied claims because HB 837 ended one-way attorney fees. Previously, plaintiffs could receive reimbursements for attorney fees if they won any amount of recovery, but they ’re now responsible for their own legal costs.
However, despite reforms, "the volume of auto claim-related lawsuits being filed in Florida is still at an extreme level compare to most other states," said Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications at the Insurance Information Institute.
Is Florida a no-fault state?
Yes. Florida is a no-fault state for car insurance. In no-fault states, drivers file claims with their own insurance companies if they get into an accident, regardless of who’s at fault. In at-fault states, drivers responsible for accidents must file a claim with their insurers to cover the cost of car repairs and medical bills for the other party involved.
Cassie Sheets has more than nine years of experience creating compelling content for clients, brands, and local news sites. She started her career at Movoto Real Estate, where she transformed dry data into interesting insights for potential homebuyers. She’s since covered a wide range of topics, from pop culture news to home and garden trends.
Before joining Insurify, Cassie wrote engaging landing pages and blog posts for medical practices at MyAdvice. Now, she uses her knack for diving into the latest data and pulling out key details to empower insurance buyers.
Cassie holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago. In her free time, you can find her exploring the city with her dog, trying not to fall over in yoga classes, and petting cats at the shelter.
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
Mark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
