Marissa Hayes

Insurance Writer & Expert

Marissa Hayes is a technical editor and contributing writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history, and she was the editor of the literary magazine, The Bluestone Review.

Insurance Writer & Expert

Leslie Kasperowicz

Farmers CSR for 4 Years

Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insuranc...

Farmers CSR for 4 Years

UPDATED: Feb 29, 2012

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Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.

Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.

UPDATED: Feb 29, 2012

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.

Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

UPDATED: Feb 29, 2012Fact Checked

If you live in Florida and you want to legally drive a vehicle, you must carry a certain amount of insurance. This isn’t to say that you have to pay a lot of money for it. Even though you do need coverage, there are ways that you can go about getting Florida discount auto insurance, so you can afford to be legal on the road. This law applies to any vehicle that has four or more wheels, and vehicle owners are required to carry at least the minimum amount of coverage that the law allows.

How Much Coverage do I Need?

Anyone driving a vehicle in Florida must carry a certain amount of insurance. The minimum amount of PIP or personal injury protection that is required is $10,000, and you must also have $10,000 in PDL or property damage liability.

  • Personal Injury Protection – The coverage you receive from this type of policy depends on the limits you and your insurer set. Many things are covered with PIP insurance, which is also referred to as Florida No Fault Insurance. Any members of your household, including children, are covered, as well as passengers who do not have their own personal injury protection coverage. If you have anyone in your vehicle who does carry this type of coverage, they will be required to use their own insurance to pay their expenses following an accident in your vehicle. PIP insurance is not just for passengers in your own vehicles. For example, if your child is injured while riding in the school bus, expenses will be taken care of by your PIP coverage. You are also protected if you are riding a bicycle, walking or in another vehicle owned by someone else and you are injured in an accident.
  • Property Damage Liability Insurance – If you or any other insured drivers are at fault in an accident where there are damages to the property of others, your insurance will cover those expenses up to the limit that is specified in your policy. Any additional damages will be out-of-pocket expenses, and you will be required to pay the deductible. When you stop to think about how quickly the costs can add up after an accident, you won’t be as unhappy about having to pay the insurance premiums.

BIL or Bodily Injury Liability Insurance – What is it?

Other coverage you are required to have in Florida is bodily injury liability insurance. If you are in an accident (at fault), this coverage will pay for serious and/or permanent injuries caused to others, and if death is caused it will pay all expenses. The amount paid depends on the limits that are set in your policy, and you will have legal representation if the other party decides to sue. Coverage includes other drivers who are using your vehicle with your permission, including family members and outside parties.

Moving to Florida

If you do not currently live in Florida, but are planning on moving to the state, you are required to get a new insurance policy. You cannot use the insurance you currently hold in the state you are living in. If you already have all of the coverage that is required in the State of Florida, you can simply request that your policy be transferred to Florida when you register your vehicle. Or, you may want to shop around and see if you can get Florida discount auto insurance and end up with a better deal than you already have.

Never Let Your Insurance Lapse

No matter what state you live in, it is important that you never let your insurance lapse, for a few reasons, including:

  • If you are pulled over by the police and it is discovered that you are not carrying insurance, you could end up having your driving privileges suspended. Your vehicle registration may also be suspended. This suspension can be as long as three years, or until you can provide proof that you have gotten Florida insurance. You will also be required to pay a reinstatement fee. This is a minimum of $150, and can be as much as $500 if you get caught without insurance again.
  • If you are driving without insurance and you get into an accident, you are going to have to pay for all of the expenses yourself. If you are at fault for the accident, you will be required to pay all of the damages for anyone who is in the other vehicle(s). This can add up to a lot of money, and often results in law suits. It is a lot less expensive to pay for Florida discount auto insurance premiums.

It is a lot better to be safe than sorry, and make sure that you always have at least the minimum amount of coverage that is required in Florida. If you move from the area, you must maintain your Florida insurance until you register your vehicle where you are moving to. As long as your vehicle has a Florida registration, you must carry the proper insurance.

Don’t Pay More than You Have To

Just because you are required to carry insurance in Florida, it doesn’t mean that you have to pay a lot for it. You can find many companies that offer Florida discount insurance, and you may be qualified for a number of discounts, including:

  • Safe driver discounts
  • Organization memberships, such as AAA (American Automobile Association)
  • Good grade discounts for young drivers
  • Discounts for having taken a driver training program

The best way to make sure you are getting good deals on your insurance is to check and see what a variety of insurers are offering in the way of products and rates. Not every insurer offers the same thing, and even if you already have coverage, you may want to see if you can get an even better deal on Florida discount car insurance.

We can provide you with free quotes from many Florida insurers. All you have to do is let us know what your requirements are, and you will have your quotes in minutes.

 

Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

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Marissa Hayes

Insurance Writer & Expert

Marissa Hayes is a technical editor and contributing writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history, and she was the editor of the literary magazine, The Bluestone Review.

Insurance Writer & Expert

Leslie Kasperowicz

Farmers CSR for 4 Years

Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insuranc...

Farmers CSR for 4 Years

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.