How Much Car Insurance Do I Need in Florida?

While car insurance laws vary by state, most states — with the exception of Virginia and New Hampshire — require drivers to carry insurance or show proof of financial responsibility to be able to drive their vehicles lawfully. In Florida, vehicles with at least four wheels must be insured at the time of registration.

The best car insurance companies will offer you coverage options and limits that meet or exceed what’s required in your state. However, knowing how much of which types of coverage you’re legally responsible to carry can help you make better-informed decisions when shopping for auto insurance.

Table of contents

• Is car insurance required in Florida?
• Types of car insurance coverage
• Car Insurance Coverage FAQs
• Summary of How Much Car Insurance Do I Need in Florida

Is car insurance required in Florida?

To register a four-wheeled motor vehicle in Florida, said vehicle must first be insured. If you drive a motorcycle, trike, scooter or other non-standard vehicle, you are not legally required to have insurance at the time of registration. Nevertheless, you would still be financially responsible for damages you cause if you’re involved in an accident.

How much car insurance coverage do I need in Florida?

Florida residents must show proof of two types of coverage when they register their cars: personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL). The minimum required for a private passenger vehicle is $10,000 per person for each type of required coverage. There may be a deductible of up to $1,000 for PIP coverage and $500 for PDL.

For taxi owners, limits increase to $125,000 per person in bodily injury liability (BIL) and $5,000 per incident, and $250,000 per person in PDL.

As per the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Floridians are also required to have continuous car insurance coverage — even for vehicles that are inoperable — and hand in their license plate before canceling their auto insurance policy.

Non-residents must also register their vehicles in Florida, have a state license plate and purchase an auto policy from an insurance carrier or agent that is licensed to sell insurance in the state. If you are employed in Florida or enroll children in school there but reside in a different state, you have ten days from the time of enrollment or start of employment to register your vehicle and obtain your Florida tags.

State minimum car insurance requirements

The following are the minimum car insurance requirements in Florida:

Types of Coverage Required at Registration	Minimum Amount of Coverage Required
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)	$10,000 per person
Property Damage Liability (PDL)	$10,000 per person

Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Types of car insurance coverage

While only two types of coverage are legally required in Florida, drivers may still want to consider additional coverage depending on their level of risk and the value of their vehicle.

The following are common types of car insurance coverage available from both national and regional insurance carriers and agents:

Personal Injury Protection

Personal Injury Protection (PIP), also known as no-fault insurance, can cover medical bills for the treatment of covered injuries you or your passengers sustain. It may also cover lost wages if you or your passengers are unable to work because of the accident. And unlike other types of coverage, PIP pays out regardless of who is at fault.

In states with no-fault laws, such as Florida, you’re required to carry at least the legally required minimum in PIP coverage — in this case, $10,000. After an accident, each party involved must file a claim with their own insurer.

No-fault laws aim to minimize litigation, meaning the right to sue and take small claims cases to court. However, if you suffer losses beyond the monetary ones covered under your policy’s PIP component, you may still take legal action.

According to Florida Statutes, you may sue for damages if you suffer any of the following:

• Permanent loss of an important bodily function
• Permanent injury
• Scarring or disfigurement
• Death

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability (PDL) coverage pays out in the event you are responsible for damages to another person’s vehicle or property (such as a fence or mailbox). This coverage is legally required in most states, including Florida.

It’s important to note that PDL will only cover damages to another person’s car, not your own. If you want to be financially protected against damages to your vehicle in the event of an accident, consider purchasing collision coverage.

Bodily Injury Liability

Another component of liability coverage is bodily injury liability (BIL), which pays for injuries (or death) to others and your own legal fees in the event of an at-fault accident. As Florida requires drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection and file claims with their own insurers, BIL is not a required coverage — in most cases.

According to the Florida Bar, bodily injury liability coverage may be required for up to three years after your license is reinstated following a DUI conviction. In such a case, you will need to purchase $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident in BIL, in addition to $50,000 in property damage liability.

As mentioned above, Florida taxi drivers are also required to purchase $125,000 per person in BIL in addition to property damage coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage affords financial protection if you’re involved in an accident with a driver that doesn’t have insurance or only purchased the minimum amount of liability coverage that’s legally required.

Say, for example, that an accident with a negligent driver left your car totaled, but that driver only purchased $10,000 in property damage liability. In such a case, the at-fault driver’s insurance will not cover the cost of replacing your vehicle. Similarly, if you were the victim of a hit and run, UM coverage could pay for the damages — up to the limits of your policy.

According to 2019 data from the Insurance Research Council, Florida is one of 10 states with the highest estimated percentage of uninsured drivers — 20%. So while this coverage isn’t legally required, it could be worth the additional cost.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage, also known as “other than collision” coverage, will cover theft or physical damage to your vehicle caused by perils such as hurricanes, floods, fires, falling objects, vandalism and damage caused by animals.

Comprehensive coverage is not required in any state, but if you’re financing your car, your lender may require you to purchase it. The maximum amount of comprehensive coverage you can purchase is generally tied to the actual cash value of your vehicle. And this optional coverage also carries its own deductible.

Collision

Collision coverage can help you pay to repair or replace your car after a collision with another vehicle or object. Just like comprehensive coverage, collision coverage isn’t legally mandated in any state, but your auto lender may require you to carry it. You must also meet a collision deductible before your coverage kicks in, and the maximum amount of coverage you can get will depend on the value of your vehicle.

Medical Payments

Medical payments (MedPay) coverage can help you and your passengers cover medical expenses after an accident, no matter who is at fault. Florida residents aren’t legally required to carry coverage for medical payments, as PIP insurance already affords coverage for medical expenses.

MedPay is also different from bodily injury liability, which covers medical expenses for drivers you injure in an at-fault accident — but not for you or your passengers.

Summary of How Much Car Insurance Do I Need in Florida

• If you live or work in Florida and drive a vehicle with four or more wheels, you are legally required to carry $10,000 worth of personal injury protection (PIP) and another $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage.
• PIP coverage can pay for your medical costs and those of your passengers if you’re injured in a covered accident. It may also cover your lost wages if you’re unable to work due to the accident.
• PDL coverage can pay for damages you cause to another driver’s vehicle or property.
• Florida taxi drivers and individuals who have had their drivers license reinstated following a DUI must also carry bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage.
• While other coverage options are merely optional in Florida, depending on your risks and the vehicle you drive you may also want to consider uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, collision coverage or comprehensive coverage.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can pay out in the event you’re the victim of a hit and run or are struck by a driver who doesn’t have insurance or only has the minimum in property damage liability coverage and your vehicle’s repair costs exceed $10,000.
• Collision coverage can pay to repair or replace your car if you’re in a collision with another vehicle or object, regardless of who is at fault.
• Comprehensive coverage can pay to repair or replace your car if it’s stolen or damaged due to a covered peril, such as storms, floods and fires, among others.