The law requirements for car insurance in Florida

 The law requirements for car insurance in Florida

The minimum coverage as required by law

The minimum coverage in Florida is $10,000 as personal injury coverage (PIP) and $10,000 property damage liability. Florida car coverage would mean a car insurance policy that is issued by a car insurance company based in Florida that is licensed by the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Requirements for buying car insurance in Florida

When you move residence from another state to Florida, you are required to buy the car insurance in Florida that is issued by a Florida insurance company.  When you register a vehicle in Florida, you can transfer the policy in Florida, if you have an existing policy, in another state. You can’t keep the current car insurance policy of another state, when you move to Florida. Most of the insurance companies have their Florida agents and you can contact them to get your car insurance policy suitably changed.

If you fail to have car insurance for a vehicle that has been registered in Florida, your vehicle registration, tag and driving privilege can be suspended. If your driving privilege has been suspended, you may need to pay between $150 - $500 for reinstatement and you must give the proof of Florida car insurance.

Do I need car insurance if I drive in the state but am not a resident of the state?

If you aren’t a resident of Florida, but keep visiting the state on business visits and own a vehicle with Florida registration, you would need to purchase car insurance. This is especially true if you are in Florida for more than 90 days in a year and own a vehicle. However the 90 days don’t need to be consecutive. Even if you have multiple vehicles, you need to maintain car insurance coverage on them, whether they are used or not.

What if I don’t use the vehicle for a period of time?

If you don’t intend to use the vehicle for any period of time, then you should surrender the tag and the registration of the vehicle at the nearest Florida driver license or tag office. This should be done prior to canceling the car insurance policy. Else your driving privilege may be revoked in the state. There is no provision for issuing a temporary or a restricted driver’s license in case the same have been revoked for not owning a car insurance policy