Florida requires the owner of every registered vehicle with at least four wheels to carry at least $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL). Unlike most states, Florida doesn’t require bodily injury liability coverage for most drivers, though it can be required after certain crashes and violations.
Florida also expects continuous coverage. You need insurance as long as the car is registered, even if you aren’t driving it, and a lapse can suspend your license and plate.
Key Takeaways
- Florida requires $10,000 of PIP and $10,000 of property damage liability. Bodily injury liability isn’t required for most drivers.
- You must keep coverage as long as your car is registered, even if it isn’t being driven. Turn in your plate before you cancel.
- Letting coverage lapse can suspend your license and registration for up to three years, with reinstatement fees of up to $500.
- A DUI conviction brings an FR-44 filing with 100/300/50 limits for three years, and other violations can require an SR-22.
Florida Minimum Car Insurance at a Glance
| Coverage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | $10,000 |
| Property damage liability (PDL) | $10,000 |
| Bodily injury liability | Not required for most drivers. Can be required after certain crashes, suspensions or a DUI. |
| Uninsured motorist | Must be included in any policy with bodily injury liability unless you reject it in writing |
| Collision and comprehensive | Not required by law, but usually required by lenders and lessors |
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) says you must show proof of PIP and PDL before you register a vehicle with at least four wheels, and the policy has to come from an insurer licensed in Florida.
Who Has to Carry Florida Insurance
Under Florida Statutes section 627.733, every owner or registrant of a vehicle that must be registered in Florida has to keep this coverage. The requirement can apply to nonresidents too. The law applies once a nonresident’s vehicle has been in Florida for more than 90 days during the previous 365 days. FLHSMV also says nonresidents who take a job in Florida or enroll their children in Florida public schools must get a Florida registration, plate and insurance policy within 10 days.
How Florida PIP Works
Florida is a no-fault state, so your own PIP pays part of your injury costs no matter who caused the crash. Under section 627.736, PIP pays:
- 80% of reasonable medical expenses, up to the $10,000 limit, if you get initial treatment within 14 days of the accident
- 60% of lost income, which counts toward the same $10,000 limit as medical benefits
- A $5,000 death benefit
Medical benefits are capped at $2,500 if a provider determines you didn’t have an emergency medical condition. Skipping PIP also has a cost: an owner without the required coverage has no immunity from lawsuits and can be personally liable for the benefits PIP would have paid. Bills to repeal Florida’s PIP requirement died in March 2026, so PIP is still required. RateFrog’s guide to PIP and no-fault insurance explains more.
Bodily Injury Liability and Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Even though most drivers don’t have to carry bodily injury liability, it’s the coverage that pays when you injure someone else. Without it, you could be personally responsible for those costs. Taxis must carry it at $125,000 per person and $250,000 per occurrence, and some drivers have to add it after certain crashes or violations.
If you do buy bodily injury liability, Florida’s uninsured motorist law requires the policy to include UM coverage unless a named insured rejects it in writing. The rejection form has to carry this warning in bold type: “You are electing not to purchase certain valuable coverage which protects you and your family or you are purchasing uninsured motorist limits less than your bodily injury liability limits when you sign this form. Please read carefully.” You can also choose lower UM limits in writing instead of rejecting it. Insurers may also offer non-stacked UM at a lower price. RateFrog’s guide to uninsured motorist coverage explains how it works.
Proof of Insurance in Florida
Florida law requires drivers to have proof of the required coverage “in his or her immediate possession at all times” while driving. Section 316.646 allows proof on a phone or other electronic device, and showing it doesn’t give an officer permission to look at anything else on the device.
Failing to carry proof is a nonmoving traffic infraction. The court clerk may dismiss the charge, for a fee of up to $10, if you show that coverage issued to you was in effect at the time. If you own the car and can’t show that by your court date, your license and registration will be suspended after you’re convicted. Insurers must report cancellations and nonrenewals to FLHSMV within 10 days, so a lapse doesn’t go unnoticed.
Penalties for Not Having Insurance in Florida
FLHSMV says that if you don’t keep the required coverage, “your driving privilege and license plate may be suspended for up to three years.” There’s no hardship license for insurance-related suspensions. To get them back, you have to buy coverage that meets the state’s reinstatement rules, give proof that it’s in force, keep that proof in place for two years, and pay a reinstatement fee under section 324.0221:
| Reinstatement within three years | Fee |
|---|---|
| First | $150 |
| Second | $250 |
| Third or later | $500 |
The fee drops back to $150 after three years without a second reinstatement. To avoid the whole problem, FLHSMV says to turn in your license plate at a driver license office, motor vehicle service center or tax collector’s office before you cancel your insurance. RateFrog’s guide to what happens when your insurance lapses covers the broader risks.
SR-22 and FR-44 in Florida
Florida uses two kinds of proof filings:
| Filing | When it’s required | Minimum limits | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR-22 | After certain judgments, some DUI-related suspensions, or point suspensions when you had no bodily injury and property damage liability. A DUI conviction after October 1, 2007 requires an FR-44 instead | $10,000 per person, $20,000 per crash and $10,000 property damage | 3 years |
| FR-44 | After a DUI conviction (for convictions after October 1, 2007) | $100,000 per person, $300,000 per crash and $50,000 property damage | 3 years from reinstatement |
The FR-44 limits come from section 324.023, and FLHSMV’s DUI FAQ says the FR-44 must be kept “for three years from the date of reinstatement of their driving privilege.” RateFrog’s SR-22 and FR-44 guide explains how the filings work.
If You Can’t Find Coverage
The Florida Automobile Joint Underwriting Association (FAJUA) offers coverage to licensed drivers and vehicle owners who haven’t been able to buy insurance from other companies. You apply through a licensed insurance agent.
How Florida Insurers Set Rates
Florida lets insurers use credit information, with limits. Under section 626.9741, an insurer:
- Can’t make an adverse decision based only on your credit report or score
- Must tell you when it requests a credit report or score
- Must give you the four primary reasons for an adverse decision
- Must treat a missing or thin credit history as neutral or leave credit out, unless the state Office of Insurance Regulation has approved a different approach based on evidence that it relates to risk
- Must offer an exception process if your credit was hurt by a divorce, the death of a spouse or a temporary job loss
If you’re comparing insurers in Florida, RateFrog’s articles on whether GEICO is good in Florida and whether GEICO is cheaper in Florida may help.
Is Florida’s Minimum Coverage Enough?
Florida’s minimum is one of the thinnest in the country. With no bodily injury liability, you have no coverage for injury claims or lawsuits brought against you, and $10,000 of property damage liability may not cover much of the damage to another car. RateFrog’s guides to liability limits and how much car insurance you need can help you decide what to add, and you can compare car insurance quotes at several coverage levels.
Where to Get Help
The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Consumer Services answers insurance questions at (850) 413-3089, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, and takes concerns through its online Consumer Assistance Portal. If your insurer cancels for nonpayment, Florida law requires at least 10 days’ notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bodily Injury Liability Required in Florida?
Not for most drivers. A vehicle registered as a taxi must carry it, and you may have to add it after certain crashes, suspensions or a DUI. Without it, you could be personally responsible for injuries you cause.
Do I Need Insurance If My Car Isn’t Being Driven?
Yes, as long as it’s registered. FLHSMV says you need continuous coverage even if the vehicle isn’t being driven or doesn’t run. Turn in your plate before canceling to avoid a suspension.
Can I Show Proof of Insurance on My Phone in Florida?
Yes. Florida law allows electronic proof, and showing it doesn’t let the officer access anything else on your device.
How Long Do I Need an FR-44 in Florida?
Three years from the date your driving privilege is reinstated.
Sources
- Florida HSMV: Insurance Requirements
- Florida Statutes section 627.733
- Florida Statutes section 627.736
- Florida Statutes section 627.727
- Florida Statutes section 316.646
- Florida Statutes section 318.18
- Florida Statutes section 324.0221
- Florida Statutes section 324.023
- Florida Statutes section 324.131
- Florida HSMV: DUI FAQs
- Florida Statutes section 626.9741
- Florida Automobile Joint Underwriting Association
- Florida Department of Financial Services: Consumer Services