Florida Car Insurance Requirements
The Florida requirements for car insurance are fairly standard. The primary Florida car insurance requirements is liability insurance. This insurance protects the driver or the owner of the vehicle in the event of property damage, injuries caused to another driver, pedestrian injuries, and passenger injuries. The liability acts a shield against high cost law suits.
There are two types of liability coverages. The first one is in the event of bodily injury, liability insurance will protect you against the cost of high medical costs and any work loss. Personal injury will also cover another driver of the vehicle driving the insureds car.
Pip will cover the following persons in the event of an accident; members of your household, your child if riding a school bus, if you are a pedestrian or bicycle rider and are involved in an accident. Passengers in your automobile who do not carry their own personal injury insurance.
For those living in Florida for 90 days or more must also have a minimum of $10,000 personal injury insurance. However, this does not mean the 90 days must be consecutive. The 90 days can be cumulative during the course of the year.
In the event of property damage, the purpose of liability insurance protects the driver against car repairs and personal property damage costs. The required amount for the driver to have is $10,000 in pip (personal injury insurance or no fault insurance) and $10,000 in property in damage. These figures are only the minimum amounts to be carried.
It is state law in Florida that insurance must be delivered to the Dept. of Highway safety and motor vehicles via an electronic transmittal from your insurance company should your insurance be cancelled. In the event that you are not able to present proof of insurance prior to the suspension date, your license and plates will be suspended.
The fines for reinstatements of is as follows;
· $150.00 first offense
· $250.00 second offense and
· $500.00 for each offense thereafter.
· Proof of insurance
Proof of insurance can be presented at your local DHSMV online, your local drivers license bureau or by phone.
There are optional types of insurance that may only be required to have in the event of certain types of accidents. The options are comprehensive and collision which is not required by law but is required by a financer should your car be financed. Underinsured or uninsured insurance, which will help you with your costs if you are not insured or if you do not have enough coverage. The coverage amount of liability can go higher than the minimum of $10,000, dependent on the drivers’ level of desired protection.