Florida Car Insurance

Car insurance fraud is a big deal in Florida, and unlucky drivers get stuck paying higher prices for coverage because of it.

Insurance costs still manage to be affordable, and the state is cracking down with new legislation and other efforts to control insurance fraud and reduceinsurance premiums.

It is especially important for drivers to have good insurance coverage from a company that fights fraud, since some fraudulent parties may even cause an accident and try to blame an innocent person, in the hopes of getting an insurance payout.

How much is Florida Car Insurance? Find the best rate for you with our free quote tool above today!

Types of Car Insurance Coverage

Automobile insurers can put together many different types of coverage, based on each customers’ needs and unique situation.

Many drivers may need to carry full coverage insurance if they have leased or financed their vehicle. This includes comprehensive insurance, liability and collision coverage.

Drivers may also want to add on additional coverage, such as uninsured/underinsured motorist protection, which pays for an accident caused by someone else who does not have insurance.

Car Insurance Requirements in Florida

Florida does not requirefull liability insurance, but does recommend it be carried with minimum limits of 10/20/10.

The state does require Personal Injury Protection, or PIP insurance coverage, which is also known as No-Fault insurance.

PIP covers the driver and passengers, regardless of who caused the accident. PDL, or Property Damage Liability insurance is also required by the state, and both need to have coverage limits of at least $10,000.

These must be carried as long as a driver has a Florida registration tag.

Penalties for Driving with no Car Insurance in Florida

Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will suspend a driver’s license, along with his vehicle registration and tags, if he is found driving without insurance.

He will not regain his license and tags for three years unless proof of Florida auto insurance is provided and a penalty fee is paid.

Florida does not provide any type of temporary license to drivers who lose their license for not carrying insurance.

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Traffic Accident Statistics for Florida

Florida has an auto accident rate that is somewhat higher than the national average. This is partially due to Florida’s large population.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration compiles statistics on traffic accident fatalities for the nation as a whole, and for each state.

To standardize the information across states with different populations, the NHTSA calculates the number of fatalities per 100,000 population.

When comparing Florida’s traffic fatalities against the national average using this adjusted form of measurement, Florida had 13.8 traffic deaths per 100,000 population, versus 11.01 for the nation.

Additionally, Florida’s percentage of traffic deaths due to drivers with an illegal blood alcohol content was slightly higher than the national average, on an adjusted basis.

Car Insurance Factors You Can Control

Each car insurance company evaluates potential customers based on its own internally-developed methodology. This is based on years of historical accident data, with each driver’s unique characteristics and information assigned certain weights and factored in.

Each insurer goes through this process a little differently, which explains how the same person can get a variety of quotes from different insurance companies. There are a few things drivers can do to increase their chances of getting low insurance premiums.

First, a driver needs to avoid getting any points on his record.

This means driving safely, and attending traffic school whenever possible. Fortunately, most regular traffic violations fall off a person’s record after three years. The second thing is credit history.

Many people have seen their credit history suffer in these last few years of a tough economy. Insurance companies are now looking at credit reports as part of the policy-pricing process. Any clean-up that can be done is advisable. The type of car driven is another thing that can have an impact.

Driving a two-door luxury sports coupe can more than double insurance rates in some cases. There are dozens of cars out there that have integrated the latest safety features and performed well in crash safety tests.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety publishes an annual list with about 60 of the safest cars in all categories, which are also cheaper to insure.

Other Factors which Determine Florida Car Insurance Rates

A few other things factor into premiums that are not as easily influenced or changed.

A person’s gender and age group play a large part in insurance rates, since men of any age group and younger drivers, both male and female, tend to have more accidents.

Additionally, the state a person lives in makes a difference.

Florida’s average insurance costs for 2011 were $1,699, which is higher than the national average annual insurance premium of $1,440.

Compare this also to the state with the highest insurance costs, New York, at $2,788 per year.

Florida State Insurance Legislation

In an attempt to exert control over Florida’s auto insurance fraud rate, a reform bill is making its way through various hurdles in Congress.

SB 1930 would allow insurers 90 days to examine and investigate claims to verify their legitimacy before paying for medical bills.

Opponents say the bill would penalize innocent people by making them wait three months for payment of medical bills, and that the extreme measure would cause insurers to treat every claimant as a crook.

Finding Car Insurance in Florida

Finding quality auto insurance in Florida is an easy task, thanks to the internet. Whether drivers have a sparkling clean driving history or a few black marks, there are plenty of insurance companies competing for business.

Certain insurers specialize in high-risk drivers, so it is important to choose these companies if you have a DUI or multiple points on your driving record.

Quotes can be obtained quickly by using free quote tools on the websites of many insurance companies.

Progressive Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and Geico insurance are just a few of the high-quality insurers licensed to do business in Florida.

Additionally, Esurance.com can provide multiple quotes from various insurance companies within about 10 minutes, and shopping around is definitely the easiest way to find cheap rates on auto insurance.

Find Affordable Car Insurance in Florida today with our free quote tool below now!