What Are the Auto Insurance Requirements in Florida?

Our car accident clients often ask us: What are the auto insurance requirements for drivers in Florida? According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the following are the two different types of insurance coverage required under Florida’s no-fault law: Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL). In this article we’re going to talk more about these types of auto insurance coverage in Florida.

Liability Coverage and Florida Car Insurance Policies

PIP and PDL coverage are there to cover medical expenses and property damage, respectively. These are the two types of required insurance coverage to comply with Florida’s no-fault law, and thus every driver must carry the minimum amount of PIP and PDL coverage.

What is Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in Florida?

Personal injury protection covers 80% of the medical damages resulting from a car accident. Notably, this coverage is available regardless of who caused the crash. In other words, even if you caused the crash, that personal injury protection is available to you.

What is Property Damage Liability Coverage (PDL) in Florida?

Property damage liability coverage is there to cover the cost of damage done to the other vehicle in the crash, whether you or someone else was driving your insured vehicle. For example, let’s say Driver A runs into Driver B and causes $5,000 in damage to Driver B’s car. In that case, Driver A’s PDL insurance would cover the costs associated with repairing Driver B’s car.

Minimum Insurance Coverage Required for Drivers in Florida

Before you can register a vehicle in Florida, you must show that you have the minimum required insurance, and that insurance policy must be issued by a company that is licensed to sell insurance policies in Florida. Alternatively, a driver may qualify via a self-insurance certificate that is issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Below are some of the minimum requirements to obtain Florida vehicle registration.

• Every vehicle must be insured with personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) at the time the vehicle is registered.
• Every vehicle must have a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) AND a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL).
• Every vehicle registered as a taxi must also carry bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage of $125,000 per person and $250,000 per occurrence, as well as $50,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage.
• Every vehicle must have continuous coverage, regardless of whether the vehicle is being driven or is inoperable.
• Any insurance policy covering the vehicle must be purchased from an insurance carrier that is licensed to do business in Florida.
• Every driver must maintain the Florida insurance coverage throughout the vehicle’s registration period, regardless of where the vehicle is located. (Military members may be exempt from this requirement).

If a driver is not carrying the minimum amount of the two required types of insurance coverage, that driver is not in compliance with Florida law. However, that does not mean that there are people out there driving around without auto insurance coverage. If you find yourself in a car crash in Florida and the other driver does not have auto insurance, you may still have options to cover your medical bills, like your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage or health insurance. Our Orlando car accident attorneys can help you uncover the insurance policies and other options that are available to you.

Contact Our Car Accident Lawyers in Orlando, Florida for Your FREE Legal Consultation

If you still have questions about the two types of required insurance coverage to comply with Florida’s no-fault law, we’re here to help. We offer free legal consultations to car accident victims in Florida, as well as in South Carolina and North Carolina.