According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, all drivers must show proof of insurance before registering a vehicle. Drivers must have both Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) insurance.
Basic Auto Insurance
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the basic, minimum auto insurance requirements for Florida drivers include:
$10,000 of Personal Injury Protection insurance- $10,000 of Property Damage Liability insurance
$10,000 of Personal Injury Protection insuranceYou must have insurance at the time of vehicle registration, and you’re required to have continuous coverage whether the vehicle is currently being driven or not. If you want to cancel the insurance on your vehicle, you need to first surrender the license plate or tag for your vehicle.
Drivers must purchase their insurance policy from an insurance company permitted to provide insurance to Florida drivers. If you are a new resident of the state of Florida, you can talk with your home insurance agent and ask them to transfer your policy to a Florida policy. Drivers need to maintain Florida insurance coverage of the vehicle even when out of state (military members may be exempt from this law).
Required Insurance Documents
The state of Florida allows drivers to show their insurance information via a laptop, tablet, or cell phone.
Your Insurance Card
Although a digital insurance card is acceptable, it’s important to ensure that you have easy access to your documents in the event that you’re asked to present your card.
When you log into your online insurance account, you’ll need to find your digital insurance card (rather than an account statement) that includes:
- Name of your insurance company
- Your policy number
- The name of the insured person
- Your vehicle’s make, model, year, and VIN
- Your insurance coverage
- What you should do first in the event of an accident
- The insurance company’s phone number
When you purchase an insurance policy online, you’ll be able to get proof of insurance immediately. You may want to take a screenshot of your insurance card so that it’s easily accessible until you receive your cardstock insurance card in the mail.
Insurance Fraud
The State of Florida takes insurance fraud seriously. If you falsify information provided to your insurance company either when submitting an application for insurance coverage or when making a claim, you could be subject to:
- Up to $20,000 in fines
- Five years in prison
- Additional penalties in civil court
How to Report Fraud to the State
People who file false claims drive up insurance rates for others. If you file a false insurance claim, your family may pay up to $250 in additional insurance premiums per year.
If someone offers to pay you to fake an auto accident or an insurance claim, it’s important that you say no and report the incident to the Florida Department of Financial Services Fraud Reward Program at 1-800-378-0445. Participating in a staged accident can result in punishment including a minimum of two years in prison.