Floridians who drive uninsured pay a big price for getting caught without minimum coverage. But responsible drivers pay a big price for their uninsured counterparts as well. That’s because drivers lacking minimum required insurance coverages contribute to higher insurance costs across Florida.
If you’re curious about how many drivers in Florida are uninsured and want to understand how uninsured drivers in Florida impact your car insurance rates, keep reading. This article will provide answers and helpful tips.
- Florida has a higher percentage of uninsured drivers than the national rate.
- State law requires at least $10,000 for personal injury protection and $10,000 for property damage liability, but many Floridians lack these minimums.
- Review your policy and make sure you have ample coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists.
How many drivers in Florida are uninsured?
According to a 2023 Insurance Research Council report, the uninsured motorist rate in Florida is 15.9%. That’s higher than the national rate of 14.0%.
What are Florida’s state laws for car insurance?
Florida is among the states with the lowest minimum coverage requirements in the U.S.: $10,000 for personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 for property damage liability (PDL) are all that’s needed.
According to Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute in St. Johns, Florida, the most common minimum liability requirements in many other states are as follows:
- $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $15,000 property damage liability per accident
PIP helps cover medical expenses and lost income when you or your passengers suffer injuries in a car accident. This type of coverage pays for medical costs regardless of who caused the accident – which is how car accidents are covered in a no-fault state like Florida. PIP also provides coverage if you are injured while riding in another person’s vehicle or if you are struck by a car while walking or cycling.
PDL covers the damages to another person’s property or other drivers included in your car insurance policy after an accident, up to your policy limits. This often involves damage to another vehicle and structures such as houses, trees, fences, guardrails, poles, etc. PDL also provides a legal defense if someone sues you for property damage resulting from a car accident.
However, property damage liability does not cover damage to your own vehicle. To protect your car, you would need to have collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.
“These low PIP and PDL requirements in Florida often fall short when dealing with accidents involving uninsured drivers,” says Ben Klesinger, co-founder/CEO of Reliant Insurance Group, an independent insurance agency. “Consequently, insurance companies in Florida have to compensate for potential losses by adjusting rates upward for all insured drivers.”
How much does car insurance cost in Florida?
A CarInsurance.com study of insurance costs revealed some interesting findings. Here’s what Floridians can expect to pay for auto coverage:
- State-minimum liability-only annual rate: $993
- Liability-only annual rate (50/100/50 limits): $1,629
- Average annual rate (full coverage with 100/300/100 limits): $2,694
Compare these numbers to the national average cost of a full coverage or liability-only policy: $1,895 and $647, respectively.
Learn more in detail about how much car insurance costs in Florida
How do uninsured drivers affect insurance rates in Florida?
According to Friedlander, all Florida drivers pay more for car insurance because of the high level of uninsured drivers on the road.
“Uninsured motorists typically engage in more reckless driving behaviors that lead to more accidents and a higher severity level of accidents,” he says. “Uninsured drivers create additional costs for policyholders, insurance companies, state governments and taxpayers. U.S. policyholders paid $16 billion for uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage in 2020 – an average of $93 per vehicle.”
Rex Bearden, managing director for Catalyze Insurance Consulting in Houston, agrees that uninsured Floridians affect the bottom line of all drivers in the state.
“Uninsured drivers increase insurance rates for everyone in Florida. When an uninsured driver causes an accident, insured drivers and their insurance companies often end up absorbing the costs, driving up premiums for all policyholders,” Bearden says.
Why is car insurance in Florida so expensive?
In addition to its relatively elevated percentage of uninsured drivers, several factors are behind the high cost of auto insurance in Florida.
“These include accident severity and replacement costs – with a 45% spike between 2019 and 2022 due to supply chain disruption and labor shortages. More technologically advanced vehicles that cost more to repair than older models, escalating medical expenses to treat accident victims and having the country’s third-highest rate of stolen vehicles are also to blame,” Friedlander says.
Bearden points out other culprits responsible for high insurance rates in Florida:
- Fraudulent claims. “Florida has a reputation for insurance fraud, particularly with staged accidents and inflated medical claims,” he says.
- Litigation and lawsuits. “Florida’s legal environment makes it relatively easy to file lawsuits, leading to more claims and higher settlements.”
- Weather-related hazards. The state’s vulnerability to hurricanes and other natural disasters results in more common and expensive claims.
How can Florida drivers protect themselves against uninsured drivers?
To safeguard you and your car’s occupants from the many uninsured driving Florida’s roads, it’s wise to have sufficient insurance protection.
“Purchasing uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is the best way to be financially protected from losses caused by uninsured and underinsured motorists on Florida highways,” Friedlander says. “This optional coverage also protects Florida drivers against hit-and-runs.”
In addition, maintaining comprehensive and collision coverage can offer added protection for your vehicle, per Klesinger.
Final thoughts
Florida drivers face many risks behind the wheel—from severe weather to motorists lacking sufficient car insurance coverage. Cover your financial bases against these and other threats by checking your policy and ensuring you have recommended insurance levels, especially uninsured/underinsured coverage.
Resources & Methodology
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. “Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists.” Accessed June 2024.
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. “Uninsured motorist rate.” Accessed June 2024.
Methodology
CarInsurance.com editors collected 2023 rates from Quadrant Information Services for a 40-year-old driving a 2023 Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score and no violation on record for a full coverage insurance policy with limits 100/300/100 and $500 comprehensive and collision deductible. We analyzed 51,088,003 records, 34,588 ZIP codes and 167 insurance companies nationwide.
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