Florida Car Insurance - A Complete Guide to Best & Cheap Car Insurance in FL

State Farm is the cheapest car insurance in FL for drivers with bad credit, among those surveyed by our experts. Car insurance for drivers with bad credit costs significantly more than it does for those with good credit. Florida ranks 15th among the worst states for drivers with bad credit, as CarInsurance.com's data analysis shows. Compared to good credit drivers, those in Florida with bad credit pay 74 percent more, on average. The good news is that you can still shave some money off your coverage costs if you compare car insurance companies. You'll see below that the difference among major insurers is nearly $2,618 for a full coverage policy for a driver with bad credit. That's how much you can potentially save by comparing car insurance quotes.

Geico General has the cheapest car insurance, based on our expert analysis of six major carriers, for young drivers in Florida. Enter an age from 18 to 25 to see who has the best rates for young drivers in Florida, by company, buying a full coverage policy. You’ll see in the chart below which car insurance companies have the lowest rates for young drivers buying a full coverage policy. Average car insurance rates by age data shows that drivers typically pay higher rates until age 26, when rates begin to drop as drivers gain more experience on the road. But even young drivers can save money by comparing car insurance rates to see which company has the lowest rates, by qualifying for student discounts and by staying on their parents’ policy as long as possible.

Geico General also ranks as the cheapest for more mature drivers in Florida. Below you can see average rates by company, from least to most expensive, for drivers age 65 and over, buying a full coverage policy. In addition to comparing car insurance companies, mature drivers may qualify for a senior discount, which may also trim costs.

No matter where you live, adding a new driver to your family policy will hike your rate significantly. In Florida, you can expect your rate to go up by an average of 144 percent when adding a driver age 16 to your coverage, according to CarInsurance.com rate data. You'll see in the table below how much it costs, on average, to add a teen driver in Florida, and how major insurers compare on price. Geico had the lowest auto insurance cost for adding a driver age 16 to a full coverage family policy, among insurers surveyed.

In Florida, a recent accident claim will hike your rates by an average of 35%. However, exactly how much more you pay depends on several factors, and your car insurance company is one of those significant factors. Each company assesses risk differently, so that's why the increase after an accident will vary among insurers. Among those surveyed, State Farm had the cheapest car insurance in Florida for drivers with a recent accident. Here is how major carriers compare after at-fault accidents for the average Florida driver with a full coverage policy:

Based on our data, State Farm has the lowest rate for Florida drivers with a recent speeding violation. If you get a speeding ticket, chances are you'll see an increase in what you pay for car insurance, upon your policy renewal. In Florida, a minor speeding ticket will hike your rate by an average of 27 to 31%. Typically, you'll pay more for three years. But even with a traffic ticket, comparison shopping can save you money. For instance, you'll see that the difference between the highest rate and the lowest in the table below is more than $2,000, on average, according to CarInsurance.com's rate analysis. That's how much you can save by comparing car insurance companies.

You can get Florida auto insurance quotes online by researching multiple carriers.

When comparing car insurance quotes, you will typically need to provide fairly basic information:

• ZIP code
• Basic personal information – name, age, birthday
• Driving history
• Current insurance company
• Information on other drivers in your household
• Vehicle make and model
• Desired coverage types, limits and deductibles

More detailed quotes may also require:

• All vehicles VIN (vehicle identification number)
• If you own, lease or financed your vehicle
• Annual mileage
• All household driver’s license numbers
• Amount of time you’ve been insured

Once you provide the information, you will typically get a quote that is in many cases an estimate of what you will pay. Generally, you won’t get the actual rate until you lock in a policy. If the difference between the quote and your rate is significant, you can opt out of buying the policy, though generally the estimate will be fairly accurate.  Once you are ready to buy a policy you will for certain need to have handy specific information, such as your driver’s license number, VIN and so on.

Florida is the sixth most expensive state for car insurance, based on our expert analysis of rates for full coverage. There are several factors that contribute to expensive car insurance rates in Florida:

• The state has the highest rate of uninsured drivers (26.7%) in the nation. That means claims are more expensive, overall, for carriers, who then pass the cost on to policyholders.
• Lots of drivers in the state are considered high-risk. Florida has lots of inexperienced drivers, due to the many colleges and universities in the state, lots of elderly drivers as its home to many retirement communities and also hosts drivers unfamiliar with the local roads as s tourist destination. Again, all this adds to a high rate of claims for insurance companies, relatively speaking.
• Florida sees a significant percentage of claims with attorney involvement, which will often result in higher costs for the insurer. Those costs are passed on to all policyholders via higher premiums.
• The state is prone to severe storms. Damage from hail, wind and flooding hikes the amount of claims, and costs, insurance companies have to absorb, which in turn, is yet again passed on to drivers through higher rates.

Unlike many other states, Florida requires personal injury protection (PIP), which tacks on costs to even bare bones policies. Roughly 20 percent of a car insurance premium goes to PIP coverage

Below you'll see how average annual rates for several of the largest cities in the state compare to state and national averages. Rates are for coverage of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident in liability and $50,000 of property damage coverage, with comprehensive and collision carrying a $500 deductible.

Full coverage car insurance in Florida, as recommended by CarInsurance.com Senior Consumer Analyst Penny Gusner, is as follows:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person, up to $300,000 per accident
• $100,000 property damage liability
• $10,000 personal injury protection (PIP)
• Comprehensive and collision coverage, each with a $500 deductible

To save money, drivers on a budget are often on the hunt for insurance coverage that won’t have a large first payment, the one that puts their policy into effect. That’s because the first payment is sometimes a bit more than the rest of your regular payments.

The amount of money you'll have to pay to put your car insurance coverage into effect will depend on your insurance company, your location, your age, the type of car you drive and your driving history, among other factors. So, the best way to find coverage that has a “low down payment,” is really as simple as comparing car insurance quotes in the same fashion you would to find the most affordable rates.

You can still find affordable car insurance even if you’ve had an accident, or have been ticketed for a moving violation, such as speeding, or your credit score isn’t the best it could be. Though these variables generally mean your car insurance company will hike your rate, you can still save by comparing car insurance quotes. That’s because some insurance companies may increase your cost a lot, but others may not, depending on their unique underwriting formulas for pricing policies.

For others, however, buying insurance from a standard carrier may no longer be an option. If you have serious moving violations on your record or have a history of accidents, private car insurance companies may not sell you a policy, deeming you too much of a risk to make it worthwhile. In these instances, you would buy coverage from the Florida Automobile Joint Underwriting Association (FAJUA), which is for high-risk drivers denied coverage elsewhere.

You can purchase a policy from FAJUA like you would from any other carrier, but it is meant as a temporary bridge to cover you until you are eligible for a traditional policy. Because FAJUA was created specifically for high-risk drivers, the cost is more significant than a standard policy. To find an agent near you, consult FAJUA’s directory on their website: http://www.fajua.org/directory.