Florida is known as a car state. With a lack of public transportation and a plethora of intrastate highways, the state is infamous for its traffic and aggressive driving. Florida is also a no-fault insurance state, which affects the cost of car insurance. Unfortunately for Florida drivers, the state also has some of the highest car insurance costs in the nation on average.
Of course, how much you’ll pay depends on many factors, including your age, ZIP code, gender and credit score. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect in the Sunshine State.
Florida Car Insurance Rates on Average
Across all demographics, the average cost of car insurance in the state of Florida in 2020 was $1,372 a year, which breaks down to about $114 a month, assuming you opt for full coverage car insurance.
That’s a pretty steep cost, so you may be wondering if you need car insurance to register a car in Florida. The answer is yes; you’ll need to prove minimum coverage, which we explain in more detail below. But first, let’s break down the average insurance cost in Florida for different demographics.
By Age
Teen drivers face the highest costs for car insurance across every state. The average teenager in Florida pays $5,166 annually for car insurance, compared to an average of $2,384 for those in their 20s and older. Meanwhile, senior drivers in Florida, have rates lower than the state average, one of many reasons why this state is so popular with retirees.
| Age | Average annual cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| 16 | $5,560 |
| 17 | $5,272 |
| 18 | $5,838 |
| 19 | $3,993 |
| 20s | $3,258 |
| 30s | $2,263 |
| 40s | $2,242 |
| 50s | $2,061 |
| 60s | $2,101 |
| 70s | $2,380 |
By Gender
Men pay more for car insurance in most states, which is why it’s a surprise that the data indicates women pay more in Florida on average — but only by a margin of 1 percent.
| Gender | Average annual cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| Male | $2,276 |
| Female | $2,306 |
By Marital Status
Are you married? Aside from enjoying all of the gifts from your wedding registry, you can enjoy slightly lower car insurance rates compared to those who are single, divorced or widowed.
| Marital status | Average annual cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| Single | $1,804 |
| Married | $1,723 |
| Divorced | $1,804 |
| Widowed | $1,762 |
By Coverage Level
It makes sense that the more car insurance you have, the more it’ll cost. Because the minimum car insurance requirements in Florida are so small comparatively, you can get away with paying only $973 a year on average.
| Coverage level | Average annual cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $973 |
| Full | $2,086 |
By Credit Score
Unfortunately for those with bad credit, Florida is not one of the states where car insurance companies ignore credit scores when determining premiums. Expect to pay a lot more if you have poor credit as it’s been statistically proven that people with poor credit scores tend to have more car insurance claims.
| Credit score | Average annual cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| Poor | $4,218 |
| Average | $2,869 |
| Good | $2,390 |
| Excellent | $1,899 |
By Driving History
In the same vein, expect higher costs if you’ve had a speeding ticket, at-fault accident or DUI.
| Driving history | Average annual cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $2,485 |
| Speeding ticket | $2,868 |
| Accident | $3,189 |
| DUI | $3,653 |
By Company
Just like the cost of cars varies by manufacturer, the price of insurance varies by provider. If you’re a military member, veteran or spouse of either, you can pay the lowest average rates in Florida with the insurance company USAA, which caters only to the military and veterans.
| Company | Average annual cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| Allied | $2,365 |
| Allstate | $2,541 |
| GEICO | $1,720 |
| Mercury | $2,720 |
| MetLife | $2,014 |
| Progressive | $2,857 |
| State Farm | $1,961 |
| Travelers | $2,335 |
| USAA | $940 |
Cheap Car Insurance Cost in Florida
Do you want cheap car insurance in Florida? These companies have the lowest rates for different demographics.
| Demographic | Cheapest company | Annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| Male | Dairyland | $1,032 |
| Female | Dairyland | $1,128 |
| Male teens | State Farm | $2,202 |
| Female teens | State Farm | $2,019 |
| Married | Assurance America | $972 |
| Single | Dairyland | $1,092 |
| Military | USAA | $406 |
| Veteran | USAA | $406 |
| Full coverage | USAA | $940 |
| Minimum coverage | USAA | $406 |
| Excellent credit | USAA | $756 |
| Good credit | USAA | $1,030 |
| Bad credit | Liberty Mutual | $564 |
| 16 years old | GEICO | $2,965 |
| 17 years old | GEICO | $2,965 |
| 18 years old | GEICO | $2,776 |
| 19 years old | GEICO | $2,457 |
| 20s | GEICO | $1,274 |
| 30s | GEICO | $766 |
| 40s | GEICO | $704 |
| 50s | GEICO | $674 |
| 60s | GEICO | $640 |
| 70s | GEICO | $1,259 |
| 80s and above | GEICO | $1,740 |
How to Save on Car Insurance in Florida
Aside from the usual ways of lowering auto insurance costs, such as raising your deductible, reducing your limits, getting discounts and dropping coverages), there’s a specific discount for seniors in Florida that you need to be aware of.
Direct Auto offers reduced-cost car insurance for those over the age of 55 who have obtained certificates of completion for a Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course.1 You can save up to 5 percent on coverages, such as:
- Bodily injury
- Property damage
- Uninsured motorist
- Medical payments
- Collision
- Comprehensive coverage
Note:
Be sure to keep your certificate of completion, or a copy, to prove that you’ve completed the required course, which involves getting both behind the wheel and in a classroom.
Minimum Car Insurance in Florida
Florida’s minimum coverage for car insurance is made up of only two components:
- $10,000 limit per accident in property damage coverage
- $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) limit per person and per accident2
This coverage is extremely small compared to other states, but we recommend getting full coverage to pay for any property damage from collisions and other events.
No-Fault Law in Florida
Florida is a no-fault state, which means that regardless of who caused a car accident, each person is responsible for their own medical costs under PIP. The responsible party is still liable for the other party’s property damages, as well as their own property damages. Along with medical costs, PIP also covers lost wages and other economic damages, unlike the medical payments coverage of at-fault states.
Rather than the more common SR-22 forms, Florida has FR-44s: forms required for those convicted of DUIs for three years after their licenses are reinstated. To be able to drive again, DUI convicts must use the form to prove they have more than the minimum insurance coverage, which includes:
- Bodily injury: $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident
- Property damage: $50,000 per accident
Tip:
If you’re having trouble finding an insurance company that will take you on as a driver with an FR-44 requirement, you can use the Florida Automobile Joint Underwriting Association (FAJUA) as a last resort. Find a provider here.3
Conclusion
Although Florida has high car insurance costs on average, you can save money by maintaining a good driving record, keeping up your credit score and comparing quotes from different insurance companies.
Never accept a first offer. Always shop the market as companies give different discounts for different qualifications and be sure to compare rates “apples to apples” with the same amounts for bodily injury liability per person or per accident, property damage liability per accident and more. The cheapest car insurance for you may be different from your neighbor, so it’s worth a bit of legwork.
Methodology
With more than 20 years of experience connecting people to top car insurance providers, AutoInsurance.com has amassed a database of proprietary data surrounding auto insurance customers and the insurance providers they have found success with. We use this data, along with state-specific data regarding minimum coverage requirements, fault systems and SR-22s/FR-44s, to give you an overview of what you can expect to pay for car insurance in any given state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is car insurance in Florida so expensive?
Car insurance in Florida is so expensive for many reasons, including the following.
- In 2020, Florida had the largest number of hurricanes of any state, with 37 major hurricanes and 120 hurricanes total, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. If hurricanes damage or total cars, car insurance companies are forced to pay for replacements or repairs under comprehensive coverage. They charge more for insurance because of this.
- Florida is a no-fault state and no-fault states have higher car insurance costs on average.
- There are a high number of fraudulent insurance claims in Florida as people take advantage of PIP benefits.
- There is a high rate of car-related lawsuits in Florida and no monetary threshold or minimum dollar amount that you can sue for, so insurance companies are forced to pay lawyer’s fees, driving up the cost of insurance for customers.
Does Florida have high auto insurance rates?
Yes, Florida has high auto insurance rates. In 2019, the last time the National Association of Insurance Commissioners published national data, Florida had the fifth-highest car insurance costs in the country, with rates nearly a quarter more than the national average.
How much is first-time car insurance in Florida?
On average, first-time car insurance in Florida costs $1,450 annually, although it can range anywhere from $823 to $2,006.
What are good auto insurance coverage amounts in Florida?
Good auto insurance coverage amounts in Florida are as follows.
- Bodily injury liability: $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $100,000 per accident
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Same as liability limits
- Collision: Car’s actual cash value
- Comprehensive: Car’s actual cash value
