Auto insurance after a DUI in Florida
The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of . Our content is backed by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed entity (NPN: 19966249). For more information, please see our .
Florida has some of the highest average car insurance rates in the country, but drivers with DUI convictions on their record may experience even pricier premiums. On average, Florida drivers with DUIs pay 63 percent more for full coverage car insurance than those with clean driving records. This is a difference compared to the national average gap of 53 percent between drivers with and without DUIs.
Compare auto insurance rates
Save on auto insurance with quotes from trusted providers like:
Drivers switch & save an average of $750+/year
Are you overpaying for auto insurance?
Safe drivers choose Allstate®
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
Compare auto insurance rates
Save on auto insurance with quotes from trusted providers like:
Drivers switch & save an average of $750+/year
Are you overpaying for auto insurance?
Safe drivers choose Allstate®
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
DUI laws in Florida
In Florida, DUI penalties are not one-size-fits-all. What happens if you get a DUI in Florida will depend primarily on your driving history and the severity of your infraction.
According to Section 316.193 of the Florida Statutes, first-time DUI convictions typically result in fines between $500 and $1,000 or a maximum of six months in prison. If your blood alcohol level was 0.15 or higher, or if there was a minor present in the car, the fines double, and you could face up to nine months in prison. In certain cases, the court may allow you to complete a prison sentence in a court-approved substance abuse facility. Your license will likely be revoked following a DUI conviction, with revocation periods ranging from 180 days to permanent.
Multiple DUI convictions may lead to steeper fines and a longer license suspension, as well as more potential jail time.
How a DUI affects your car insurance in Florida
Drivers convicted of a DUI are considered to be riskier drivers than those without a DUI conviction, which is why most insurance companies charge higher rates for drivers with DUIs. Some carriers may even refuse to extend coverage to drivers with DUIs. Though a driver may change their behavior, this insurance surcharge will generally stay on their policy for several years.
| Pre-DUI | Post DUI | Percent increase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $3,183 | $5,175 | +63% |
| National average | $2,014 | $3,091 | +53% |
Finding car insurance after a DUI in Florida
The cost of insurance varies with each auto insurance company, and the same is true for insurance premiums after DUIs. To guide you in finding affordable coverage after a DUI conviction, Bankrate’s insurance editorial team examined rate data from Quadrant Information Services for some of Florida’s top insurance companies. We also evaluated each provider based on their customer service and financial strength ratings, policy offerings and other criteria to give them a Bankrate Score out of five points.
If you are convicted of a DUI in Florida, you may also be required to submit proof of insurance, called an FR-44, to reinstate your license. If you carry state minimum liability limits, you will need to increase your liability limits to comply with the FR-44 requirements. Note that your rates will vary from the averages below, and not all carriers will necessarily write coverage for drivers with DUIs.
| Car insurance company | Bankrate Score | Avg. annual minimum coverage premium post-DUI | Avg. annual full coverage premium post-DUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | 3.8/5 | $2,344 | $5,018 |
| Geico | 4.4/5 | $1,200 | $3,684 |
| National General | 3.5/5 | $1,599 | $4,979 |
| Progressive | 4.2/5 | $1,708 | $3,910 |
| State Farm | 4.2/5 | $1,512 | $3,449 |
Frequently asked questions
-
-
Bankrate’s extensive and expert-informed research highlighted Geico, Amica and USAA as some of the best car insurance companies. However, those three providers may not be the best for all drivers. To find the best policy for you — one that offers you the coverage you need at an affordable price point — you may want to shop around and collect quotes online before you decide on a provider.
-
If your DUI resulted in property damage or personal injury, it would likely go on your criminal record as a first-degree misdemeanor. If it’s your third DUI conviction within ten years or if it’s your fourth DUI conviction, you will likely have a third-degree felony on your record. DUIs that cause serious bodily injury could also yield third-degree felonies. A Florida DUI will likely stay on your criminal record forever unless you get it expunged, but car insurance companies typically only consider DUIs from the past 10 years when determining rates.
-
An FR-44 is a form that is filed by your insurance carrier. The form is forwarded to the Florida DMV as proof that a driver is meeting their insurance obligations. An FR-44 is generally required after a driver has been convicted of a DUI. Drivers will be asked to maintain their car insurance coverage (or purchase coverage, if they were uninsured) and have their insurance company send the appropriate document to the Florida DMV. In order to satisfy FR-44 requirements, drivers convicted of a DUI must carry liability limits of $100,000 for bodily injury per person, $300,000 for bodily injury per accident and $50,000 for property damage.
-
-
-
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Incident: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base) and single DUI conviction.
-
Our 2023 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.
Like our previous Bankrate Scores, each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. This year, our 2023 scoring model provides a more comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and better highlighting where they fall short.
- Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, 2023 quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best and the NAIC, were analyzed.
- Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
- Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.
-
Up next
Related Articles
