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If your Florida driver’s license is suspended after being convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) or another serious offense, it will become difficult for you to get car insurance. Many carriers will refuse to insure you, and those that do will charge much higher rates because you’re considered a high-risk driver.

Because every state except New Hampshire requires you to have some form of car insurance, not having coverage can prevent you from driving at all.

To restore your driving privileges, you’ll need to prove that you have the minimum required amount of insurance, which is much higher for people convicted of serious offenses like DUI. In Florida, you can prove you have the correct amount of coverage by submitting Form FR-44, a certificate of financial responsibility.

Key Takeaways

  • To reinstate your license after a DUI conviction in Florida, your insurer must file an FR-44 certificate with the state, proving you have adequate coverage.
  • The minimum car insurance coverage you need is $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, plus $50,000 for property damage liability.
  • Your car insurance rates will likely increase significantly as a result of the DUI, not from the FR-44 itself.

What is FR-44 Insurance?

To be clear, there’s no such thing as FR-44 insurance. However, many people use the term as a shorthand to refer to the type of car insurance required to get their Florida driver’s license reinstated following a DUI conviction.

“Once the driver purchases enough liability coverage to meet Florida’s FR-44 requirements, the insurer will file the FR-44 form automatically with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles,” said James Shaffer, managing director of Insurance Panda.

“The driver does not need to request the form manually. The insurer handles the process automatically. That being said, it’s always a good idea for the driver to confirm everything with their insurance provider to make sure there are no delays in the filing,” he said.

Minimum liability coverage limits for FR-44 policies

To get your license reinstated, you’ll need to prove to the state that you have car insurance with the following minimum liability coverage limits:

  • $100,000 per person for bodily injury liability
  • $300,000 per accident for bodily injury liability
  • $50,000 for property damage liability

Form FR-44 will show that you have this coverage, allowing you to reinstate your driving privileges.

Why do you need FR-44 insurance after a DUI in Florida?

If you are convicted of a DUI in Florida, your license will be suspended in addition to other penalties such as fines and jail time. Part of getting your license reinstated is demonstrating that you comply with state law, including having the required minimum amount of liability car insurance.

Driving without a license or adequate car insurance – in addition to potentially landing you in jail – can make it challenging to reinstate your license. It will also cause your car insurance rates to increase substantially.

When you purchase a car insurance policy that meets state requirements, your carrier will file an FR-44 form with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to prove you’re in compliance. If your current insurer will not do so, you will need to find coverage with a company that does offer FR-44 insurance.

You’ll also need FR-44 insurance coverage if you don’t own a car but still need to drive.

How to obtain FR-44 insurance in Florida

As mentioned earlier, there is no such thing as FR-44 insurance. It’s a commonly understood term for a policy that meets the requirements of Florida law to reinstate a driver’s license after an alcohol-related driving offense conviction.

As long as you have the right amount of liability coverage, the other terms of your car insurance policy can be up to your personal preference. With those minimum coverage limits in mind, you can compare rates between insurers who offer coverage to high-risk drivers.

Your insurance company is responsible for filing the FR-44 form once you’ve purchased a policy that meets those requirements. As with any car insurance policy, you must continue paying your premiums on time to maintain compliance with state law.

According to Insurance Panda’s James Shaffer, you will need to take the following steps to get your license reinstated:

  1. Pay any legal fees: Florida requires all drivers to pay fees to reinstate their license after a suspension. This includes any penalties resulting from the violation.
  2. Verify the FR-44 has been filed: Confirm with your insurance company and the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles that the FR-44 form has been filed on your behalf.
  3. Maintain continuous insurance coverage: FR-44 policies usually require an upfront payment of at least six months of premiums (depending on the insurer). If you miss a payment, the policy could be canceled, which could result in further penalties.
  4. Visit your local Florida DMV office: In some cases, you may also be required to visit the Department of Motor Vehicles to complete paperwork or pay outstanding fines.

Average cost of FR-44 insurance in Florida

Florida drivers with an FR-44 form pay an average of $5,005 per year or $417 per month for car insurance. However, insurers consider many factors when determining your premiums, so your actual premium could differ substantially. 

Note that the FR-44 form itself does not affect your coverage rate, although you may have to pay a fee to file it. The cause of high premiums is due to having a DUI conviction on your driving record.

Maintaining a clean driving record after the DUI

If you’re required to obtain an FR-44 certificate, you must maintain car insurance that meets state requirements for three years after your conviction date to regain your driving privileges. After three years, you’ll have the ability to change your coverage for potentially lower premiums.

During those three years, it is essential that you obey the rules of the road to avoid further violations. If you commit another driving offense, you might lose your license again and be required to repeat the entire FR-44 process for another three years.

FR-44 vs SR-22: When are they needed?

An FR-44 and an SR-22 are documents that certify that a driver in Florida has a specific amount of car insurance coverage. The difference hinges on the crime you were convicted of. Form FR-44 is specific to losing your driving privileges due to a DUI conviction. You may need Form SR-22 if you lose your license due to other convictions, including other traffic offenses or failure to pay child support. In some cases, you may need an SR-22 as a result of a DUI conviction.

An SR-22 has different minimum liability coverage requirements than an FR-44:

  • $10,000 for property damage liability

How long do you need FR-44 insurance in Florida?

You’ll need to maintain coverage that satisfies FR-44 requirements for three years after your license is reinstated. That means you can’t stop driving your car after your conviction and hope to run out the clock. If you want to drive again, you must get FR-44 insurance.

What happens after the FR-44 period ends?

After the FR-44 period ends, you can shop around for new car insurance. However, you may find it difficult to find coverage because insurers may consider you a high-risk driver because of your DUI conviction. In other words, you may be stuck with the same insurance provider options. Still, you can usually accept lower coverage amounts or higher deductibles in return for lower premiums, as long as you don’t commit any further driving offenses.

Common challenges and how to overcome them

If you’re convicted of a DUI in Florida and required to obtain an FR-44 form, you can expect to face some headaches, including:

Finding affordable insurance providers in Florida

The biggest concern for drivers convicted of a DUI is finding an insurance company that will provide them with a car insurance policy. Many insurers won’t cover you if you’ve had a DUI because you’re considered a high-risk driver. Another major challenge is finding affordable car insurance. After all, being involved in any type of driving offense will likely raise your rates, and being convicted of a DUI will raise premiums significantly.

You’ll need to shop around and compare rates to find affordable coverage, and experts recommend checking with at least three different carriers in order to find the best rate. If the three-year FR-44 period has ended, you may be able to purchase a policy with lower limits. However, it may not provide enough coverage if you have another accident. Another option is to agree to a higher deductible, which could leave you on the hook for higher out-of-pocket costs in case of a claim.

Dealing with policy cancellations and lapses in Florida

Florida requires drivers to maintain a minimum amount of liability car insurance in order to drive legally. If you are caught driving without coverage for any reason, you could risk fines, license suspension, and jail time. If you know you’ll lose coverage because your current carrier won’t file an FR-44 form, you must find a new car insurance policy and make sure it is in effect before your existing policy expires. Otherwise, you risk being cited for driving without insurance. In addition, some carriers will refuse to sell you a policy if your coverage has lapsed.

Understanding non-owner FR-44 insurance for those without a vehicle

Non-owner car insurance offers coverage if you need to drive but don’t own a vehicle (for example, if you borrow a friend’s car to get around). In Florida, people who’ve been convicted of an alcohol-related driving offense must purchase non-owner car insurance coverage even if they don’t plan to drive but still want their license to be reinstated. This coverage must meet the requirements of the FR-44 certificate.

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Zack Sigel

 
  

Zack Sigel is a writer and editor based in New York City. He has been managing editor at Policygenius and M1 Finance, where he led teams specialized in writing about business and finance, and he has also written about music and culture for Hyperallergic, VH1, Complex, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Zack has a bachelor's degree from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts.

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