Even if generally speaking, you are a good driver, there are times when you could find yourself at fault in a serious traffic violation and you have to end up getting cheap SR-22 insurance in Florida for those violations.
When you’re convicted of a violation such as reckless driving or receiving multiple speeding tickets in a short space of time, you may be ordered by the court or Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get SR-22 insurance.
In some cases, you may even be ordered to carry SR22 insurance for non-driving related offenses, like having unpaid child support payments due.
While most states issue SR22 certificates for all serious driving offenses, Florida has two separate types of certificates for drivers who have committed serious traffic violations.
The difference between these two certificates lies in the severity of the traffic violation that you have committed.
- An SR-22 certificate is issued after the most serious traffic violations, along with non-driving-related violations like failing to pay child support.
- An FR-44 certificate is only issued for drivers who have had their driving privileges suspended or revoked for a DWI or DUI conviction.
The process of getting an SR22 or FR-44 can feel overwhelming at first, but luckily it’s a relatively straightforward process.
Unfortunately, it is usually impossible to find cheap car insurance once you’ve been ordered to carry an SR22 or FR-44 certificate.
The good news is that with the right approach, you can still get the cheapest SR-22 car insurance in Florida when you compare quotes through CheapInsurance.com.
We’ve researched Florida car insurance companies that offer SR-22 insurance to compare their quotes so that you can find the best insurance coverage that fits your budget.
Who Needs Cheap SR22 Insurance Quotes?
Not all drivers in Florida need SR-22 insurance. Florida requires that only those who have been convicted of a major traffic violation will have to get SR-22 insurance.
The serious traffic violations that may lead to an SR22 include:
- Reckless driving.
- Driving after a license suspension.
- Driving without insurance coverage.
- Multiple traffic violations such as speeding tickets.
- Having too many points on your driving record.
- Unpaid child support.
- Being at fault in a car accident without the minimum insurance requirements.
Should you be found guilty of one of the above incidents at a Florida DMV hearing or in court, your driver’s license may be suspended or revoked.
If you aren’t sure whether you need to carry SR-22 insurance, you can type your Florida driver’s license number into the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.
Once you know what your case number is, contact the Florida DMV to find out the status of your SR22.
You will usually need to keep your SR-22 certificate for a three-year period. But if your traffic violations were serious, you may need to carry SR-22 insurance for more than three years or even for the duration of your lifetime.
What Is SR22 Insurance?
Despite being called SR-22 insurance, SR22s aren’t actually auto insurance policies at all.
Rather, an SR22 certificate is a document that simply proves you have met Florida’s legal requirements for auto liability insurance.
Key Point: Minimum Auto LiabilityAlmost all U.S. states require a minimum amount of auto liability insurance. This coverage helps to pay for any damage you may cause to property or injury/death of a third party while driving. There are three key components to auto insurance liability:
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Although every driver in Florida needs to meet the minimum auto liability requirements, only drivers with an SR22 certificate need to prove they meet these financial responsibility requirements.
Liability car insurance protects the policyholder in the event of a car accident that causes property damage, injury, or death to a third party or another driver and their passengers.
Most of us don’t have a few thousand dollars saved to self-insure or pay out of pocket in the event of an accident. This is where auto liability insurance comes in.
The minimum auto insurance requirements in Florida for good drivers are:
- $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP).
- $10,000 in property damage liability coverage.
If you’ve been convicted of a major violation while driving, the state will order you to get an SR22 certificate, for which you will need SR-22 insurance in Florida.
The minimum auto insurance requirements for SR22 drivers are:
- $10,000 bodily injury coverage per person.
- $20,000 bodily injury coverage per accident.
- $10,000 property damage liability per accident.
An SR22 certificate proves that you are meeting Florida’s minimum motor vehicle liability limits, but it isn’t a liability or car insurance policy in and of itself.
There are three different types of SR-22 insurance:
Non-owner SR-22 insurance
Non-owner SR-22 insurance is for Florida drivers who:
- Do not own a car.
- Do not live in the same house as someone who owns a car.
- May drive a car on occasion (for example, a rental or borrowing a friend’s car).
Even if you don’t own a car, Florida law states that the driver must meet the minimum liability insurance requirements and carry a non-owners certificate. This means you will still need auto liability insurance if you plan to drive.
Owner SR-22 insurance
Owner SR-22 insurance is for people who:
- Own a car.
- Live in the same house as someone who owns a car.
- Have had their driver’s license revoked or suspended and want to reinstate it.
If your driver’s license has been suspended or revoked, you will need to get SR-22 insurance before your license can be reinstated.
Owner/operator SR-22 insurance
If you own multiple cars or need to drive vehicles that you do not own for work, you will need to file for owner/operator SR-22 insurance.
What Is FR-44 Insurance?
Similar to SR-22 insurance, FR-44 insurance will also be ordered by the court or Florida DMV. Unlike SR-22 insurance, it’s only applicable if you’ve been convicted of a DWI or DUI.
Key Point: What Is a DWI or DUI Conviction?Although a DWI and DUI are related, they mean slightly different things. A DWI refers to ‘driving while intoxicated’. In other words, your driving is impaired by the use of either drugs or alcohol. A DUI refers to ‘driving under the influence’. This means that while you may not be completely impaired from using alcohol or drugs, you are driving when you have had more than four drinks, for example. It is important to remember that your blood alcohol limit should be less than 0.08%. |
If you have a DWI/DUI conviction, you will be considered a high-risk driver.
The minimum FR-44 liability insurance requirements for high-risk drivers significantly exceed that of good drivers and those with SR22 certificates in Florida.
The minimum liability coverage requirements for FR-44 drivers are:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability insurance per person.
- $300,000 bodily injury liability insurance per accident.
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident.
- $10,000 personal injury protection.
Unlike SR-22 insurance, which is paid monthly, those who are carrying an FR-44 certificate will need to pay their liability insurance policy six months in advance.
How to Get Inexpensive SR22 Insurance Quotes in Florida
Although getting SR-22 insurance in Florida is a straightforward process, it might be difficult to find a car insurance company that will offer you liability insurance you can afford.
If you have car insurance, contact your insurer and tell them that you need SR-22 insurance.
After paying them a small fee, they will file your SR-22 insurance form with the Florida DMV on your behalf.
Not all insurance companies will cover high-risk drivers, and your current car insurance company may even cancel your insurance.
Should you not have a car insurance policy or you have any policy lapses, you will need to first insure your car and then ask your insurer to file your SR-22 insurance on your behalf.
If your driver’s license has been suspended or revoked, you need to first get car insurance and file your SR22 form before your license will be reinstated.
How Does an SR22 Impact Your Insurance in Florida?
Having SR-22 insurance doesn’t automatically increase your auto insurance rates, but the circumstances that led to it, will.
You will have to tell your insurance company that you need to carry SR-22 insurance and this will alert them to the fact that an incident has occurred.
When your car insurance agent files your SR-22 insurance with the Florida DMV, they will be able to see the kind of violation that led to the SR22 order.
Based on the severity of your traffic violation, insurance companies will decide how much to charge for your SR-22 insurance, because you will now be seen as a higher risk to insure.
Here’s how much good drivers in Florida can expect to pay for car insurance:
Provider | Miami-Dade County | Broward County | Palm Beach County | Hillsborough County | Orange County | Average |
Mercury | $358.00 | $357.00 | $413.00 | $448.00 | $332.00 | $381.60 |
Mile Auto | $341.00 | $320.00 | $366.00 | $380.00 | $272.00 | $335.80 |
Progressive | $257.01 | $225.36 | $251.76 | $161.03 | $118.72 | $202.78 |
Geico | $188.82 | $205.60 | $125.88 | $103.85 | $83.92 | $141.61 |
Allstate | $282.23 | $210.85 | $268.54 | $230.78 | $312.60 | $261.00 |
Direct Auto | $755.23 | $284.91 | $530.45 | $417.09 | $331.24 | $463.79 |
Total Average | Â | $297.76 |
And here’s how much drivers who have been convicted of reckless driving or a DUI can expect to pay:
Provider | Miami-Dade County | Broward County | Palm Beach County | Hillsborough County | Orange County | Average |
Mercury | $458.00 | $634.00 | $520.00 | $565.00 | $418.00 | $519.00 |
Progressive | $338.31 | $227.67 | $377.65 | $301.24 | $359.46 | $320.87 |
Geico | $270.64 | $225.54 | $335.68 | $257.01 | $278.72 | $273.52 |
Allstate | $346.59 | $342.89 | $357.90 | $366.82 | $344.28 | $351.70 |
Direct Auto | $1,005.23 | $832.96 | $360.07 | $291.01 | $659.32 | $629.72 |
The General | $529.71 | $1,526.29 | $400.75 | $304.24 | $496.85 | $651.57 |
Total Average | Â | $457.73 |
The insurer with the highest premium price increase is Direct Auto, with an increase of $187.78. The insurer with the lowest premium increase is Allstate, with an increase of $90.70.
Finding an affordable auto insurance policy once you’ve been ordered to carry SR22 insurance can be difficult. Not all top insurance companies will cover drivers with SR22 because they are deemed too high risk to cover.
Your current car insurance company may not provide the best rates in Florida, so make sure you compare car insurance quotes.
To start comparing auto insurance quotes now, simply head to the top of this page and enter your zip code.Â
From here you’ll get a wide selection of cheap SR-22 insurance quotes available to you.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Affordable SR22 Insurance in Florida?
While the SR22 certificate itself isn’t expensive, several additional costs apply when you’re being ordered to carry an SR22. These costs include:
- Higher liability coverage monthly premiums.
- Higher car insurance coverage monthly payments.
- An SR22 certificate (usually between $15 and $20).
- A small fee to your insurance company for filing the SR-22.
- A fee to the Florida DMV to get your driver’s license reinstated if it was suspended or revoked.
The most significant ongoing cost of SR-22 insurance will be paying increased car and liability insurance premiums for the period that you have to carry the SR22.
Which Companies Offer Cheap Insurance For An SR22 in Florida?
Not all insurance companies are willing to cover drivers who have an SR22, because they consider them to be too high of a risk to insure.
To save you valuable time, we’ve put together a list of the prices offered by Florida insurance companies that do cover SR-22 drivers in the following counties:
- Miami-Dade County.
- Broward County.
- Palm Beach County.
- Hillsborough County.
- Orange County.
The cheaper SR-22 insurance provider is UAIC at $286.84, and the most expensive is Kemper Auto at $503.94. Here’s how much SR-22 insurance costs in these counties:
Provider | Miami-Dade County | Broward County | Palm Beach County | Hillsborough County | Orange County | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mercury | $412.00 | $532.00 | $447.00 | $484.00 | $364.00 | $447.80 |
UAIC | $234.98 | $233.40 | $262.80 | $398.10 | $304.91 | $286.84 |
Kemper Auto | $328.34 | $306.31 | $722.76 | $841.30 | $320.99 | $503.94 |
Ocean Harbor Casualty | $426.94 | $338.83 | $321.00 | $451.07 | $389.10 | $385.39 |
Geico | $327.72 | $349.90 | $394.36 | $402.07 | $299.59 | $354.73 |
How Does SR22 Insurance Quotes in Florida Compare to the Other States?
Almost all of the states in the U.S. require drivers to carry an SR22 after committing serious offenses. There are only eight states that don’t require it. These states include:
- New York.
- Kentucky.
- Minnesota.
- New Mexico.
- Pennsylvania.
- Oklahoma.
- North Carolina.
- Delaware.
To see how SR-22 insurance in Florida compares to other states, we had a look at how much SR-22 costs in Florida and the following three states:
- New York.
- Texas.
- California.
New York doesn’t make high-risk drivers carry SR22 insurance, but many insurance companies in New York offer it. This is for drivers who have moved to New York since being ordered to carry an SR22.
- Florida offers cheap insurance, with an average premium of $395.74.
- SR-22 insurance is the most expensive in New York, with an average premium of $474.89.
Here’s how the prices compare across the four states:
State | Average |
New York | $474.89 |
Texas | $453.87 |
California | $409.48 |
Florida | $395.74 |
Alternatives to SR22 Insurance in Florida
SR-21 insurance
If you’ve been in a car accident and did meet the minimum auto liability requirements in Florida at the time of the accident, you will need to ask your insurer to file an SR-21 form with the Florida DMV.
Unlike SR-22 insurance, obtaining SR-21 insurance has nothing to do with being at fault after a traffic violation.
Instead, it simply proves you had adequate liability coverage at the time of a car accident.
SR-22A insurance
If you violate the terms of your SR-22 insurance, some states will require you to obtain SR-22A insurance.
This signals to insurance companies that you’re a very high-risk driver, and your premiums will increase significantly.
Only three states require SR-22A-insurance:
- Georgia.
- Texas.
- Missouri.
FR-44 insurance
FR-44 insurance is similar to SR-22 insurance, except that it means you’ve been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs.
There are only two states that require FR-44 insurance:
- Florida.
- Virginia.
SR-50 insurance
SR-50 insurance is the same as SR-22 insurance, but it is only issued in Indiana.
If you have to carry SR-50 insurance for a traffic violation in Indiana and then move to Florida, you will need to get SR-22 insurance once you’re in Florida.
FAQs about SR22 Insurance and FR-44 Insurance in Florida
How much is SR22 insurance in Florida?
While an SR22 certificate generally costs between $15 and $20, there are several other costs that you should consider:
- Higher liability coverage monthly payments.
- Higher car insurance coverage monthly payments.
- A small fee to your insurance company for filing the SR-22.
- A fee to the Florida DMV to get your driver’s license reinstated if it was suspended or revoked.
What is the cheapest SR22 insurance in Florida?
The cheapest SR-22 insurance in Florida is UAIC at $286.84 per month. The second cheapest is Geico at $354.73 per month.
How long is SR22 required in Florida?
Typically, drivers in Florida will be required to have SR-22 insurance for three years.
In some circumstances, you will need to carry it for longer. You can check your SR-22 certificate to see how long it is in effect.
What is the difference between SR-22 and FR-44 in Florida?
While SR-22 and FR-44 are both certifications you may be ordered by the court or Florida DMV to carry, the circumstances surrounding each one are different.
The traffic violations that may lead to an SR22 include:
- Reckless driving.
- Driving with a suspended license.
- Driving without insurance coverage.
- Multiple traffic violations.
- Too many points on your driving record.
- Unpaid child support.
- Being at fault in a car accident without the minimum insurance requirements.
FR-44 insurance is strictly for drivers who have been convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Disclaimer:
CheapInsurance.com strives to keep all listed information accurate and up to date. The information we provide shouldn’t be considered as the exact price or amount you will pay for any form of insurance provided by the auto insurance companies discussed on the CheapInsurance.com website. All information displayed on this website is presented without warranty and is non-binding. Visitors to the CheapInsurance.com website should contact CheapInsurance.com, their insurance broker, or their financial provider for final pricing, offers, and quotes.
Methodology:
Our researchers sourced insurance quotes from auto insurance companies that operate in the regions we investigated. We used a standardized base profile for each section to compare auto insurance offers. For the following sections:
- SR-22 insurance
Base profile used: Gender: Male Marital Status: Married Age: 32 Vehicle: The most popular sedan by sales in the state Vehicle Year: 2017 Model Type: The most basic type/entry-level model. Mileage: 12,000 miles
- Cheapest Car insurance for young drivers
Base profile used: Marital Status: Single Age: 20 Gender: Male Vehicle: Drives the most popular sedan by sales in the state Vehicle Year: 2017 Model Type: The most basic type/entry-level model. Mileage: 12,000 miles
Get Cheap SR22 Insurance in Florida Today with CheapInsurance.com
SR-22 insurance can be expensive. Fortunately, CheapInsurance.com is here to help you find cheap SR-22 insurance in Florida.
All you need to do is head to the top of this page and enter your zip code. You will find a wide selection of SR-22 and cheap car insurance quotes to choose from.
Once you have an idea of the car insurance premiums that you could be paying, it will be time for you to contact the insurance providers that are offering you the cheapest insurance quotes.
Getting car insurance should be quick, simple, and stress-free, and you deserve to get the best cheap car insurance rates possible.