Personal Injury Protection

Moving To Florida – Driver License, Insurance And Car Registration

Thousands of people move to Florida every month. Moving to a different state can be stressful at times. To avoid any unpleasant surprises make sure you are familiar with the local laws.

Once you are a resident of the Sunshine State you will have to change your driver license, insure and register your vehicle. You are considered to be a resident when you start a new job, enrol your kids to a local school, live in Florida for more than 6 consecutive months or register to vote.

Obtaining Your Florida Driver License

Florida’s law requires you to change your driver license within 30 days of becoming a resident. Before you are issued a Florida driver license, you must present the authorities with the correct identification and documents. Many new comers experience the frustration of not bringing the right ID and paperwork and end up wasting their time.

1. Primary Identification – Used as proof of your date of birth. For U.S. Citizens it could be a birth certificate issued by a government agency (certificate issued by hospital will not be accepted),US passport or certificate of naturalization. In same cases a proof of citizenship may be required so make sure you carry the appropriate documents. In case your name has changed due to marriage or divorce, again you will need to provide the appropriate paperwork.

2. Proof of Social Security Number - Any of the following will be sufficient – Social Security card, W-2 form, Pay check, SSA-1099 or Non-SSA-1099.

3. Proof of Residential Address – You must bring at least TWO documents which state your current address in Florida. An example of such proof of address is a monthly mortgage statement or rent agreement, Florida voter registration card, Medical or health card with address listed, insurance policy or bill, professional license issued by a government agency, W-2 form or 1099 form, Mail from financial institutions or recent utility bills.

If your drivers license is suspended by another state, the suspention must end before you are issued a Florida Driver License.

Registering Your Car In Florida

The law requires you to change the registration of your car within 10 days of becoming a resident. In order to register your car, you need to visit your local Florida county tax collector’s office. Bring with you your original out of state title, proof of Florida auto insurance and VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) Verification.

The VIN must be physically inspected by a law enforcement officer, a licensed motor vehicle dealer, DMV examiner or county tax collector employee, and even by a provost Marshal or an active military officer.

There are a few exemptions and VIN Verification doesn’t apply to new vehicles, mobile homes and trailers or semi-trailers with a net weight of less than 2,000 pounds.

If your car is less than 6 months old, you may be required to pay sales tax. It all depends on how much tax you have already paid. For example if you have paid 5% in your previous state you will now have to pay an additional 1% in Florida, as the sales tax in Florida is 6%.

Florida No Fault Insurance

As already mention, in order to register your vehicle you must have auto insurance. Your insurance must be from Florida, not another state. The minimum requirements as per Florida No-Fault Law are $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) ad $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL). If you are coming from New Jersey, New Your or Michigan you will be glad to know that you auto insurance will most likely be cheaper in Florida. On the other hand, if you used to live in Idaho, Iowa or Vermont, you will find Florida auto insurance rates more expensive.

One sure way to save on auto insurance is to compare auto insurance quotes online. Its fast, free and secure. You can even save up to 35%!

What are you waiting for compare Florida No Fault Insurance quotes online now and see how much you could save.

What is a SR22 Form?

SR22 form is the name given to a document which is used to provide verification of required auto insurance to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Different conditions from the SR22 may be required by Court, depending on your circumstances. The main differences being compliance period, Bodily Injury Liability coverage and the payment terms.

If you were driving without insurance in Florida and caused only property damage, you will be required a Property Damage Liability (PDL) and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy.

The SR22 requirements will be satisfied with a 6 month non-cancelable policy which also has a compliance period of 2 years.

If someone was hurt in an accident you caused while driving uninsured, Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) will be required. The coverage limits will be $20,000 per accident and $10,000 per person. The compliance period will be 3 years and it is acceptable for the policy to be cancelled.

Your insurance company will file SR22 form to Florida’s Bureau of Financial Responsibility. Such fillings were once done manually but now the process is automated and the SR22 filing is done electronically. After your policy begins, your insurance company has fifteen days to submit it. Once the filing is completed, theFlorida DMV will reinstate your driver license.

There was a change in the low regarding DUI drivers and since October 2007 they require a Fr44 form to be filed. If you have existing SR22 requirement, it will be superseded by the new FR44 form. It is also worth mentioning that you can not be issued multiple SR22 or FR44 forms.

Bare in mind that SR22 filing will only be accepted on a Florida car insurance policy. An additional fee of $15 will be added to your policy as well.

Your insurance company is required to file a SR26 form if you cancel your policy. If this happens during the compliance period of your SR22, you may lose your driving license. Make sure your auto insurance do not lapse.

If you do not own a vehicle but need to drive one and you are required to have a SR22, you will need to get a non owner SR22 insurance.

Florida No Fault Auto Insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Question: What is PIP?
Answer: PIP is the common abbreviation for Personal Injury Protection. Under Florida No Fault Insurance law, PIP is a mandatory requireament .

Q: Who is insured by PIP?
A: The named insured and all resident relatives are covered under the PIP coverage of your Florida auto insurance policy.

Q: Do resident relatives need to be listed drivers?
A: Resident relatives are not required to be listed drivers on the policy for coverage to apply.

Q: Are all of my vehicles covered by PIP?
A: Yes, all cars owned by you and listed on your Florida auto insurance policy are covered by the Personal Injury Protection.

Q: Are trailers considered a covered vehicle?
A: Any trailer designed for use with a private passenger vehicle and not used for business is considered a covered vehicle.

Q: What does PIP actually cover?
A: Personal Injury Protection benefits include: Medical benefits, disability benefits, and death benefits.

Q: What is the amounts payable when PIP coverage applies?
A: Medical benefits are payable at 80% of the amount incurred due to a covered injury. The amount of death benefit payable for an insured person is $5,000. Disability benefits are payable at 60% of any lost wages incurred due to a covered injury. The total amount payable under PIP for any one accident is $10,000.

Q: Is there a deductible under PIP coverage?
A: Florida Motor Vehicle Law allows a deductible of no more than $1,000 for PIP coverage. Choosing a deductible is optional and will lower the premium if you elect one. Also, work loss exclusion is allowed under the law and if elected your premium will be lower and you will not receive any benefit from lost wages due to a covered injury.

Q: Do Personal Injury Protection benefits increase depending on the number of cars on my policy?
A: No, a premium is collected by your insurance company for each motor vehicle listed on the policy; however, this does not increase benefits.

Q: Can I cancel my PIP policy and have a registered vehicle?
A: No! If you fail to maintain required PIP coverage your driver’s license will be suspended.

Q: I live in Florida only for a few months of the year do I still require PIP coverage?
A: Any vehicle registered in the state of Florida is required to carry PIP coverage even if that vehicle is not in use or is in another state part of the year.

Q: Does Personal Injury Protection cover me even outside the Sunshine State?
A: Yes, a Florida resident who is covered under the PIP portion of a Florida auto insurance policy is covered while driving that vehicle outside the state of Florida.

Florida No Fault Insurance

Florida is a No Fault state for auto insurance. Knowing and understanding Florida No Fault Insurance law will allow you to choose the right coverage for you and will also help you if you need to make a claim in the future. Take a minute to read the following information before getting free no fault insurance quotes.

What Is No Fault Insurance?

Under no fault insurance each driver would be completely covered by his own car insurance (up to his policy limit), and drivers can not sue another driver regardless of the severity of the accident.

However, no state uses such strict form of no fault insurance.

There is a general misconception about no fault auto insurance and what it actually covers.

Florida No Fault Insurance really is in regards only to medical payments. Meaning that if you are involved in an accident, your insurance company will pay for your bodily injury claims regardless of who was at fault.

Under Florida No Fault Insurance law both drivers must carry insurance for their own protection, and their ability to sue other drivers for damages is regulated by certain limitations.

Florida No Fault Insurance Requirements

Since the Florida Legislature passed a bill to reform Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law, citizens should know that Florida law will once again require drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance effective January 1, 2008.

The law requires you to carry a minimum of:

$10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP)
$10,000 of property damage liability (PDL).

You must note that covering the property damage done to your vehicle will be responsibility of the at fault party in the accident.

Florida no fault auto insurance law is intended to reduce lawsuits between drivers. You can only sue the at fault party if you meet certain thresholds like major bodily function, disfigurement or significant scarring.

Florida No Fault Car Insurance – Is It Required?

Yes, Florida No Fault Car Insurance is mandatory.

If you live in Florida or you need to stay in the Sunshine State for longer than 90 days you must have Florida No Fault Car Insurance. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles does not need the 90 days to be consecutive to require this insurance on the vehicle.

Don’t forget that driving without car insurance is illegal. You must have auto insurance even if your vehicle is not currently used, as long as it has Florida registration tag.

You must obtain auto insurance from Florida, not another state.

Florida No Fault Car Insurance Minimum Required

The minimum coverage required is:

1. PIP – Personal Injury Protection, $10,000.

2. PDL – $10,000 Property Damage Liability,$10,000

Additionally, if you have been involved in an accident, or have been convicted of certain offences, you may be required to purchase Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) coverage.

Under Florida No Fault Car Insurance law, if you are involved in an accident, your insurance company will cover your medical expenses, regardless of who was at fault.

However, the at fault party will still have to cover the property damages.

Save money on Florida No Fault Car Insurance

In comparison with other states, people living in Florida pay slightly more for their car insurance.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of things you can do in order to reduce your monthly car insurance payments.

1. Leave the car at home more often – walk, carpool and biking are all good options. Less mileage means more affordable vehicle insurance and less spent on gas every month.

2. Pay attention on the road- if you have speed tickets or other traffic violations, your vehicle insurance in Jacksonville will go up.

3. Go online and compare – you will be surprised how much you can save if you shop around.

Get FREE Florida No Fault Car Insurance Quotes in minutes and see how much you can save today.