If you aren’t properly insured in the State of Florida, and you get pulled over, there’s a strong chance you could lose your license. If you are in violation of Florida’s uninsured motorist laws your license can be suspended and you may be required to pay a penalty to get the license reinstated.

In Florida, the reinstatement fee STARTS at $150. The reinstatement fee can run as high as $500. If you have multiple violations, the reinstatement fee to get your Florida drivers license back goes higher per violation. How does a person with a suspended license in Florida get it back? Before you can get your Florida drivers license reinstated you must furnish proof of Florida auto insurance. The proof of insurance must show you are currently insured–in other words, the insurance form must be up to date, show the dates of coverage and show all minium required coverages as spelled out in Florida State law.

Did you know you can have your Florida drivers license suspended for up to THREE YEARS for violating the uninsured motorist laws? Don’t take the risk.

One reason for this in the State of Florida? The expiration of the no-fault Personal Injury Protection law in 2007. No-fault personal injury protection may no longer be part of your options with Florida auto insurance, but UM coverage can fill the gap.

Uninsured Motorists Bodily Injury coverage pays for injuries caused by an uninsured driver or in the event of a hit-and-run accident.

If your accident results in medical costs, Uninsured Motorists Bodily Injury coverage pays up to the amount of the coverage you specify–which is why many Florida auto insurance agents recommend carrying as much as you can reasonably afford.

That said, it is very important to check your auto insurance policy and compare it to your personal health insurance. Make sure you are not duplicating coverage. Auto insurance laws and policy regulations are specifically designed to prevent “double dipping” and you should not expect to collect insurance money from two companies for the same hospital bills. Examine all policies carefully and make sure you are covered but not paying twice.

Check out this great introductory clip about Florida auto insurance basics. This started making the rounds on YouTube in the spring of 2009, so the information is current and very helpful. Do you know what umbrella insurance is? How does Florida umbrella insurance protect you in the event of a car accident? What’s the ideal amount of coverage? Ed Carpenter explains it all.

Some policies are called “permissive use policies” and in cases like these your car insurance covers anyone who drives the vehicle. But other auto insurance Florida policies have tighter restrictions. Those who live with you and share your home may be covered by your car insurance while others are not.

You may feel the need to sign a waiver or deny Florida car insurance coverage to those who cause your rates to increase. Ask your Florida insurance agent for more information on such waivers.

But insurance laws don’t force Florida drivers to buy insurance in amounts large enough to save you from going bankrupt in case of a major accident. How much will you pay if your coverage is too low? Do you know what the average amount of liability insurance payouts are after a typical car accident in Florida?

When getting Florida auto insurance quotes, consider the costs of a major car accident and plan your car insurance coverage accordingly.

Even a minor car crash in Florida may cost hundreds of dollars to repair. Your liability coverage should be high enough to protect you from going in to serious debt if you get into an accident and have to pay for someone else’s damaged property. Don’t carry too little Florida liability insurance–the price you wind up paying after the wreck might be too much to handle.

Florida auto insurance minimum coverage includes a $10,000 personal injury protection policy also known as PIP for short. You must also carry $10,000 property damage liability Florida car insurance. You’ll be required to have this coverage as long as your car carries Florida tags.

Bodily Injury Liability car insurance defined:

Bodily Injury Liability coverage pays claims on serious and permanent injury as the result of a car accident. It also covers accidental death. Depending on the terms of your policy, you may also be entitled to legal counsel paid for by the Florida auto insurance company.

Property Damage Liability auto insurance defined:

In Florida, property damage liability car insurance is for an accident you or other insured drivers of your car may cause to someone else’s property as the result of an accident.

Florida Coverage

Florida coverage is defined by the Florida state government as an insurance policy created and issued in the state of Florida. Florida car insurance must be issued by an insurance company licensed by the Florida Department of Financial Services, or it is not considered Florida auto insurance.