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Last updated: October 9, 2024

Car Insurance for Seniors in Florida

And why the no-fault insurance system is here to stay

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Florida is a no-fault insurance state, meaning each driver must have personal injury protection (PIP) and is responsible for their own injuries. Insurance is more expensive in no-fault states. In fact, car insurance premiums in Florida are over a third more than the national average. How does this affect the state’s 4.5 million adults age 65 and older? Here’s what you need to know about getting car insurance as a senior in Florida.

Editor’s note (last updated August 19, 2024): We have updated this page with the most recent pricing information, as well as the current status of Florida’s Senate Bill 150 and House Bill 1525, both of which died in committee in March, 2022.

What Is Car Insurance for Seniors?

Car insurance for seniors is auto insurance specifically for drivers 55 and older. Usually, the actual policies look similar regardless of age group, but we’ll point out some key differences below.

How Is Car Insurance Different for Seniors?

Aside from senior discounts, the main way car insurance is different for seniors is the higher cost. Car insurance costs more for seniors in all states, even though, in Florida, they are less likely to get into crashes than any other age group. Fatal crashes are most common from ages 20 to 34, and they decrease from age 65 and above, according to the 2022 FHSMV’s annual traffic crash report.1

Age group of driver Number of drivers in fatal crashes in Florida, 2022 Percent of all fatal crashes in Florida, 2022
Under 15 3 Less than 1%
15-19 109 5%
20-24 221 11%
25-29 215 11%
30-34 214 10%
35-39 179 9%
40-44 149 7%
45-49 125 6%
50-54 131 6%
55-59 123 6%
60-64 133 7%
65-69 123 6%
70-74 116 6%
75-79 82 4%
80-84 60 3%
85-89 39 2%
90+ 20 1%
Unknown 1 Less than 1%
Total 2,043 n/a

Learn more in our senior driving statistics.

Car Insurance for Seniors in Florida

The mandatory car insurance in Florida includes property damage coverage and PIP. The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re hitting the minimum coverage requirements for driving in the state.

Coverages

The minimum car insurance in Florida is as follows.

  • Property damage coverage: You must get at least $10,000 of property damage coverage, which covers the other party’s property damages in accidents you cause. On the other hand, if someone hits your car, you’d file a third-party claim with their auto insurance company to get your damages covered.
  • PIP: PIP covers medical payments, lost wages, and child care costs that result from accidents, whether or not you were at fault. You must carry at least $10,000 of PIP per person and per accident.

Florida does not require bodily injury coverage, collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, or uninsured motorist coverage. If you want damages to your car or accidents with uninsured motorists covered, we recommend full-coverage car insurance with limits as high as you can afford.

NOTE

You need car insurance to register a car in Florida. Get your proof of car insurance before you register your car either online or in person.

How much does car insurance cost for seniors in Florida?

For seniors, car insurance in Florida costs around $2,493 on average, but expect to pay anywhere from $1,430 to $3,139 annually. Costs will be higher if you get into an accident, are convicted of a DUI, or get higher coverage than the minimum.

Is Insurance Worth the Cost?

It’s no secret that insuring your car in Florida is expensive, but it’s worth the cost to avoid legal and financial penalties. Here are the penalties for driving without insurance in Florida:

Penalty First offense Second offense Third and subsequent offenses within 3 years of first reinstatement
Suspension of license and registration until you pay the reinstatement fee and secure noncancelable coverage Yes Yes Yes
Reinstatement fee $150 $250 $5002

Aside from the penalties, you’ll be responsible for your medical costs and property damages, and the other party’s property damages too, in at-fault accidents. Although not having insurance will save you money in the short term, it’s not worth it in the long term, especially if you have an accident.

How to Save

Even though Florida ranks fourth in the nation for high car insurance costs after New York, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C.,3 there are some ways you, as a senior, can lower your prices.

  1. Look for discounts. Some car insurance companies offer insurance discounts for drivers ages 55 and over. Direct Auto, for example, lets you save 5 percent if you complete a motor vehicle accident prevention course.4 Other companies also offer discounts for taking defensive driving courses; GEICO offers up to 10 percent off if you complete an approved course, lowering rates for drivers 50 and up.
  2. Bundle your insurance. If you also have a homeowners, condo, renters, or any other type of insurance policy, see if you can bundle all your policies under a single provider. You’ll most likely save money by bundling your policies.
  3. Adjust your policy. You can raise your deductible, lower your limits, or drop unnecessary coverages while still staying financially protected. For example, you don’t need insurance on a car that doesn’t run or collision coverage for a car in storage.

No-Fault Florida Insurance

Florida is a no-fault state, meaning each person is responsible for their own medical costs under PIP, while the at-fault party pays for the other party’s property damage.

While there have been recent bills in the Florida House of Representatives and Senate that would have repealed this no-fault law, specificallyHouse Bill 1525 and Senate Bill 150, they both died in March of 2022. If they had passed, bodily injury coverage would have replaced PIP, making the at-fault party responsible for the other party’s medical costs.5

Many people had warned that repealing Florida’s no-fault law would make car insurance even more expensive. In fact, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation estimated that costs would have increased by 48 percent,6 causing higher numbers of uninsured motorists.

Florida is already sixth in the nation for the percentage of people driving without insurance, which is an estimated 1 in 5 drivers as of 2019.7 Fortunately for Florida drivers, the no-fault law remains.

FR-44 Insurance

Florida requires SR-22s when people reinstate their licenses after court-ordered suspensions. People must maintain proof of minimum coverage for two years from the original suspension date, along with paying a reinstatement fee of $150, $250, or $500. However, any alcohol-related conviction would require an FR-44 following reinstatement for three years. This form proves that you have higher liability limits than the state’s normal requirements.
You would need to have the following:

  • Bodily injury coverage: $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident
  • Property damage coverage: $50,000

How PIP Works in Florida

As of August 2024, PIP is still a requirement in Florida, with a $10,000 liability limit. These medical/disability benefits include $10,000 in these categories:

  • Ambulance
  • Dental
  • Hospital
  • Nurse
  • Physical therapy
  • Prosthetic devices
  • Rehab
  • Surgeries
  • X-rays

PIP also includes $5,000 of death benefits.

Let’s say you’re a senior who uses Medicare. If you were injured in a car accident, your PIP would contribute to your medical costs before your Medicare coverage or any other health care coverage you have. In other words, Medicare is a secondary payer that will only contribute after you exhaust your PIP and health insurance benefits.8

FYI

Unlike with car insurance for seniors in Michigan, you can’t opt out of PIP in Florida, even if you have Medicare coverage.

How to Get the Best Car Insurance for Seniors

If you’re ready to shop for car insurance in Florida, there are a few ways you can go about it.

  1. Ask around. You could ask your friends or family for recommendations, but note that there’s no one-size-fits-all car insurance, so the best insurance for your friend may not be the best for you.
  2. Find an agent or a broker. A better option is to find an insurance agent or broker. While an agent represents a company or multiple companies, brokers represent you, allowing you to shop the entire market. You can find an agent or a broker through local business directories like Yelp and the Better Business Bureau.
  3. Look online. You can also compare car insurance quotes online to find the lowest rates. Additionally, read reviews of companies. See how real customers feel about companies’ customer service, and check customer service ratings from J.D. Power. Also see what the insurers offer in terms of coverages and discounts for a senior driver, such as accident forgiveness.

Go to a company directly. If there’s a company you already know and trust, you can call it directly or visit in person to get a policy. These are some of the best insurance companies in Florida for seniors:

If price is a major concern, consider the companies that offer the cheapest car insurance in Florida:

Conclusion

Seniors are up against a lot when it comes to finding affordable car insurance in Florida, from the state’s high costs in general to the high costs for seniors in any state. However, with a little research, you can make your auto insurance rates as low as possible, while still protecting your financial interests. Be sure to follow all Florida car insurance laws, while you’re at it!

Citations

  1. Traffic Crash Facts Annual Report 2022. Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. (2024).
    https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/crashreports/crash_facts_2022.pdf

  2. The 2021 Florida Statutes. Online Sunshine. (2022, Mar).
    http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0324/Sections/0324.0221.html

  3. 2019/2020 Auto Insurance Database Report. NAIC. (2023, Jan).
    https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/publication-aut-pb-auto-insurance-database.pdf

  4. Senior Citizen Discount. Direct Auto Insurance. (2022).
    https://www.directauto.com/why-direct/get-discounts/senior-citizen-discount

  5. SB 150: Motor Vehicle Insurance. The Florida Senate. (2023, Jul 1).
    https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/150

  6. The Impact of Repealing Personal Injury Protection Coverage in Florida. Pinnacle Actuarial Resources. (2021, Jun).
    https://floir.com/siteDocuments/FloridaOIRPIPRepealImpactFinalReport06142021.pdf

  7. One in Eight Drivers Uninsured. Insurance Research Council. (2021, Mar).
    https://www.insurance-research.org/sites/default/files/downloads/UM%20NR%20032221.pdf

  8. USING MEDICARE OR MEDICAID COVERAGE AFTER A FLORIDA AUTO ACCIDENT. Rinaldo Law Group. (2020, Aug).
    https://www.tampainjuryaccidentlaw.com/using-medicare-or-medicaid-coverage-after-a-florida-auto-accident/

  9. Trust Emerges as Top Driver of Customer Satisfaction with Auto Insurance as Prices Continue to Surge, J.D. Power Finds. J.D. Power. (2024, Jun 11).
    https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2024-us-auto-insurance-study