Guide to SR-22s in Florida

See below for what your average annual cost of Florida car insurance with an SR-22 may be.

Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance

If you receive a court order to file an SR-22 but don’t own a vehicle, purchase a non-owner car insurance policy that provides enough liability coverage to meet the state’s requirements.¹

Florida has a unique circumstance compared to other states. Here’s what you need to know about SR-22s and FR-44s in Florida.

When You’ll Need One

Florida requires you to have property damage liability and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage (you can check out our guide to auto insurance in Florida for more information). If you are convicted of a moving violation like driving without a valid license or proof of insurance, or if you have repeated traffic offenses, you might be required to file an SR-22. The Driver’s License Department will suspend your registration and driver’s license.²

If you neglect to purchase minimum coverage and injure another party in an accident, the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department requires you to:

1. Purchase and maintain minimum limits. In Florida, that equals $10,000 property damage liability per crash and $10,000 PIP per person per crash. After you purchase an insurance policy, you will need to file an SR-22 form for three years from your suspension date through your insurance company.
2. Obtain releases from the other parties for their property damage and bodily injuries, or post a security deposit with the department in the amount listed on your suspension notice.

Unlike most states, Florida requires an FR-44 for DUI convictions — not an SR-22, as with other accidents. For convictions after Oct. 1, 2007, you must obtain an FR-44 form providing bodily injury liability coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident and property damage liability of $50,000.³ These requirements apply to both in-state and out-of-state drivers. Note that this is more than the minimum coverage requirement in Florida, reflecting the severity of the conviction. Anyone convicted of an alcohol-related offense before Oct. 1, 2007, requires an SR-22.

In the event of multiple offenses, your insurance company will not need to report an SR-22 and an FR-44 for the same person. Rather, an FR-44 will cover both limits. Whichever one you need, you must file it within 15 working days of issuance.

How to Submit an SR-22 in Florida

Your insurance company needs to file the SR-22 or FR-44 on your behalf. To get an SR-22 or FR-44 form, you first need to purchase the required coverage from a provider. When you’re comparing quotes from different companies, be sure to confirm that they can file the form for you. After you purchase your policy, contact your auto insurance company to let it know you need a certificate of financial responsibility so it can begin the process of filing on your behalf.⁴

SR-22 Fees

Most auto insurance companies charge a one-time filing fee for SR-22 and FR-44 forms. In Florida, the average filing fee is $15.⁵ Florida also requires a reinstatement fee of $150, $200, or $500 if you fail to provide proof of insurance.

Most of the additional expense comes from the factors that affect your auto insurance premium. Accidents, traffic violations, and DUIs increase your premium.

Here are our money-saving tips for how drivers with an SR-22 or FR-44 can get cheap car insurance in Florida:

1. Choose a provider that caters to high-risk drivers. Some companies cater to high-risk drivers, which means you’ll pay less than you would with a traditional company.
2. Get pay-per-mile insurance. If you don’t drive often, you can save money by using pay-per-mile insurance. Instead of a flat rate, you would pay a base rate and a small per-mile fee for the miles you drive.
3. Buy minimum coverage. If you file an SR-22, you need to purchase only the legal minimum auto insurance required in Florida to reinstate your driving privileges. Incidents that require you to file an FR-44 form require additional coverage, however.
4. Complete a Basic Driver Improvement course. Basic Driver Improvement, or BDI, is a voluntary election to complete an approved driver safety course in lieu of points on your license.
5. Drive safely. Additional incidents will raise auto insurance premiums and reinstatement fees, so avoid accidents and violations by practicing defensive driving. Many providers offer programs to track your braking, phone usage, and other behaviors, and reward safe driving behaviors with discounts.

Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, which affects the minimum required coverage. Here’s how much coverage you need at a minimum:

• Personal injury protection (PIP): You are required to purchase PIP in no-fault states. In Florida, the amount is $10,000 worth of PIP per person and per accident. If you get into an accident, each person will file first-party personal injury claims. PIP covers the costs of injuries, deaths, lost wages, child care, and other losses medical expenses coverage does not cover.
• Property damage liability: You need $10,000 worth of property damage liability coverage. As in at-fault states, the at-fault driver will pay for the other party’s property damage with their liability coverage.

Stay safe out there. As a high-risk driver in Florida, you should be aware that the state may require either an SR-22 or an FR-44 filing to reinstate your driving privileges — even if you don’t own a vehicle. These types of insurance filings come with additional costs on top of an increase in your monthly premium.