Florida FR44 Car Free Insurance Filing
Whether you received a DUI while driving a car or motorcycle, operating a boat or jet ski, or some other vehicle, the requirements to reinstate your license will include proof of liability insurance. Even if you received a DUI while riding a bike or as a passenger in a car, what actually happens, the consequences remain the same. Insurance requirements to reinstate the license are a minimum of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, and $50,000 for property damage liability (100/300/50). Unless this type of coverage was in effect, on a policy valid at the time of the DUI, a Florida FR44 filing with the Office of Financial Responsibility must be included on a new insurance policy.
A new policy does not necessarily mean a new auto insurance policy. No matter what you were driving or doing to receive a DUI, you can meet the insurance requirements for license reinstatement with a variety of policies. However you decide to “move” after a DUI, even if you are walking, liability insurance will be required to reinstate your license. Due to the strict underwriting (grading) and increased costs associated with a DUI, many convicted drivers will switch from driving a car to riding a motorcycle, scooter, or public transportation. The amount of insurance that goes up after a DUI largely depends on the type of policy purchased.
Underwriting and insurance coverage requirements, in addition to FR44 requirements, vary for different policy types. For example; Florida’s no-fault law mandates PIP insurance coverage for cars and trucks, while exempting vehicles with fewer than four wheels. A policy without a vehicle, called a non-owners policy, also does not include PIP and the various types of policies can be used to file a Florida FR44 filing. Since PIP benefits extend to family members and household residents, they are screened by businesses for eligibility and rate calculation. Policies that are exempt from Florida No-Fault completely avoid the underwriting hassles and inflated expenses associated with PIP.
In a car insurance policy with FR44 presentation there can be no excluded drivers and the premium must be paid in full because they cannot be cancelled. Again, the different sentences for different types of policies can be a real “lifesaver” for the convicted driver. Being able to exclude an operator or young spouse from a policy, or being able to make payments, can be the difference between paying for a policy and cashing in your 401K.
A policyholder charged with maintaining Florida’s 10/20/10 minimum liability requirements experiences “label shock” when he discovers he needs to raise his liability tenfold to 100/300/50. For many people, a driver’s license is not just a privilege but a necessity, such as those who need a valid license to keep their job. Simply going without insurance after a DUI is not an option for them and a typical auto insurance policy with FR44 may be unaffordable. Fortunately, they do have alternatives to purchasing car-free insurance to file your FR44 and receive a reinstated license.