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How to Buy Auto Insurance in Florida (2026 Update)

By Jeffrey D. Soud, Esq., Florida attorney (Florida Bar #976090), The SOUD Law Firm, Orange Park, Florida. Updated October 2026.

Florida requires only $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and $10,000 of Property Damage Liability (PDL) to register most cars, and in my opinion those minimums make you legal, not well covered. I suggest pricing bodily injury liability of at least 100/300, uninsured motorist coverage that matches it, no PIP deductible, and MedPay. The 2023 tort reform law (HB 837) makes your own coverage matter more, because of the new shared-fault rule, a shorter filing deadline, and changes to bad-faith claims.

What car insurance does Florida require, and what does it not require?

You can usually change your coverage at any time, not just at renewal. Do not be afraid to change what you have. The coverage you have may not be adequate.

Florida still has a no-fault system. To register a car with at least four wheels, you must carry $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and $10,000 of Property Damage Liability (PDL) (Fla. Stat. §§ 627.733, 627.736, 324.022). Bills to repeal no-fault were filed in the 2025 and 2026 sessions. None passed (SB 1256 and HB 1181 in 2025; SB 522 and HB 769 in 2026), and the 2026 special sessions did not take up a repeal.

PIP and PDL make you legal. In my opinion, they do not make you well covered.

Bodily injury liability (BI) is not required to register most private cars. But Florida's financial responsibility law can still reach you. After a crash that police must report, an owner or driver without a liability policy meeting the minimums can have his or her license and registrations suspended, with some exceptions (§ 324.051). Those minimums are $10,000 per person and $20,000 per crash for bodily injury, and $10,000 for property damage (§ 324.021(7)). A driver convicted of DUI must carry $100,000 per person, $300,000 per crash, and $50,000 for property damage (§ 324.023).

Keep coverage continuous, even if the car is not being driven. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) advises surrendering your plate before you cancel your insurance.

How much bodily injury liability coverage should you buy?

Bodily injury liability (BI) covers people you hurt, up to your limits. Limits are written as two numbers, such as 100/300: $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash.

In my opinion, buy at least 100/300. If you can afford more, price 300/300, 300/500, or higher. If you own a home or have savings, ask about an umbrella policy, which adds liability coverage above your auto and home limits.

Here is why. If you seriously injure someone, your policy limit is generally the most your insurer will pay. The injured person can seek a judgment against you for the rest, and may look to your property or wages. An unpaid crash judgment can also lead to suspension of your license and registrations (§§ 324.121, 324.131).

Do not count on a bad-faith claim against your insurer to cover the gap. Since the 2023 tort reform law (HB 837, Ch. 2023-15, Laws of Fla.), mere negligence alone is not enough to constitute bad faith (§ 624.155(5)(a)). And for a liability insurance claim, a bad-faith action will not lie if the insurer tenders the lesser of the policy limits or the amount demanded within 90 days after receiving actual notice of the claim, accompanied by sufficient evidence to support the amount of the claim (§ 624.155(4)(a)). Adequate limits are your own protection.

How does uninsured motorist coverage work in Florida?

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM) protects you and your family when the at-fault driver has no BI coverage, or not enough to pay your damages (§ 627.727(1), (3)). It pays what you are legally entitled to recover from that driver, subject to your policy terms. Who else is going to make your house and car payments when you cannot work?

Florida ties UM to BI. A policy that includes BI must include UM, and the UM limits must equal your BI limits, unless a named insured rejects UM or selects lower limits in writing on a form approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation (§ 627.727(1)-(2)). If a named insured signs that form, the law conclusively presumes an informed rejection for everyone on the policy. Read anything you are asked to sign.

Two practical points. First, the UM requirement applies to policies that include BI. If you buy only PIP and PDL, do not assume you have UM. Second, ask whether you are being quoted stacked or non-stacked UM. Non-stacked UM does not add together the coverage on multiple vehicles (§ 627.727(8)). Ask the agent to price both.

In my opinion, buy as much UM as you can afford, which by law matches your BI limits unless you choose lower limits or reject it in writing. It is coverage you choose for yourself, instead of depending on what the other driver chose to carry.

How does PIP work, and should you choose a PIP deductible or add MedPay?

PIP pays 80 percent of reasonable medical expenses and 60 percent of lost gross income, up to $10,000 per person, plus a $5,000 death benefit, regardless of who caused the crash (§ 627.736(1)). It covers you and relatives who live with you, including in many situations when you are riding in another car or are struck as a pedestrian (§ 627.736(1), (4)(e)). PIP is generally primary, which means it pays before your health insurance (§ 627.736(4)).

Two limits matter. You must get initial care within 14 days after the crash from a qualifying provider. And PIP medical benefits reach the full $10,000 only if a qualifying provider determines you had an emergency medical condition. They are limited to $2,500 if a provider determines you did not (§ 627.736(1)(a)).

Insurers must offer PIP deductibles of $250, $500, and $1,000. The deductible applies to 100 percent of your expenses before PIP pays (§ 627.739(2)). Whatever you do, do not elect a PIP deductible. In my opinion, the deductible comes off the first bills after a crash, when you can least afford it.

Medical Payments coverage (MedPay) is optional. Depending on your policy, it may help with the 20 percent PIP does not pay, or bills above PIP. Read the policy, including any right your insurer has to be repaid from a later recovery. In my opinion, price at least $5,000, and $20,000 or more if you can.

What coverage protects your own car?

Property damage liability (PDL) pays for damage you cause to someone else's car, truck, or fence. Florida's minimum is $10,000 (§ 324.022). In my opinion, buy at least $25,000. Given what newer vehicles cost to repair or replace, $50,000 is a better starting point.

Collision pays for damage to your car from a collision, minus your deductible. It matters when you cause a crash, and when the other driver has no insurance or the other insurer is slow to accept fault. Comprehensive covers damage from other causes, such as theft, fire, flood, windstorm, and hitting an animal. If your car is financed or leased, your lender may require both. Choose the lowest deductible you can comfortably afford. In Florida, the comprehensive deductible does not apply to windshield damage (§ 627.7288).

If you owe more on the car than it is worth, ask about gap coverage. Many policies pay a total loss at the car's actual cash value, which can be less than your loan balance.

Rental reimbursement and towing are optional add-ons. Ask what each costs before you decline it. If your car is in the shop and the other driver has no insurance, how are you getting to work?

How does the 2023 tort reform law change what you should buy?

The 2023 tort reform law (HB 837) changed Florida injury claims in ways that make your own coverage more important.

Shared fault. If you are found more than 50 percent at fault for your own injuries, you recover nothing from the other driver. At 50 percent or less, your damages are reduced by your share (§ 768.81(2), (6)). Medical negligence cases are excepted. PIP, MedPay, and collision on your own policy can pay regardless of fault.

Shorter deadline. A negligence claim that accrued after March 24, 2023 generally must be filed within 2 years (§ 95.11(5)(a); Ch. 2023-15, § 28). Claims under your own policy can have different deadlines and notice requirements.

Attorney's fees. HB 837 repealed § 627.428, which had usually let a policyholder who won a suit against his or her own insurer recover attorney's fees (Ch. 2023-15, § 11). Whether the old rule applies can depend on policy and filing dates.

Medical bills. In an injury lawsuit, evidence of paid medical bills is limited to the amount actually paid, and evidence of unpaid bills can be tied to what your health coverage would pay (§ 768.0427). Keep your health insurance.

Shopping. Decide on coverages and limits first. Then get written quotes from at least three companies for the same coverages. Tell each agent you are shopping. Confirm the agent is licensed with the Florida Department of Financial Services. If you can, pay the full term. An insurer generally may cancel for nonpayment on 10 days' notice (§ 627.728(3)(a)).

This guide is general information about Florida law as of October 2026, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is Florida still a no-fault state in 2026?

Yes. To register a car with at least four wheels, you must carry $10,000 of PIP and $10,000 of Property Damage Liability (Fla. Stat. §§ 627.733, 627.736, 324.022). Bills to repeal no-fault were filed in the 2025 and 2026 regular sessions, and none passed. The 2026 special sessions did not take up a repeal.

Is bodily injury liability coverage required in Florida?

Not to register most private cars. But after a crash that police must report, an owner or driver without a liability policy meeting the minimums ($10,000 per person, $20,000 per crash, $10,000 property damage) can have his or her license and registrations suspended, with some exceptions (§§ 324.051, 324.021(7)). A driver convicted of DUI must carry 100/300/50 (§ 324.023).

Should I choose a PIP deductible?

In my opinion, no. Insurers must offer PIP deductibles of $250, $500, and $1,000, and the deductible applies to 100 percent of your expenses before PIP pays (§ 627.739(2)). It comes off the first bills after a crash, when you can least afford it.

Can I reject uninsured motorist coverage?

Yes. A named insured can reject UM or select lower limits in writing on a form approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation. If a named insured signs that form, the law conclusively presumes an informed rejection for everyone on the policy (§ 627.727(1)-(2)). Read anything you are asked to sign.

How long do I have to file a car accident injury lawsuit in Florida?

A negligence claim that accrued after March 24, 2023 generally must be filed within 2 years (§ 95.11(5)(a)). Claims under your own policy can have different deadlines and notice requirements.

Sources

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About the author. Jeffrey D. Soud, Esq., is a Florida attorney (Florida Bar #976090) at The SOUD Law Firm, 575 Wells Rd., Orange Park, FL 32073, (904) 353-9000. His practice is personal injury.

This is general information, not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.