Florida FR44 Insurance Application Without a Car

Global Courant

Whether you got a DUI for operating a car or motorcycle, operating a boat or jet ski, or any other vehicle, the requirements to reinstate your driver’s license include proof of liability insurance. Even if a DUI was received while riding a bike or as a passenger in a car, which actually happens, the consequences are still the same. Insurance requirements to reinstate the license are a minimum of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident for personal injury liability, and $50,000 for property damage liability (100/300/50). Unless this type of coverage was in effect, a valid policy at the time of DUI must have a Florida FR44 filing with the Bureau of Financial Responsibility included in a new insurance policy.

A new policy does not automatically mean a new car insurance policy. Regardless of what you were driving or did to receive a DUI, you can meet the insurance requirements for reinstatement of your driver’s license with different policies. Any way you decide to “travel” after a DUI, even if it’s running, liability insurance is required to reinstate your driver’s license. Due to strict acceptance (qualification) and higher costs associated with a DUI, many convicted drivers will switch from driving a car to riding a motorcycle, scooter, or public transportation. How much insurance goes up after a DUI depends a lot on the type of policy purchased.

Insurance coverage and underwriting requirements, other than the FR44 requirements, vary for different types of policies. For example; The Florida No-Fault law requires PIP insurance coverage for cars and trucks while exempting vehicles with fewer than four wheels. A no-vehicle policy, also known as a non-owner policy, also does not include a PIP, and the different types of policies can be used to file a Florida FR44 application. Since PIP benefits extend to family members and household residents, companies scrutinize them to determine eligibility and calculate rates. Policies exempt from Florida No-Fault avoid the insurance hassle and high costs associated with PIP.

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A car insurance policy with FR44 filing cannot have excluded drivers and the premium must be paid in full as they are non-cancellable. Again, different verdicts for different types of policies can be a real “life saver” for the convicted driver. Being able to exclude a juvenile operator or spouse from a policy, or being able to make payments, can be the difference between offering a policy and cashing in your 401K.

A policyholder accustomed to enforcing Florida’s minimum liability requirements of 10/20/10 experiences “sticker shock” when he finds out that he must increase his liability 10 times 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 driver’s license to keep their jobs. Simply going without insurance after a DUI is not a choice for them and a typical car insurance policy with FR44 can be prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, they have alternatives to buying no-vehicle insurance to submit their FR44 and receive a reinstated license.