If you’re convicted of certain driving-related violations in Florida, you might need to file an SR-22 or FR-44 form with the state. These filings prove you’re carrying at least the minimum amount of car insurance required by law. They’re also usually necessary to get your license reinstated after a suspension.
Insurance companies usually consider drivers who file FR-44 or SR-22 forms to be risky, and charge them higher rates. In fact, you might pay as much as 46% more for car insurance if the state requires you to file an SR-22 or FR-44 for a serious driving offense. For example, our research found that a Florida driver with an FR-44 requirement pays an average of $890 per year more for car insurance than a similar driver with a clean record.
Keep reading to learn more about FR-44 and SR-22 insurance, including:
- How much is SR-22 insurance in Florida?
- Where can I get cheap FR-44 insurance in Florida?
- What are Florida’s SR-22 requirements?
- How long is an FR-44 required in Florida?
How much does an SR-22 cost in Florida?
An SR-22 form itself won’t cost you much at all. This is true even though most states and insurance companies charge a one-time fee for filing an SR-22. These flat fees tend to be cheap, though — as low as $15 in many cases.
The real cost of an SR-22 in Florida or in any other state comes from the higher car insurance rates you may pay due to the driving violation that prompted the SR-22 filing. This is even truer when it comes to the cost of FR-44 insurance because it is tied to a DUI conviction.
The table below shows how much more you might pay for car insurance after a driving-related violation that requires you to file an SR-22 or FR-44 in Florida.
| Violation | Average annual rate | $ difference from clean record | % difference from clean record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUI | $2,821 | $890 | 46% | |
| At-fault accident | $2,699 | $768 | 40% | |
| Speeding ticket | $2,250 | $319 | 17% | |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||||
According to our research, a typical Florida driver with a clean record pays an average of $1,931 per year for full-coverage car insurance, which includes liability, collision and comprehensive coverages.
If that driver causes an accident, though, his average car insurance rate jumps to $2,699 per year. That’s $768 per year, or 40%, more than what he would pay with a clean record.
With a DUI on his record, our sample driver paid an average of $2,821 per year for a full-coverage car insurance policy — $890 per year more than what a driver with a clean record pays.
In other words, if you’re convicted of a DUI in Florida and you need to file an FR-44 with the state, you might pay 46% more for auto insurance for the next few years.
Where can I get cheap SR-22 insurance in Florida?
GEICO offers the cheapest SR-22 insurance in Florida, according to our data. It also offers the cheapest FR-44 insurance in the state.
This is based on GEICO offering our sample driver with a DUI or an at-fault accident on his record the cheapest car insurance rates of the companies we surveyed.
| Company | Average annual rate with clean record | Average annual rate with DUI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $3,015 | $3,278 | ||
| GEICO | $535 | $966 | ||
| Progressive | $2,274 | $2,751 | ||
| State Farm | $1,459 | $1,580 | ||
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||||
Given the above, you might pay $966 per year for a full-coverage FR-44 insurance policy from GEICO. If you get FR-44 insurance from Allstate instead, your rate may be as high as $3,278.
GEICO offers cheap SR-22 insurance in Florida, too, based on our survey of the state’s top insurance companies.
| Company | Average annual rate with clean record | Average annual rate with an at-fault accident | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $3,015 | $4,463 | ||
| GEICO | $535 | $742 | ||
| Progressive | $2,274 | $3,268 | ||
| State Farm | $1,459 | $1,702 | ||
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||||
In this case, the average annual quote our sample driver with an at-fault accident got from GEICO was $742 for a full-coverage policy. That’s nearly $1,000 per year cheaper than the average quote we got from State Farm, and a whopping $3,721 cheaper than Allstate’s average quote.
Several rate factors go into what you pay for car insurance, though — even if you have a DUI or at-fault accident on your driving record. This is why it’s so important to compare quotes from multiple companies when shopping for auto coverage.
What are the state of Florida’s SR-22 requirements?
The state of Florida may require you to file an SR-22 form for certain driving violations, including:
- Reckless driving
- Serious or repeat traffic offenses
- Causing an accident with no insurance
States like Florida require drivers to file SR-22 forms to show they have at least the minimum amount of car insurance.
Only after you purchase a policy that meets the state’s minimum auto insurance requirements will an insurer file an SR-22, also known as a certificate of financial responsibility, with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
Florida’s minimum car insurance requirements are:
- $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP)
- $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL)
An SR-22 proves that your auto insurance policy meets these minimum requirements.
How long is SR-22 required in Florida?
You will need to have an SR-22 on file with the state for three years. That is how long most states require high-risk drivers to file SR-22s, though some require it for longer.
To find out exactly how long you need to file an SR-22, contact the FLHSMV.
If your car insurance lapses, expires or is canceled during this period, your insurer will notify the state and you will have to restart the SR-22 filing process.
What are the FR-44 insurance requirements in Florida?
You need to file an FR-44 form with the state if you are convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) in Florida.
Some states require drivers with DUIs to buy more than the minimum amount of car insurance before an FR-44 can be filed. That’s the case in Florida, where you need a policy with 100/300/50 coverage limits to meet your FR-44 requirement. This would mean:
- $100,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $300,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident
- $50,000 of property damage liability coverage per accident
As with Florida’s SR-22 requirement, if you cancel your auto insurance coverage during this period, or if it lapses or expires, your insurance provider will notify the state.
How long is FR-44 required in Florida?
Florida usually requires drivers to have FR-44 insurance for three years following a DUI conviction.
That said, how long you need to keep an FR-44 filed with the state depends on your specific situation.
What is the difference between SR-22 and FR-44 in Florida?
The difference between SR-22 and FR-44 in Florida is that the state requires you to file an FR-44 if you’re convicted of driving under the influence, while it requires you to file an SR-22 for other offenses, like reckless driving or causing an accident without insurance.
Also, you need to carry higher car insurance coverage limits for an FR-44 than you would for an SR-22. Florida drivers required to file an SR-22 must have at least the state-minimum amount of auto insurance coverage. If you’re required to file an FR-44 in Florida, you need a lot more than that — 100/300/50 coverage limits.
Can I get SR-22 insurance in Florida without a car?
You can purchase a non-owner car insurance policy if you need to file an SR-22 but don’t own a car.
Non-owner policies usually cost a lot less than standard auto insurance policies. They also offer less coverage, though, so keep that in mind when considering non-owner insurance.
Methodology
We compared rates from top auto insurance companies in Florida for this article. These rates are based on the profile of a 30-year-old male who drives a 2012 Honda Accord. Full-coverage policies include $1,000 deductibles for both comprehensive and collision coverages. Your rates may vary based on your personal factors.
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