Being convicted of a DUI or DWI may be the most serious infraction you can have on your license, no matter where you live. For Florida drivers, there are several civil penalties you may incur for a DUI, including fines and possible prison time. In addition to that, you are also likely to see an increase in your car insurance rate for a minimum of three to five years. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team took a close look at what happens if you get a DUI in Florida to help you make the best decisions for your auto insurance.
DUI laws in Florida
Florida DUI penalties are not one-size-fits-all. What happens if you get a DUI in Florida will depend primarily on your driving history and the severity of your infraction. If you need to know how much a DUI costs in Florida, Bankrate has the answers.
According to Section 316.193 of the Florida Statutes, first-time DUI convictions typically result in fines between $500 and $1,000 and a maximum of six months in prison. A second conviction could lead to a fine of between $1,000 and $2,000 and a maximum prison sentence of nine months. In certain cases, the court may allow you to complete a prison sentence in a court-approved substance abuse facility. Your license will likely be revoked following a DUI conviction, with revocation periods ranging from 180 days to permanent.
Multiple DUI convictions may lead to steeper fines and a longer license suspension, as well as more potential jail time.
Additional penalties for a DUI in Florida may include:
- Vehicle impoundment
- 50 hours of community service
- Substance abuse treatment program
- DUI school
- Installation of a breath ignition interlock device at the convicted person’s expense
How a DUI affects your car insurance in Florida
Insurance companies are in the business of risk and generally charge higher premium rates for drivers who are likely to take risks. That’s why drivers with a moving violation or DUI conviction usually pay more for their policy—their insurer believes they are more likely to cause accidents and file claims in the future than drivers with a clean record and charge more to cover them for this eventuality.
In some cases, insurers may even refuse to write a policy for a driver with one or more DUIs. Therefore, you may be required to purchase coverage from an insurer that specializes in high-risk drivers.
The chart below shows how drivers with a single DUI can see a significant average increase in their rate in both Florida and nationally.
| Florida | $3,451 | $5,457 | 58% |
| National average | $2,329 | $4,772 | 105% |
Finding car insurance after a DUI in Florida
The cost of insurance varies with each auto insurance company, and the same is true for insurance premiums after DUIs. To guide you in finding affordable coverage after a DUI conviction, Bankrate’s insurance editorial team examined rate data from Quadrant Information Services for some of Florida’s top insurance companies. We also evaluated each provider based on their customer service and financial strength ratings, policy offerings and other criteria to give them a Bankrate Score out of five points.
One of the penalties you will likely face if you are convicted of a DUI in Florida is the need to carry an FR-44. This will usually mean an increase in the amount of liability insurance you have, and it may mean that your rate will differ from the averages we have listed below.
| Allstate | 3.9/5 | $1,402 | $5,001 |
| Geico | 4.4/5 | $1,552 | $4,826 |
| Auto-Owners | 4.3/5 | $3,581 | $1,296 |
| Progressive | 4.4/5 | $1,535 | $3,436 |
| State Farm | 4.3/5 | $1,793 | $4,620 |
What is an FR-44 form?
An FR-44 form or certificate is a document that testifies to the Department of Motor Vehicles that you have adequate insurance coverage. It’s used in Virginia and Florida and is submitted to the DMV by your insurance company.
FR-44 insurance is required if you have been convicted of a serious moving violation, such as a DUI. A driver with an FR-44 may have trouble finding coverage, and it’s likely that they will pay more for their policy. They may need to look for high-risk insurance. Florida FR-44 insurance requires drivers to carry at least 100/300/50 in liability insurance, which translates to:
- $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person per accident
- $300,000 in bodily injury liability total per accident
- $50,000 in property damage liability per accident
These are higher levels of coverage than Florida’s minimum insurance and are designed to provide adequate coverage for a driver who has been shown to engage in risky behaviors. Usually, a driver will need to carry an FR-44 for three years.
Frequently asked questions
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When you look at how much a DUI costs in Florida, you should take into account the fact that it’s possible to save money by shopping around. You may want to consider some of the companies that are known for writing affordable insurance in the state, which includes Geico, Progressive and State Farm. A good strategy to follow is to ask for quotes from a handful of companies to see who offers you the best rate. The average rate for full coverage for a Florida driver is $3,451 for someone with a clean driving record; earning a DUI increases the average rate to $5,457.
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No single carrier offers the best car insurance for everyone, all the time. Finding the best policy for your situation is best achieved by researching potential insurers and asking for quotes from those that look like a good fit. Keep your priorities in mind when doing so. If, for example, you have a teen driver in the family, your best bet may be a company with multiple teen discounts. If you have a military connection, you may get the best deal from a carrier that provides benefits to service members and veterans. If you’re retired or work from home, a low-mileage policy may work well for you. If you need DUI insurance in Florida, a company that specializes in high-risk policies could make sense. Knowing what’s most important for you should help you find a policy that works best for your own unique situation.
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A DUI on your driving record may stay with you for your lifetime, since it is not removed for 75 years. Unlike some other states, Florida does not allow a DUI to be expunged from your record, although your records may be sealed if you earned the infraction when you were under 21. Having a DUI on your record can result in considerable hardships, and could impact your ability to rent or own your home, gain employment, purchase insurance or take out a loan in the future.
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze August 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: single DUI conviction.
Bankrate Score
Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.
Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.
- Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
- Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
- Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.
Tier scores are unweighted to show the company’s true score in each category out of a possible five points.
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