Florida Car Insurance: The Best Cheap Coverage (2024 Picks) (2024)

Written by:

Dash Lewis, Writer

Written by: Dash Lewis Content Writer

02/11/2024 11:55 PM

Key Points:

• Geico, State Farm, and USAA are among the best car insurance providers in Florida.
• The cheapest overall coverage is from Geico, which is significant since Florida has high car insurance costs on average.
• State Farm offers the most affordable coverage for Florida drivers with speeding tickets and DUIs.

Our research team dove into a market review of the best car insurance brands nationwide to help you find the best and most affordable coverage for your car. Geico and State Farm topped our list for Florida drivers. We strongly encourage you to get free car insurance quotes from multiple providers and compare them to find the cheapest car insurance. Start by entering your zip code in the tool above.

Who Has The Cheapest Car Insurance In Florida?

According to our rate data, Geico offers the cheapest full coverage insurance in Florida at $2,034 per year for good drivers. Coincidentally, it also offers the cheapest minimum coverage insurance at $523 per year.

Geico’s affordability is especially significant because Florida auto insurance isn’t cheap. In fact, Florida has some of the most expensive car insurance premiums in the nation, with good drivers paying almost twice the national average rates for both full coverage and minimum liability insurance.

That said, finding the best car insurance in Florida requires looking at several factors. Sure, we all want to save money, but the cost can’t be the only factor. After all, you can go with the cheapest car insurance in Florida, but will your claims be paid promptly?

Here’s a quick overview of the top Florida car insurance providers based on our research.

5 Best Car Insurance Companies in Florida

We evaluate car insurance coverage by various factors, looking at things like average cost, financial strength, J.D. Power claims satisfaction scores, and additional benefits. Below, we explain in detail why each of these providers is among our top picks for Florida drivers, along with pros and cons.

#1 Geico: Best for Basic Coverage

Geico provides the most affordable car insurance in Florida, and offers great car insurance rates for Florida students and teen drivers as well. The company offers a long list of money-saving features such as good student discounts and usage-based insurance. If you’re a good driver with a clean driving record, you may find excellent rates with Geico.

Geico is a full-service insurer with an A++ AM Best financial strength rating. The company also has a good industry reputation and many positive customer reviews.

That said, Geico performed below average on the J.D. Power Auto Claims Satisfaction and Insurance Shopping studies, indicating that customers have issues with the quote and claims processes.

#2 State Farm: Best Overall Provider

State Farm is the biggest auto insurer in the United States, covering more drivers than any other company, according to 2022 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). We’ve also named it the Best Overall Provider in our nationwide industry review. One thing that makes this provider stand out is its suite of mobile app-based insurance products that can make life easier and provide discounts:

• State Farm app: This app lets you submit claims, pay for your policies, manage your bank accounts, and more.
• Steer Clear^®: This is an educational app available for drivers under the age of 25. Drivers complete in-app courses, log progress with a mentor, complete driving hours, and receive a certification. The certification provides reduced rates for young drivers.
• Drive Safe & Save™: This is State Farm’s usage-based insurance app. The mobile app tracks things like cornering, hard braking, acceleration, and phone use while driving. If you score high enough, you can get up to a 30-percent discount on your premium.

Most of the State Farm apps have excellent user ratings in the Google Play and Apple App Store.

#3 USAA: Best for Military Members

If you’re really looking for the best coverage as a military member, you can’t go wrong with USAA. USAA is usually the cheapest major company in most states (though our data doesn’t include USAA in Florida). Plus, USAA doesn’t add a fee to break your policy up into monthly payments.

Overall, we rate USAA 4.5 out of 5.0. After digging into the insurer, we found plenty of positive qualities. It has great financials, judging by its A++ AM Best rating, and it wrote over $16.4 billion in premiums in 2022, according to the NAIC.

The company also offers strong customer service. USAA got 900 out of 1,000 points in J.D. Power’s 2023 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study℠, placing it as one of the top five companies in the survey. USAA also scored 858 out of 1,000 on J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study℠for Florida. That was the highest score among surveyed providers.

Eligibility

USAA coverage is available for:

• U.S. military members who are active, retired, honorably separated, or enlisted
• Candidates in commissioning programs (ROTC, Academy, OCS/OTS)
• Spouses and children of USAA members who have or have had an auto or property policy

If you meet any of these qualifications, USAA can be a smart choice. Between the price and the customer service, we think USAA is one of the best car insurance providers in Florida.

To learn more about the car insurance provider, check out our complete review of USAA insurance.

#4 Progressive: Best for Usage-Based Insurance

At the end of the day, not everyone can get a USAA policy. That’s why we think you should also check out Progressive for car insurance in Florida.

As another full-service company, Progressive has a lot going for it. The insurer has an AM Best financial strength rating of A+ and has brought new innovations to the car insurance market since its inception in 1937. For example, Progressive was the first car insurance company to sell policies online.

When it comes to customer service, Progressive fared a bit below average in both of the studies by J.D. Power mentioned above. While there might be other companies with better customer service, Progressive offers great shopping options and a highly rated usage-based insurance program called Snapshot that gives discounts to good drivers.

For a full comparison between Progressive and Geico, read our review of Geico vs. Progressive.

#5 Allstate: Great Local Service

Allstate works through a network of local insurance agents to provide coverage to its customers. This means that customer service quality may vary from state to state. Allstate’s Florida network is particularly strong, however. The company received the second highest score in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study℠ for the state of Florida.

In addition to offering discounts for bundling policies and student and first-time car owners, Allstate has a usage-based discount program called Drivewise^®. Customers get a discount on their policy just for signing up. After a trial period, they get discounts for safe driving, with assessments and discounts every six months to a year after that.

Why Is Car Insurance In Florida So Expensive?

Florida car insurance is complex, and many factors influence the price. Here are a few things to know about what drives up the price of car insurance in Florida:

• Large driving population: According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles data, there were nearly 18 million licensed drivers in 2023.
• Uninsured motorists: Data from the Insurance Research Center shows that approximately 20 percent of drivers in Florida were uninsured in 2019, and greater risks mean higher prices for policyholders.
• Weather: The Sunshine State is known for its pleasant weather, but when hurricane season comes around, many cars suffer from environmental damage, resulting in more claims being filed.

Drivers might think that car insurance is cheap for Floridians because the liability requirements are relatively low compared to that of other states, but that’s incorrect. Our data shows it’s the most expensive state for both minimum liability and full coverage car insurance in the country.

Costs can vary depending on your location, credit score, driving history, and more. The only way to be sure you’re getting the best rates is by getting quotes from multiple providers and comparing.

Factors That Affect Florida Car Insurance Quotes

The average car insurance payment depends on many demographic and personal factors. You can expect the following to be taken into account when car insurance companies are determining your policy premium:

• Coverage types
• The deductible you choose
• Coverage limits
• Age
• Credit score
• The gender listed on your driver’s license
• Marital status
• Location
• Make, model, and year of your vehicle
• Your driving record

Minimum Coverage Requirements For Florida Car Insurance

Each state requires residents to provide proof that they can handle the financial responsibility of a car accident. By far, the most common way states do this is by requiring car insurance. Florida is one of those states, and it has financial responsibility insurance laws that require every driver to carry auto insurance.

These are the minimum coverage requirements for Florida car insurance:

• $10,000 in property damage liability insurance: Covers damages to other drivers’ cars and other property in an accident you caused.
• $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP): Covers a portion of your medical expenses and lost wages resulting from an accident, regardless of who’s at fault. This is also the maximum amount of PIP coverage you can have in Florida.

Additional Coverage

While these are the basic car insurance requirements in Florida, you can always buy more coverage. Florida’s coverage requirements are lower than in most states. In reality, even a minor accident could easily surpass $10,000 in property damage or medical claims, and you’d be responsible for any uncovered amount.

If you’re looking for greater protection, you can add bodily injury (BI) liability coverage, comprehensive coverage, and collision coverage to your auto insurance policy. You also have the option to add more medical coverage to your insurance policy by adding medical payments (MedPay). MedPay functions similar to PIP (except that it doesn’t pay lost wages), but it can help cover what PIP doesn’t.

You also have the option to add underinsured motorist/uninsured motorist coverage (UIM/UM). This policy pays for property and medical damages in the event that an accident is caused by a driver without sufficient insurance. Since Florida has high rates of uninsured motorists, this is coverage you may want to consider.

Learn more about insurance: How Car Insurance Works

Is Florida A No-Fault State?

Yes, Florida has a no-fault car insurance system. That means you turn to your own insurance company to claim injury coverage whether you caused an accident or not. If you have the minimum required coverage, you don’t risk being unable to cover the other party’s medical expenses. You just risk not covering your own.

Say you had a $2,000 bill for a neck brace and whiplash treatment. Your PIP coverage would pay for this. In addition to that, your car sustained $3,000 in damage from the accident. The other driver’s property damage liability would pay for that.

Pros And Cons Of No-Fault States

The advantage of a no-fault system is that you can get medical payment coverage right away. You don’t have to file a claim with another auto insurance company and go back and forth with that company.

However, there are some downsides to the no-fault system. Florida requires that you seek coverage from your PIP plan before health insurance, and some people take advantage of the system. PIP claims fraud is not uncommon, and the Insurance Research Council found that Floridians claim about 40 percent more on their injuries than the nationwide average.

What Happens When Insurance Doesn’t Cover The Costs?

You might assume that in a no-fault state, you don’t really have any responsibility when you cause an accident. However, that’s not the case. As we just mentioned, Florida requires drivers to carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP, but that’s also the maximum they can carry. Florida also doesn’t require people to purchase MedPay, so many people only have PIP.

Imagine you caused a severe accident and the other driver claimed $20,000 in medical bills. Their own PIP would cover $10,000 of that amount, but Florida law allows them to sue you for the other $10,000. Under a personal injury lawsuit, the other driver could sue for:

• Disability
• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma

The other driver can also sue you if they suffer a permanent injury from the accident. Permanent injury includes:

• Loss of an important bodily function
• Disfigurement
• Scarring
• Death

That’s why it’s a good idea to carry BI coverage on your Florida car insurance plan. That coverage will pay for the other party’s medical costs in an accident that you cause. PIP gets used first, but BI is there to safeguard against lawsuits when claims go beyond the limit.

SR-22 Florida Car Insurance Requirements

While there is no BI requirement for the general public, Florida requires drivers who have caused any degree of injury in an accident to carry it. If you don’t carry it at the time of an accident, you have to file an SR-22 and purchase minimum BI coverage. This form carries a small fee and certifies that you will have BI for the next three years. The state minimum requirements for BI in Florida are:

• $10,000 BI per person: This coverage pays for the other driver’s medical expenses when you are at fault in an accident.
• $20,000 BI per accident: Your BI needs to at least cover $20,000 per accident. This works similarly to property damage liability and is given out on a first-come, first-served basis.

FR-44 Florida Car Insurance Requirements

The FR-44 certificate also requires a minimum level of BI coverage. Drivers who are convicted of a DUI are required to file this form and purchase:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident

These minimums are a lot higher, but that’s because a drunk driver can cause a lot more damage. Auto insurance rates are also higher for people with FR-44 certificates.

Florida Car Insurance: Our Take

Florida car insurance is both expensive and complicated. But there are several reputable companies that offer competitive rates on auto coverage in the Sunshine State. The best insurer for you, however, depends largely on your driver profile and other factors. So the provider with the best rates for your neighbor may not offer the best rates for you.

The only way to know for sure you’re getting the best Florida car insurance rates is to get quotes from multiple providers and compare them.

Best Car Insurance In Florida: FAQ

Below are a few frequently asked questions about car insurance in Florida:

How We Rate Insurers

Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of car insurance providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a car insurance company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:

• Reliability: It’s important that an auto insurer is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong financial strength rating from AM Best score best in this category. Established insurers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
• Availability: Insurance companies that offer wider availability to consumers in terms of state availability and few eligibility requirements are more likely to meet consumer needs.
• Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between insurers because so many factors impact annual premiums. The cheapest insurer for one driver may not be the cheapest for another. To determine our cost score, we look at insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services, discount opportunities, and consumer reports.
• Coverage: To determine our coverage score, we look at the number of coverage options available as well as coverage limits and deductible options. Our ratings also take into account additional services and benefits like roadside assistance.
• Service: We comb through customer reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to learn about customer experiences. Insurers with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the claims process, giving higher ratings to car insurance providers that offer a smooth experience.
• Technology: Providers with an online quote tool, easy-to-use claims app and a usage-based insurance app score best in this category.

Dash Lewis Content Writer