What is Required for Florida Auto Insurance? eHow

By Mike Parker, eHow Contributor

A number of types of auto insurance provide different levels of protection against different types of loss. The most commonly required type of auto insurance is liability insurance, which pays for damages and personal injury following an accident for which the insured is at fault. Collision insurance pays for the insured auto repairs in an at-fault accident. Each state, including Florida, requires a minimum level of auto insurance.

1. • The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department requires all owners of automobiles with at least four tires to own minimum levels of auto insurance before the car can be licensed in the state. The insurance policy must be issued by an insurance company licensed to issue auto policies in the state, and it must be issued through a Florida insurance agent. Penalties for failure to maintain Florida auto insurance may result in the suspension of driving privileges for up to three years.

   • Florida requires auto owners to maintain a minimum of $10,000 of personal injury protection insurance. Personal injury protection insurance is sometimes referred to as PIP or Florida No Fault Insurance. PIP insurance covers the insured, the insured's children and members of her household against the cost of obtaining medical care following an accident, regardless of which driver was at fault. Passengers who are not members of the insured's household are covered by their own PIP policies. PIP insurance also provides coverage against an injury sustained while riding in another person's vehicle, on a school bus or a bicycle, or even while walking across the street.

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• Florida requires all auto owners who register their cars in the state to maintain at least $10,000 worth of property damage liability insurance. This insurance must be maintained as long as the registration and licensing period for the car is in effect. Property damage liability insurance provides financial compensation for damages caused to property belonging to another individual, if the damages were caused by the insured.

• Florida drivers may wish to add bodily injury liability coverage to their policies. This type of insurance provides compensation for serious injury or death to another person resulting from an accident involving the insured's car. Bodily injury insurance provides the insured with legal defense if the accident results in a lawsuit. Licensed automobiles must carry Florida insurance whether they are driven or not. Automobiles that carry a Florida license plate must carry Florida insurance, even if the owner moves out of state. Florida insurance must be maintained until the owner registers the car in another state.