FR44 is expensive, high-risk insurance Florida requires you to buy to reinstate your license after a DUI/DWI conviction. Getting an affordable rate is the goal, but getting cheap Florida FR44 insurance is not always easy.
The price you’ll pay for FR44 insurance depends on:
- Your age and gender
- Zip code
- Number of moving violations or accidents on your driving record in the past 3-5 years
- The circumstances of your DUI/DWI offense
- Whether you own a vehicle or not
What is FR44 insurance?
Florida FR44 is an auto or non-owner insurance policy with a certificate endorsement. People sometimes call it “DUI insurance” because you need this policy and filing to reinstate your license after a DUI conviction.
A licensed insurance provider files your FR44 certificate with the state as a guarantee of insurance coverage. The insurance company that issues your FR44 policy monitors it to ensure it stays current for three years (in most cases). This time requirement can vary from case to case, however. If your insurance lapses even once, the state suspends your license, requiring you to pay additional fines and penalties for another license reinstatement.
Why is FR44 insurance so expensive?
Drinking and driving can be devastating to people’s lives; therefore, Florida is interested in deterring this behavior. The state achieves a deterrent effect by imposing severe penalties for DUI violations. Insurance companies consider you a high-risk driver, so the increased liability coverage requirements make this insurance expensive to keep for three years. In many cases, your insurance rate doubles after a DUI violation, so you’ll want to find a cheap Florida FR44 rate.
The state protects all drivers by requiring people with DUI convictions to buy higher liability insurance coverage. You’ll need to buy PIP (personal injury protection) coverage if you own a vehicle, and your policy will need to have minimum insurance coverage of:
- $100,000 bodily injury per person, per accident
- $300,000 bodily injury per accident
- $50,000 property damage per accident
Florida also requires insurance companies to collect FR44 insurance payments upfront for six months rather than monthly.
Before buying FR44 insurance, you will also need to pay fines between $500 to $4,000 depending on your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and age.
How can you get a cheap Florida FR44 rate?
Getting a DUI conviction will likely double your current insurance rate if you own a car. The premium for an FR44 auto policy can range from $900 to $6,000 for six months. Non-owner insurance premiums range from $300 to $1,200 for six months. So what is our advice for finding cheap Florida FR44 insurance? In many cases, it’s not just the lowest rate you should consider; make sure the policy meets your specific needs. See our tips for how to get lower insurance rates. A summary of these tips are:
- Shop multiple sources for rates
- Drive less
- Buy an older or less expensive vehicle
- Take a driver safety course
- Maintain a good driving record
- Keep your FR44 policy paid and current
- Choose a longer-term premium
- Opt for a higher deductible
- Consider less coverage if possible
- Look for insurance discounts
- Improve your credit score
Some insurance companies advertise “cheap Florida FR44 insurance”, but that’s not always accurate. For example, say you’re quoted a premium of $500 for six months (paid in full) for a non-owner FR44 insurance policy. There should not be a noticeable difference between your first and second six-month premium at renewal. A red flag should pop up if your six-month renewal premium is $100-$200 more than the first six-month payment. If this happens, keep shopping and check with more insurance providers. Your rate may even decrease at renewal if any violations drop off.
Non-Owner FR44 Insurance
What if you don’t own a vehicle but lost your license due to DUI/DWI while driving a borrowed car? In this case, you can reinstate your license by carrying non owner FR44 Florida insurance. Your insurance provider can write you a non-owner insurance policy with an FR44 attachment, which allows you to reinstate your license. Non-owner is a cheaper Florida FR44 than an owner/owner-operator policy because you’re not insuring a vehicle. Also, there is no PIP coverage with non-owner insurance.
Non-owner FR44 insurance covers you when you occasionally drive a vehicle you don’t own. Non owner FR44 insurance does not cover any vehicle in your same household, company cars, or rental cars. (Learn more about non-owner insurance coverage.) You can reinstate your license and drive a borrowed car occasionally, as long as the state does not require you to have an ignition interlock device (IID). If the state requires you to have an IID, you must make arrangements with a relative or friend to have one installed in their vehicle.
Ignition Interlock (IID) requirements
Another expense associated with DUI license reinstatement is the Florida ignition interlock requirement. An IID involves financial expenses and personal time, including an installation charge, leasing fees, and the time required to use the device and perform maintenance checks.
What if you don’t own a car but have an IID requirement? In that case, you’ll need to arrange an installation on a friend’s or relative’s car if you intend to drive on an occasional basis.
If you need to install an ignition interlock device, UltraCar Insurance can help. As a service to our customers, we partner with Intoxalock®, a leading provider of IID installations and services.
See the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website for more about Florida DUI & IID and DUI Program service fees.
Choose UltraCar Insurance for cheap Florida FR44
Our agents have over ten years of experience issuing and filing Florida FR44 insurance and are licensed in the state. We know all the ins and outs and dos and don’ts. Call us today, or click to start an online quote! We’ll make it fast and easy to reinstate your license with an affordable Florida FR44 insurance policy and rate.
