What Are the Auto Insurance Implications of a Florida DUI?
Having a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in any state is going to make it harder for a driver to find an affordable car insurance policy. When auto insurers see such a charge on an applicant’s driving record, they view the driver as a higher risk to insure and usually charge more to compensate for the increased risk.
But aside from being subject to high risk auto insurance rates, Floridians who have been convicted of driving drunk will also have to carry greater levels of protection before getting behind the wheel again. According to state data, a little more than 1 in 10 Florida drivers who are convicted of a DUI end up getting a second conviction.
More Protection Required of Motorists with DUIs
Floridians with clean records have some of the lowest minimum coverage requirements in the country. These drivers have to carry with them only $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP)—which goes to reimburse the policyholder for his or her own medical bills—and $10,000 in property damage liability—which provides protection for other people’s property damages that are caused by the policyholder. That’s a total of only $20,000 worth of coverage.
But if the policyholder is convicted of a DUI, he or she is considered a heightened risk to other drivers and will by law need to carry more liability coverage—$340,000 more.
Motorists with a DUI on record must purchase the standard $10,000 PIP, but they also must get $300,000 worth of Florida car insurance to cover any bodily injuries they might cause and $50,000 worth of protection to pay for other people’s property damages that they are liable for.
Drivers who have been convicted of a DUI must maintain this increased level of protection for three years, after which they can return to the standard minimums.
Before dropping back down to the standard minimum, though, these motorists may want to conduct a Florida auto insurance quotes comparison to see how much it would cost to keep the higher levels in place.
Other Penalties for Driving Under the Influence
Aside from the insurance implications, Floridians who have received a DUI conviction are subject to a number of other fines and penalties.
For a first conviction, the following penalties apply:
- A fine of between $500 and $1,000
- 50 hours of community service
- Probation for up to one year
- Car impoundment for 10 days
- License revocation for at least 180 days and up to one year
If the drunken driver causes property damage or personal injury, it is considered a first degree misdemeanor, which brings with it another $1,000 fine or year imprisonment.
Florida Drunken Driving Statistics Are Improving
According to state data, the amount of DUI citations and the number of accidents involving drunken drivers have been on the decline in recent years.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has reported that between 2008 and 2010, DUI citations statewide fell nearly 20 percent, from about 38,700 in 2008 to about 31,000 in 2010.
The same agency also reported that the annual number of alcohol-related crashes dropped by about 12 percent between 2009 and 2010.