Florida car insurance...

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by rapscallion2009

I saved alot of money when switching to Progressive...

I moved from Los Angeles to Tampa, and was expecting a big price drop, and I got it...it didn't go down as much as I had hoped, and when I asked about it, the rep at Progressive told me that Tampa and Florida in general has one of the highest % of uninsured motorists on the road, which is why the rates are generally higher here than many other places...

yes, to some degree the rate will depend on your personal situation...but Florida does carry a higher premium than many areas as a result of this exceedingly high % of uninsured motorists cruising the streets...

good luck...

You would think if that many uninsured were cruising around Florida, the state would say enough is enough. Put a method into place to prevent them on the road in the first place. Florida should enact a law where if someone cancels their insurance, then the insurance company must notify the DMV. The DMV inturn notifies the driver their registration has been revoked. Other states do it, there is no reason for Florida to be so stupidly lax on it. There really is no excuse for having uninsured drivers on the road in this day and age. Just the fact it is a factor in causing a persons insurance rate to be so high, should be enough for residents to say Enough is Enough. Sometimes people just need to speak up in large numbers. The states residents certainly know how to speak up enough, so that voting on gay marriage can take place. Then I think enough of Fla residents could force a mandate on the state to prevent uninsured drivers. Evidently higher insurance premiums due to the many uninsured drivers, isn't important enough an issue to many.

Think about it. You want something done in a state it takes people to voice their opinion in very large numbers. Otherwise you get what you get.

[tilli]

Florida should enact a law where if someone cancels their insurance, then the insurance company must notify the DMV. The DMV inturn notifies the driver their registration has been revoked. Other states do it, there is no reason for Florida to be so stupidly lax on it.

Florida does have that law.

[Spring Hillian]

I checked with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office about uninsured drivers.

Yes, insurance companies DO notify the DHSMV. The registration then becomes invalid. IF the car gets stopped for another violation, the deputy is notified by his mobile terminal that there is not a valid registration. At this point the car is imobilized. It is not driven away.
It could be towed at the owners expense or it gets parked right there or nearby, in a parking lot or whatever, where again it becomes the owners problem and is subject to private towing by the owner of the property or the municipality if it is illegally parked or abanoned on a municipal property.

If the driver is driving on a KNOWN suspended or revoked license, that is a CRIMINAL OFFENSE. They get arrested. If they didnt KNOW it was suspended or revoked its ticketable offense.

Now, back to insurance.
If you are stopped and the DHSMV says registration is OK, you get a ticket for not having proof of insurance, you can show up in court and
show a valid insurance card and ticket is dismissed. No proof, you get a fine an the DHSMV database is updated.

The weak link in this chain is the insurance company notifying DHSMV and DHSMV updating their computers because of the volume of insurance changes, cancellations, renewals, etc that occur daily.

Please don't think the DHSMV and the law enforcement agencies that enforce the laws of DHSMV have no idea what they are doing.

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

You would think if that many uninsured were cruising around Florida, the state would say enough is enough. Put a method into place to prevent them on the road in the first place. Florida should enact a law where if someone cancels their insurance, then the insurance company must notify the DMV. The DMV inturn notifies the driver their registration has been revoked. Other states do it, there is no reason for Florida to be so stupidly lax on it. There really is no excuse for having uninsured drivers on the road in this day and age. Just the fact it is a factor in causing a persons insurance rate to be so high, should be enough for residents to say Enough is Enough. Sometimes people just need to speak up in large numbers. The states residents certainly know how to speak up enough, so that voting on gay marriage can take place. Then I think enough of Fla residents could force a mandate on the state to prevent uninsured drivers. Evidently higher insurance premiums due to the many uninsured drivers, isn't important enough an issue to many.

Think about it. You want something done in a state it takes people to voice their opinion in very large numbers. Otherwise you get what you get.

[TampaKaren]

Some of this is amazing to me, but I've lived here since the early 80s. We have two autos insured; a Toyota pickup (small one) and a Honda minivan. No note on either and the premiums are around $800 annually each. I don't think this is too bad. I'm a grandma; but I'm also in real estate. I drive a lot of miles (round in circles...LOL) and I have a lot of liability coverage.

P.S. We're insured with State Farm. When/if anything happens with them, I'm checking out Esurance. Anyone have a policy with them? Hate their commercials, though...

[DanBev]

I have had Allstate now for 20 yrs,full covereage $250 deductible 100-300 etc. $296 for 6 mo.
The rate will depend on individual's age and records. Got 8 yr license on each renewal.

[Spring Hillian]

I think a lot has to do with the insured's driving record indeed. Rack up a few speeding tickets
and you're going to pay through the ears. Good drivers get good rates.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by tilli

Florida does have that law.

Yeah, it's also a vicious circle. As rates rise more people go uninsured which means less money in but the same amount of accidents and most of the costs remain. This drives rates up, rinse and repeat.

New Jersey is the poster child for high rates and lots of uninsured drivers.

In many ways the bigger threat is the homeowners insurance.

Citizens insures a lot of homes but doesn't have the money to pay the losses of a moderately bad hurricane year. So, they will have to assess insurance companies that will in turn pass those charges on to you.

Basically, next time another Andrew or 2005 year hits, plan on EVERYONES auto insurance, homeowners insurance etc. going up 10% for a few years. This is because you are subsidizing the home insurance costs of southern coastal Florida.