What Happens to Your Car Insurance After a DUI in Florida?

A DUI conviction in Florida changes your insurance situation in three immediate ways: your current insurer will likely cancel or non-renew your policy, the cost of new coverage will increase substantially, and the state will require a specific certificate (FR44) before it will reinstate your license. Understanding all three — and the order they happen in — is the first step to getting back on the road.

Florida DUI Insurance: The Three-Part Problem

1. Your Current Insurer Will Almost Certainly Cancel

Most standard auto insurance carriers (State Farm, Allstate, Geico, Nationwide, USAA for active duty exceptions) treat a DUI conviction as a high-risk event that triggers non-renewal or outright cancellation at your next policy anniversary. Some cancel immediately upon notification. You are legally required to maintain continuous insurance — a lapse on top of a DUI creates a compounding problem that makes reinstatement harder and more expensive.

2. Non-Standard Market: Higher Cost, Different Carriers

After a DUI, you enter Florida’s non-standard (high-risk) insurance market. These are carriers specifically set up to insure DUI-convicted drivers: Progressive, Dairyland, The General, Gainsco, Bristol West, Infinity, National General, AssureStart, and others. Their rates are higher than standard market rates — but they will insure you, and they can file the FR44 certificate required for license reinstatement.

3. FR44 Certificate Required Before Reinstatement

The FR44 is not separate from your insurance — it IS your insurance, filed as a certificate with FLHSMV. Florida requires FR44 minimum liability limits ($100,000/$300,000/$50,000) — significantly higher than Florida’s standard minimums ($10,000 PIP + $10,000 PDL). The higher required limits are what drives most of the cost increase after a DUI.

Florida DUI Insurance Cost: What to Actually Expect

Coverage Type	Before DUI	After DUI (Non-Standard Market)
Owner — minimum liability	$600-1,200/yr	$1,200-3,000+/yr (varies by metro)
Owner — with comprehensive/collision	$1,200-2,400/yr	$2,200-4,500+/yr
Non-owner (no vehicle)	$300-600/yr	$330-960/yr

The range is wide because Miami-Dade and Broward County rates are significantly higher than, say, rural North Florida. A first DUI in Gainesville costs less to insure than a first DUI in Fort Lauderdale.

FR44 vs Regular DUI Insurance: Same Thing

Many people search for “Florida DUI insurance” thinking it is a separate product from “FR44 insurance.” It is not. FR44 is Florida’s DUI auto insurance — it is the certificate your insurer files with FLHSMV proving you have the required liability coverage. There is no such thing as “DUI insurance” in Florida that is separate from the FR44 filing process. If an insurer can write you a policy with FR44 minimum limits after a DUI conviction and file the certificate electronically with FLHSMV, that is Florida DUI insurance.

The FL DUI Insurance Timeline

1. DUI arrest: FLHSMV begins administrative suspension process. You have a 10-day window to request a formal review hearing.
2. DUI conviction: Court-ordered suspension begins; FLHSMV imposes FR44 requirement for reinstatement.
3. Get FR44 insurance: Contact a non-standard carrier or FR44 specialist. Policy is written, FR44 certificate filed electronically with FLHSMV. This can happen same day.
4. Complete DUI school: Level I (12 hours) or Level II (21 hours for BAC 0.15%+). Must be enrolled before hardship license; must be completed before full reinstatement.
5. Install IID (if required): Mandatory for BAC 0.15%+ or second offense.
6. Apply for hardship license: DHSMV reviews FR44 on file, DUI school enrollment, IID if required, payment of reinstatement fee ($150 first offense, $250 subsequent).
7. Keep FR44 active for 3 years: Any lapse immediately suspends your license and resets the 3-year clock.

Non-Owner DUI Insurance in Florida

If you do not own a vehicle — or cannot afford to insure one — you can still get the FR44 certificate you need with a non-owner policy. Non-owner FR44 covers you when driving borrowed or rented vehicles and satisfies FLHSMV’s certificate requirement. It does not cover a specific vehicle. Cost: typically $330-960/year depending on location and record — significantly less than owner FR44. This is the most common path for DUI-convicted drivers who use ride-shares, borrow family vehicles, or rely on public transit.

How Long Do You Need DUI Insurance (FR44) in Florida?

Three years continuously from the date FLHSMV reinstates your license — not from the date of conviction, not from the date you get the policy. The clock starts at reinstatement. Any gap in coverage resets it. Your insurer files an SR26 cancellation form electronically with FLHSMV the moment your policy lapses — your license is suspended automatically, with no grace period.

Finding Florida DUI Insurance: What to Look For

Not all insurance agents handle non-standard FR44 filings. Key things to confirm:

• Can they write FR44 at the required $100,000/$300,000/$50,000 minimums?
• Do they file electronically with FLHSMV (most do; some still mail paper certificates — electronic is faster)
• Can they bind coverage and file same day?
• Do they shop multiple non-standard carriers for the best rate?

We Specialize in Florida DUI Insurance

We write FR44 insurance for Florida DUI convictions and file electronically with FLHSMV same day in most cases. We shop 15+ non-standard carriers to find the lowest premium that satisfies the FR44 requirement. Non-owner and owner policies available. All 67 Florida counties. Call or complete the form above to get started today.