Special Car Insurance for Florida?
 

Has anyone ever heard of needing special car insurance for your car in Florida? My daughter has taken a car down there for college and our insurance company (USAA) says that we have to have an additional car insurance policy as it is a state law. All the other insurance companies such as Allstate,State Farm,Geiko,etc. said that as long as the car is registered in (Illinois) our state where it is also insured that nothing needs to be changed.This "new policy" is going to be an additional big chunk of money. Do people who "wintered" there change their insurance while they are down there? I feel as though my husband was taken by the agent. Any help would be greatly appreciated on this!

It has been a few years since we lived there, but I remember Florida as having a somewhat clumsy "no-fault" insurance law which made some of the more selective (better rates) insurance companies avoid the state. I know when we moved there, 21st Century wouldn't do Florida policies.

College students are a somewhat fuzzy category with insurance. If you rent an apartment, they consider you as a resident of the town where the apartment is - regardless of car registration (and the state might think so too). If you live in a dorm, that might not count as a residence change.

Thanks for your replies. My daughter is living in a dorm and is 19; car is titled to my husband and I and its there only for her to do a work study program.Car has Illinois plates,Illinois surburban sticker and is registered here. I will try and find out from the DMV down there. Anyone else have any thoughts-thanks?

I think this has to do with some laws regarding "uninsured motorist" protection. Florida is a no-fault state and because of that there is a pool for those who illegally drive without insurance. I'm not suggesting you do this, as I think it appreciably lowers your coverage but it you opt for "non-stacked" instead of "stacked UM, then your rates are lower.

If that's the case, that it's the UM coverage that is high, you will either have to choose lower coverage and lower rates, or better coverage with substantially higher rates.

Now let me add that I know nothing about this other than what I have encountered as a consumer, and a customer of USAA. YOU need to look into this carefully. This is not an area to scrimp.

I can tell you this. A young acquaintance moved here and kept her car titled in Illinois using her parents address in Chicago. She also kept her insurance there. She had an accident and filed the claim. An investigator said it was an invalid claim because the car was improperly registered as her residence was in Florida, not Illinois. They not only refused to pay the claim, but they cancelled the policy along with sending a rather nasty letter vaguely threatening to sue her for insurance fraud. For what it's worth though, she owned property in Florida and worked there full time.

I'd definitely do what is required, but I think you've been given good advice about where to check that out.

I can also tell you that my great niece from Ohio has her car in Miami at college. But they checked thoroughly and since she is in school and her official residence is in Ohio, she did not need any further coverage. That sounds like your situation, but I'd definitely check with your policy.

dutyfree, the car will remain on your policy as before, but for insurance purposes if you are garaging the car more than 100 miles from home to attend school, you will need coverage for that car in the area that it will now be garaged. You will pay a higher premium for the car if it is an area that is deemed to be a higher risk (and much of FL is), than the area in which it is currently garaged. Theoretically if she went to school in an area where the risk was lower, the premium might drop. (Ha...how many have seen that!)

This is straight from the horse's mouth by the way as I was curious too and called. We have USAA and I know we did not change our policy when our kids went off to school, both over 100 miles from home. In that case though they may have gone from areas of higher risk to lower...Dallas to Lubbock in one case, and Dallas to College Station in the other, large city to smaller towns. While both were still in school we were transferred to GA and changed our policy at that time to show our cars garaged in GA and theirs in TX still. I don't recall there being a premium difference. I guess we were simply lucky that they had no claims during the period we had not reported the school addresses. She said, and as Patrick indicated, if you did not change the address, there "could" be a problem with claims.

What I didn't think to ask though, and now I wonder about, are the snow birds. Do they report the change and if not and they are in a wreck...will coverage be denied?? I think not because the policy states "the Vehicle(s) described is pricncipally garaged at the above address unless otherwise stated" and most are here (FL) for less than 6 months. If it is longer than 6 months I believe FL would become their principal residence and insurance would be issued in this state.

Does this help clarify it some or have I just muddied the waters further? :)

What about using a golf cart to run to Winn-Dixie or ABC, does the rate go up when you depart the golf course? What if you keep it on the sidewalk? Or limit it to front yards? What about driving down the beach, are the same rates in effect? What if you stay above the mean high water level? Surely some provision is made for giving affected groups a break in the "senior state." How about if I afix a snow bird decal that supports local police and manatees... any relief in that avenue?

Hi blacktie. If you insist on driving that golf cart in your formal attire, you are deemed an assigned risk, and as such will have to purchase your policy through the assigned risk pool--very very expensive. We might even deny coverage altogether based on your recent posts! :D Don't you wish they had a penguin gif for you to play with?

I wanna be assigned risk, I do. Can't you just see it, Central Av, maybe south of ... C:) ... or maybe after a taste test at ABC :-P ... spreading good cheer and ((K)) as I zip along in my pastel morning suit. Ah, tell me life isn't good. Of course, morph this way way westerly. :> luv the little emoticons! I'm having the cart covered with 'em.

WOW, am I glad that I read this! My daughter is 18 and is planning on going to college in Florida next year(we reside in Ohio). I never even considered her insurance. My oldest daughter just moved to Tampa in the past few days. I am sure she has never even considered her car insurance. Will be giving her a call. Thanks to all for the information that I have read here!

What about those over 65 that only go to Florida for a month, register their car at a friend's address or at timeshare address to save on car taxes in home state?

Insurance companies--don't get me started.

Beware of insurance carriers in FL. They will go to any length to $creW their own customers and especially those who file a claim. There are LOTS of problems with the insurance industry in FL.

My husband represented a friend who's child who had his car totaled in an intersection when another driver ran a red light. The insurance company initially refused to pay the claim stating that had he not been in the intersection, he wouldn't have been hit.

We recently filed a claim against and insurance company when one of their insureds pulled out directly in front of our teenage daughter and she could not avoid a collision. She swerved sharply to the right to avoid "t-boning" the other car, which would have caused serious injury to the other driver. The insurance company initially refused to pay the claim, saying she should have swerved left into oncoming traffic.

In both of these instances, DH (a FL attorney) had to take them to task to make them pay what they rightfully owed. In our daughter's case, the adjustor had come to our house to take photos of the car. Not knowing DH was a lawyer, he tried to intimidate him about filing a claim; among other things, telling him our daughter was speeding (the police report clearly stated she was not speeding and there were witnesses). DH just heard the guy out and when he finished DH informed him that he was a lawyer, that Progressive would pay 100% and he knew what they were up to. I guess the guy about wet his pants. DH still had to threaten to sue and subpoena all their FL records which would disclose their business practices. Then they finally paid.

Then there was the client who's child was killed on a school sponsored trip when the (hungover) driver lost control of the van he was riding in. The school's insurance company immediately issued a check to pay his funeral costs. Had they endorsed the check, the small print on the back released the insurance company of any further obligations. That's about as low as you get.

Our own insurance company, again, not knowing DH was a lawyer, tried to defraud us when a suit was brought against us after minor car accident. Very long story, but after hiring our own PI who found out the plaintiff had a history of filing suits, AND had spent time in prison for HITTING AND KILLING a pedestrian while driving drunk there should have been no case. However, the plaintiff's lawyer put two and two together and our insurance company paid the guy off for twice the original demand because they got caught acting in bad faith.

THe moral of the story is, don't ever take the insurance company's final word. More than likely, they are not being honest and WILL do ANYTHING to get out of paying.

The other moral of the story, be very careful about FL insurance laws. Try this website for up to date information:

http://www.dmv.org/fl-florida/depart...ource=overture

DH spent his career defending insurance companies, and five years ago said, NO MORE. He was sick of defending companies that wanted him to do anything he could to get them off the hook. THey are more than happy to take YOUR money, but heaven forbid they pay out a claim.

I told you not to get me started.

wow, this is good, i am looking at SC insurance and have gotten a few on-line quotes and they all seem SO much higher then what i pay now (like double my current rate) What is going on, my insurance does not cover sc, so i cannot transfer. Also I will be on my own policy, where as before i was on my parents. I have 1 violation and was recently in an accident (not my fault) Any tips on good carriers in sc

I think one point people aren't thinking about -- although I'll still defer to the experts.
If a car is owned and titled by the parents and is on their insurance, I'm not so sure it is the same problem for a son or daughter to have that car at college. That's a lot different than the car being owned and insured by the student himself, and a whole lot more different than when the young person is actually living and working in another state.

dutyfree, when I lived in Florida back in the early 90's, I had USAA insurance which required this special insurance coverage -- I believe it was called PIP. It was for uninsured motorists. I believe it was required by the State of Florida.

Anyone concerned with the cost of auto insurance, please stay away from New Jersey - just about the highest in the Nation. ((b))

Patrick-
I'm not sure what you mean, but we have our daughter's car and insurance in her name only. Beyond her insurance, she has nothing for a plaintif to go after.

I believe, no matter where your insurance policy originates, if you have an at fault accident in FL, you are bound by FL law but your insurance company is not. However, I practice law by osmosis!

No, Jayne, I was referring to a car being titled and registered to the parents in one state but driven by a child in college in another state. That certainly shouldn't void the insurance in case of an accident and the insurance saying it should have been registered in the college state.

When we moved here, I was surprised that Florida car insurance is as high as it is. Could part of it be because of the elderly drivers who have so many accidents?
Last week, in the parking lot of Walgreens, a huge Cadillac was backing out of a parking spot. I sat and waited in our car, waited while she backed up, and backed up , until she hit me. Yes, I honked.
When I got out and looked at the car, she said it was a good thing we have such good bumpers on the car.
When I asked her why she did not stop when she heard me honking, she said she had the air conditioning on.
Happily, the car is fine .. but I was thinking all along that this was going to cost me:(

Scarlett, my brother-in-law watched the parking in the Publix lot one day and termed that type of driving "touch and go".
"Pull forward till you hit, back up till you hit, forward again till you hit. Ah, good the car must be in the right place now."

And how many times have you seen a big car going down the street with no driver? Then you realize the little old lady is below the steering wheel totally unable to see the rode in front of her.

Yep, no wonder our rates are so high in Florida.

Patrick, yes, I have seen that phenomena...driverless cars.
Usually they are Town cars and Cadillacs.
Today was a new one, INSIDE Publix a lady bumped into me with her grocery cart.
I have lost some weight but I still was surprised to hear that 'she did not see me'..
I was the only person in the aisle :)

My daughter told me by phone tonight that she thought that I was "nuts" to post this on Fodors but after reading the above-you people are amazing. Keep them coming...........seriously, my "friends" on Fodors always seem to have great answers!

Dutyfree...I don't know how long you've been posting but I'm finding that family members generally don't "get" the Fodors experience. Sometimes just the word "Fodors" spoken out loud results in eye rolling in the uninitiated. lol

amatters, car insurance is very expensive in South Carolina. If you do not have car insurance, the Highway Patrol will come to your house and take your plates off your car.

I use Geico and have a $500 deductable. My insurance for my car (a pseudo luxury sedan) and my husband's extra large SUV is around $2800 a year.

Assuming you are under 25 and drive a Honda Civic, expect to pay about $1200 a year for insurance. Add another $200 for that violation.

Thanks go travel, why is car insurance so expensive in Sc? 1200 0r 1400 a year, i wish! i was getting quotes of 1200 to 1500 per 6 months!!!! My younger brother has a sports car and is on high risk (he totalled 2 cars) and he only pays about 100 more per year!
I did call geico and they do have the cheepest i have seen so far around 1600 per year. You were kind of close with the civic i have a 2002 hyundai accent.
Thanks again!

Yes Patrick, I believe that you are correct as long as the driver legally resides in the state in which the car/driver is registered and insured. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if you're insured in FL and have an out of state accident your insurance company will try to tell you they aren't obligated to pay an out of state claim. The emphasis and try.

Here's another one: a young female passenger was hit by a drunk driver and seriously injured. Her family did not know for a week if she was going to live. When the shock wore off and they contacted their carrier to file and uninsured motorist claim, it was denied because the claim was not made within 48 hours of the accident; what the language actually said was the claim SHOULD be made within 48 hours and the company had to pay. Then, facing potentially one million dollars in health care costs from the accident, their health insurance provider sent them a check refunding their premium payment retrocative to before the accident thus considering themselves removed from any obligation to pay. That one spent four years in the courts before they finally paid.

You may have seen on the news last week that a man trying to return to his home on Sanibel after the hurricane was "tazored" by the police. The road to the island was still closed and apparently he tried to force his way through. Our paper reported that the man was desparate to get to his home because his insurance company told him that any or all damage had to be covered and protected with tarps etc. to prevent further damage in the days following the storm. Otherwise, they told him they would not pay any claim he might have. Of course they knew that no one could get to the island in the first place and this threat was absurd.

Don't ever take an insurance company's word as the last. If they deny all or part of a claim, keep pushing and hold their feet to the fire because they are likely 100% obligated. If in doubt, have your attorney read your policy.

I realize there is no love lost generally with the insurance industry, and sometimes for good reason, but this is truly disheartening to read. I know Jayne you don't think every company is out to get you, or even most of them...but that's the way it has come across, unfortunately.

I truly bent over backwards in my claims to pay them fairly and to fairly determine liability in the case of a wreck. You have to...what good would it do to deny liability and have the claimant end up with an atty. That'd only be making more headaches for yourself. Heck it was far easier for me if I did pay fairly and well, and fast (!)...I didn't enjoy having people knock me over the head day in day out, and there were days that's precisely the way it felt. It was the job from hell. People hear stories like this and assume they are going to get "screwed", pardon the expression but there's no better way to put it, and that just isn't the case.

I worked for two excellent companies, and my 2nd one AMICA was fabulous. Pay pay pay....but they were also very careful about who they took on as an insured, as is USAA, so their risk was lower. Policyholder happiness was first and foremost though, seriously, and not how to take someone to the cleaners. There are flip sides to every story. Consumer was #1 with AMICA (and they were #1 in consumer satisfaction in Consumer Reports as well, even over USAA which is usually thought to be king of the hill).

Are there some bad companies and/or adjusters wandering around. Yes, and one of the worst we found is one with one of the biggest names. Difficult for us to deal with so I'm sure it's difficult for their policyholders and claimants as well.

Re the Sanibel incident Jayne. Yes they want you to do your best to prevent further damage, but that homeowner could very well have been talking to an adjuster somewhere else (outside FL) who had no idea what Sanibel was or that the people were not allowed on. Even the "baddest of the bad" would not say in that case...sorry, you left it all open so we won't pay.

Let's have a flip story...a senior housing area there was ruined and it will be at least January before the residents can go back. Policies provide for living expenses while you are out of your home for an insured loss, and they are all being housed in a 4* in Tampa, and fed 3 meals a day at the insurance company's expense. They didn't need to stick them in Marriott Waterside...they could as easily have found a lesser property, No Tell Motel. It isn't all black. It isn't even mostly black, and not everyone is out to take everyone else!!

Can we still be friends Jayne, even though I was an adjuster? :)

OO - you'll always be my Fodors friend! As my mom always told me, if you can disagree and still remain friends then a true friendship it is!

Sorry if I offended. :-[

This just happened to be a "hot button" topic for me and I should just have stayed out of it. I admit that I usually only hear the war stories given DH's profession and on top of that our own negative experiences. Having two teenage drivers these days is an insurance nightmare in many households!

I realize where you are coming from, Jayne, and besides, already know you as one of the good guys, so no, no offense. We have reverse hot buttons, that's all, and that would go without saying considering the professions. :D I doubt you knew I had been an adjuster and I didn't know your DH was an atty--of which there are plenty of good, yet the twerps reputation is what sticks with us both on both sides of this coin. Both our perspectives are skewed. At one point all my claims were BI claims with attorneys on them. :( There is every end of the spectrum playing the game on both sides, and it was sometimes difficult to keep it all in the proper perspective. All of us!

Good companies...and attys, are worth their weight in gold. There is a difference. I just tried to find Consumer Report info online and came across one intereting article. http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/11/pf/saving/willis_tips/ Scroll down to #3 "Pick a Winner". They surveyed 14,000 people who had filed claims between 1-2000 and 4-2003. Scores reflect the overall satisfaction with the claims handling and settlements. 100 meant completely satisfied, 80 meant very satisfied.

Amica Mutual Ins 95
Auto-Owners Insurance 90
Cincinnati Insurance 89
Chubb Indemnity Ins. 89
USAA 88

So...you see where I'm coming from as an adjuster for Amica and why I was startled by some of the earlier statements. USAA, which has a stellar reputation, comes in with a lower satisfaction rating even. I know we were fair and know many many of the others are as well. I also know that not every company handled claims in the same manner. It's a necessary evil--we all have to have it. Just make sure you are with one of the good guys and pray that anyone who hits you is as well.

If not...get a (good) atty. :D I can't believe what I just said! LOL

OO-

OK OK--my blood pressure is coming down!!! Yes, there are good players in the game and we've just had the misfortune to come across the not so good. The same as any profession--Dr. atty, contractor and on and on.

Believe me, being married to a lawyer I know how it feels to get "ragged" on! My husband finds most lawyer jokes pretty amusing. A couple of years ago I had carpal tunnel surgery with just a local so I was awake. The surgeon, who knows DH and knows he's a lawyer told lawyer jokes for the duration of the surgery. One was so good I had him repeat it to DH in the recovery room! Our best friend is a cardiologist and offers to perform surgery on lawyers for free--but only without anesthesia!

The suit I mentioned that was filed against us when our daughter "rear-ended" someone is a good (or should I say bad?!) example of the proverbial apples that that spoil the whole bunch. The "professional" plaintiff went to two lawyers before he found one that would take his case (you've probably seen his picture on the back of a bus). Among the ailments he claimed the accident caused him to develop was carpal tunnel sydrome--WRONG thing to tell me!!! CT is a progressive condition not "caused" by one incident. The guy was a mechanic--duh! He was suing us for lots of $$$--hundreds of thousands above our coverage. Although the insurance company investigates the plaintiff, we hired our own PI--too much at stake to take a chance. It was like a bad episode of Matlock! He had the guy on video doing all the things he said he could no longer do (except for loss of consortium thank gawd!). Add that to the prison time, forged check charges and drug issues--it was probably enough to dismiss all or part of the case.

As you know, the insurance company assigns counsel, so DH wasn't the atty of record. Long story short and I don't understand all the details, but apparently the adjustor had withheld some major piece of information from his/our attorney thus tying his hands which resulted in our insurance company paying a six-digit settlement twice the amount of our coverage!

Now of course we've been cancelled and DD has to figure out a way to pay the 3K increase in her premium or walk!

Pretty ironic for me to be whining about lawyers, but shame on the attorney who took that case and then took advantage of the circumstances; and shame on the adjustor for the part he played in the whole fiasco. My point is, and one that I should have acknowledged earlier, it only takes a few to give a profession a bad name.

Having "known" you here and through our emails over the years, you are obviously a straight-shooter who sees all sides. I wish you had been the one to handle our case!

PS--and no, I had no idea you'd been an adjustor in a previous life. Talk about foot in mouth disease!

OO I was surprised (not) to see that a certain company was not shown in your listing of "good companies" as you appeared to be starting at "A" and running nearly alphabetically. Maybe we are not in such "good hands".

Jayne...My career path has been a dichotomy: I was a social worker in another life too. These things get driven by need sometimes: get married, move to another state, and NEED a job right away. Too bad. Don't hold it against me! ;)

I'm sure you know, there is a data base for professional claimants, and hopefully yours is in it now. All the insurance company need do is look. I've told my husband there should be a similar base for hotels, not claimants because the professional "slip and falls" are in the insurance data base, but the professional "I found xyz in my room/food/elevator/corridor/swimming pool and your staff had attitude/didn't care/ignored me/insulted me/lauged in my face and I now demand my room 1/2 price/free/10 future visits free/food free/ my and my wife's food free/. lol It's a growing plague...I was getting my hair cut and someone came in to return a bottle of shampoo she'd bought but didn't like. It was a big bottle, 3/4 gone...and she wanted her money back!!

Roy...I don't want to get deleted! ;;)

I still do not understand this "stacked and unstacked" UM business and the PIP thing. Could someone give me the Cliff Note version? Thanks!

dutyfree, I don't believe they have much of a bearing on what is going on with your premium increase. Certainly UM doesn't. You don't even have to carry UM if you don't want it. I wouldn't recommend that however! If you insure two cars you can elect to have "stacked" UM. If you had 100,000 worth of UM coverage on both cars and had elected to have "stacked" UM, if you were hit by an uninsured motorist you would be eligible for 200,000 in benefits, (100,000 from each of your insured cars) rather than the 100,000 you would have had in unstacked coverage. Simple, and not an issue here.

What could possibly be a source of increase, PIP, is personal injury protection, which is required by FL law and may not be in your state. It will pay in event of injury resulting from a an auto accident <i>regardless</i> of fault. You may have that coverage on your own policy under that name or one similar, but if not, it will have to be on the car that will be garaged in FL. It pays 80% of medical expenses. 60% of lost income, and a death benefit.

PIP isn't that expensive...checking our policy it's $45 for one of our cars, $27 for the other for 10,000 worth of coverage. Your biggest increase is most likely going to an area of higher risk than the one you live in.

Truly the <i>best</i> place for these questions is with a USAA agent, someone who knows policy inside out, backwards and forwards. Call them back again--you'll get someone different. Ask for a better explanation of the policy increase and precisely what coverage will be required.

Good luck and safe travels. :)

That teacher's com website just reminded me of something. Back in the dark ages when I just started working, the magic age for decent priced car insurance was 26. My insurance on my old clunker Ford was to be over $700 a year (a lot in those days). I had just started teaching and someone put me on to the idea of leasing. I went to the NEA (National Education Association) and ordered a brand new 1969 Olds Cutlass S, loaded. The lease included full insurance -- and it didn't make any difference that I was only 21. The total price was $69 a month for two years with no down payment. So do the math -- I had a brand new car for two years for a total cost of $128 a year more than I would have paid for insurance only on my old clunker I was driving, which I managed to sell for $350, so I actually made money on the deal and had a new car too.
I'm not sure how all leases work today, but that could be an option.

No--at the time I didn't know about the list but DH did so I'm sure that's taken care of. For eight months we didn't even know that the suit existed. The guy just got lucky this time but at least it won't happen again. Maybe he won't need to sue anyone else--now he can pay off the mortgage that had been foreclosed upon one month before the &quot;accident&quot;!

I quess since we just flew my daughter back home after her 3rd evacuation from her college that the car will &quot;enjoy&quot; its insured stay in the TPA international airport during this next hurricane? Long term parking ie .&quot;covered&quot;;parked above the second floor for storm surge and near the middle of the parking lot for protection of falling palm trees!This last evacuation for hurricane Frances and living at her roomie's aunt's house for 6 days(half the time without electricity and the A/C) did her in....&quot;I need to get back to the land of the snowstorms!&quot;It was so great to pick her up tonight.All she talked about was how really tired,scared and frustrated she is with the hurricanes.

Welcome to Florida: Land of the tired, scared, and frustrated. Tell her to hang in there--we aren't usually this inhospitable!

Her car should be fine where it is. Mine will be in similar parking a stones throw away and I'm comfortable with it. Did you get the insurance issue worked out?

Advise is you call agin your insurance about this, cuase i think in everystate insurance companies has different policies. Better conatct other insurance about this though pretend you are shopping for insurance. Anyway to get free instant insurance quotes to brokers at http://www.insurancepaylite.com. They can surely help you decide which insurance company is best for your insurance needs.

I don't know, but I can't imagine your &quot;husband was taken by&quot; a uSAA agent.