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! 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 ... spreading good cheer and as I zip along in my pastel morning suit. Ah, tell me life isn't good. Of course, morph this way way westerly. gt; 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.

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