Florida FR44 – Facts and Resources

If you’ve been convicted of a DUI in Florida, you’ll be required to obtain  two insurance-related certificates in order to regain your driving privileges.  These are the national SR22 form and the lesser-known FR44 form. While the  procedure for obtaining the former has been documented exhaustively in print and  online, there’s far less information available about  the latter. Since the FR44 is a Florida-specific document that has few analogs  elsewhere in the United States, it can be  difficult to find reliable advice about procuring one. Fortunately, it’s not  difficult to file an FR44. Once you’ve done so, you’ll be able to source  insurance quotes from a range of providers.

First, it’s crucial to recognize the differences between the SR22 and the  FR44. As a resident of a state that requires drivers to file an FR44 form,  you’ll almost certainly be required to pay upfront for your insurance coverage.  In fact, Florida law prohibits insurers from charging monthly premiums on FR44  policies. This restriction is designed to  protect the financial health of the  insurers that operate the state and penalize DUI-convicted drivers in equal  measure.

Unfortunately, the high cost of FR44 policies means that this requirement  will force you to make a substantial outlay before  getting back behind the wheel of your car. To make matters worse, Florida is  notorious for its high insurance rates. After your DUI, it’s likely that your  already-high auto insurance premiums will double overnight. Even if you have an  impeccable driving record, you might be unable to find an FR44 insurance policy that  costs less than $2,500 per year.

Additionally, you may have to pay for your policy in six-month increments. If  you have a new or financed vehicle, this is especially likely. Given the  constraints of the “paid-in-full” rule issued by Florida’s insurance regulators,  many insurance companies prefer to shorten the effective periods of their  high-risk policies. Frequent renewals permit these companies to account for any  changes in a driver’s accident history, criminal status or credit profile.  What’s more, this arrangement enables  DUI-convicted drivers to make smaller insurance outlays and put more of their  hard-earned funds toward other DUI-related expenses.

Ultimately, you’ll find affordable FR44 insurance quotes by searching online  aggregators or calling the various auto insurance companies that conduct  business in Florida. While you might be shocked by the cost of the policies that  you find, you may be able to reduce your total insurance costs by taking  advantage of certain discounts and credits.