Why is Car Insurance so Expensive in Florida?
Car insurance is an expensive necessity — but Floridians pay steeper premiums than most of the nation. Many estimates suggest that drivers in the Sunshine State pay upwards of $2,000 per year, compared to a national average of $1,457.
Further, most experts agree that Florida car insurance premiums are among the three highest in the nation, alongside Michigan and Louisiana. So what’s driving premiums through the roof in Florida? Here’s a look at the factors that are jacking up car insurance rates in the land of citrus and gators.
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The factors that are raising rates
- Let’s start with the most obvious factor: the weather. Between your run-of-the-mill torrential downpours that make for difficult driving, and the potential of a hurricane devastating your car, Florida weather can take a toll on cars and drivers. Insurance companies see this as a risk factor when calculating premiums
- Florida also attracts more tourists than its neighbors. Since they’re unfamiliar with local rules and roads, tourists can easily cause fender benders. Plus, many out-of-towners (and resident drivers) in the Sunshine State are in the riskiest age demographic — seniors and college students.
- There is also a stunning number uninsured drivers motoring around Florida. While at first glance, this may seem like a victimless crime, uninsured drivers cost the rest of us thousands of dollars. If you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver, you may struggle to be compensated for the damage. And as of 2017, the Insurance Research Council estimated that more than 25 percent of Florida motorists were uninsured — the highest rate in the country.
- Floridians also have to pay for $10,000 worth of personal injury protection coverage, which pays for your after-accident medical costs. This drives up the cost of insurance by about 20 percent, according to Insure.com.
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While you can’t control the weather or the number of uninsured drivers in your state, you can check out these other factors that influence your car insurance rates to see what you can control.
Kimiko Kidd is a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. See more articles by Kimiko.