How Much is Car Insurance for High-Risk Drivers in Florida?

If you’re young or have violations on your driving record, you can expect Florida car insurance companies to charge you more than the average driver.
Written by Sean Boehme
Florida is one of the most expensive states in the U.S. when it comes to insurance rates, with Floridians paying almost $750 more per year for full coverage than the average driver nationwide. If you’re deemed to be a high-risk driver, your rates will go up even higher. 
  • Motorists who are deemed high-risk drivers in Florida can expect to pay more for their car insurance premiums.
  • You can be labeled as a high-risk driver for violations ranging from a simple speeding ticket to a more serious DUI/DWI charge.
  • You can even be considered a high-risk driver because of where you live or how old you are.

What is a high-risk driver?

Being a “high-risk” driver essentially means that insurance companies view you as someone more likely to
file a claim
—therefore, they are more likely to lose money by insuring you. 
Every insurance company will have a different way of determining whether you are a high-risk driver or not, as well as how extreme that risk is. If one (or several) of the things that they look out for applies to you, you can expect higher rates.
Although
high-risk auto insurance
exists in every state, you might find it especially noticeable in Florida. That’s because Floridians already pay around 30% more than the national average for full coverage car insurance. 

High-risk driver criteria

There are a lot of reasons that insurance companies might identify you as a high-risk driver, and some of them are through no fault of your own. 
A few of the reasons that your rates might climb include:
  • Your age
  • When you got your license
  • Your sex
  • Your credit score
  • Your car accident history (especially at-fault accidents)
  • Your claims history
  • Any moving or traffic violations you have (especially major violations, like DUIs or reckless driving)
Although it’s true that age can play a big role in the price of your car insurance coverage, the price difference generally pales in comparison to what you’ll face if you have a violation-heavy driving history.
A single DUI violation can lead to you spending $1,000 more on car insurance every year—much more than what you’ll have to pay for being young or old. 

Insurance rates after a speeding ticket in Florida

Your insurance company won’t put you on some sort of blacklist for a small speeding ticket. With that said, you can still expect an increase of around 20% on your auto insurance rates.
If you’re hit with a more serious speeding violation, like driving 15 mph or more over the limit, the change in your insurance rate is going to be a lot worse.
Drivers in Florida can expect to pay over $1,500 more per year after receiving a speeding ticket for going more than 15 mph over the speed limit. 
Of course, that expense is in addition to the fine you have to pay for the violation itself. 

Insurance rates after a DUI in Florida

Driving under the influence (DUI)
is one of the most serious traffic violations you can commit, so it’s no surprise that having one on your record is going to make car insurance companies worry. You’ll see a significant rate increase if you have a DUI conviction, and some insurance companies may even refuse to cover you.
Compared to someone with a clean record, a driver with a DUI on their record is going to end up paying around 41% more on their insurance per year. After multiple years, you’ll be looking at thousands of dollars for a single violation.
Since DUI violations usually remain on your record longer than something like a speeding ticket, you can expect your high insurance rates to stick around for a while.

Insurance rates for teen drivers in Florida

Although it may seem unfair, age also plays a big part in how much you have to pay for car insurance. 
Here is a look at the average insurance rates for different age brackets in Florida:
Age Group
Average Cost
Annual Savings with Jerry
18-20
$3,055
$860
21-24
$3,048
$914
25-34
$2,894
$901
35-44
$2,794
$941
45-54
$2,672
$892
55-64
$2,637
$874
65+
$2,787
$878
On average, 18- to 24-year-olds will have to pay $250 more per year than people over 25.
Insurance companies do this because young drivers are more likely to be new to driving, and new drivers are more likely to get into accidents and file claims as a result. As drivers with clean records get a little older, their insurance gradually becomes less expensive.
When you reach 65+, your rates will probably rise back up again. This is because car insurance companies will assume that you have slower reaction times than you did when you were younger. Still, your rates probably won’t be as high as they are for teenagers. 

How to lower your insurance rate as a high-risk driver

If one or more factors deem you a high-risk driver, here are some steps you can take to trim down your car insurance costs:
  • Compare insurance quotes from multiple auto insurance providers before choosing an insurance policy
  • Practice responsible driving habits to achieve a clean driving record in the future
  • If you currently have poor credit, take steps to improve your payment history over time
  • Consider adding accident forgiveness to your policy to protect yourself from a policy surcharge after your first at-fault accident
  • Adjust your auto insurance policy’s deductible or coverage limits where it makes sense for you to do so 
  • See if your auto insurance provider will give you a discount for taking an approved defensive driving course
  • Take advantage of your provider’s available insurance discounts

How long are you considered a high-risk driver?

If you are considered a high-risk driver, the good news is that your rates will probably go down over time. For teen drivers, putting more years under your belt and maintaining a clean record will do the trick.
If you have a poor record with one or more moving violations, the time it takes for your record to clear up will depend on the violations as well as the state you live in. Many insurance companies pay close attention to the points you accrue on your license, which usually disappear after three years in Florida. 
DUIs and other alcohol-related charges remain on your record for 75 years in Florida. This is much longer than most other states, and if you’re charged with a DUI, you can pretty much expect it to remain on your record for your entire lifetime. 
If you have exceptionally high car insurance rates, there are a few options that you could turn to to get them under control. The Florida DMV offers driver improvement programs that may earn you a discount from certain insurance providers, for example.
“Since I’m under 25, I thought paying a lot for insurance was normal.
Jerry
made it easy to find affordable insurance. It was even easy to switch insurance agencies. I went to bed and woke up with new insurance.” —Steven C.
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FAQs

A DUI is a serious charge that is going to have a major effect on your insurance. The average driver with a DUI charge will pay $1,353, or 41%, more than a driver with a clean record per year.
Every state varies when it comes to how long a DUI remains on your record, but it’s usually a long time. In Florida, an alcohol-related moving violation will remain on your record for 75 years.
Since “high-risk driver” isn’t an official category for many insurance companies, it’s more helpful to understand when certain violations will be removed from your record. Speeding tickets generally fall off in just a few years, but more serious violations can take 10 or more years to disappear from your record.
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