Laws And Savings on Coverage

Almost all states require riders to have motorcycle insurance to register their bikes and legally ride them. The one exception to the rule is the Sunshine State. Motorcycle insurance in Florida is optional, but that does not mean you don’t need it.

It’s mandatory for owners and riders in other states to at least have bodily injury and property damage liability coverage to pay claims and provide a defense when a rider causes an accident, but Florida motorcycle insurance laws do not require it. Do you need motorcycle insurance in Florida? The answer is “Yes.” 

Florida motorcycle insurance gives you peace of mind in the event of an accident you cause. Opting for insurance instead of relying on the state of Florida motorcycle insurance requirements means that a liability insurance company takes care of claims and lawsuits other people make against you. 

This article aims to show you why it’s so important to have insurance even though Florida motorcycle insurance requirements do not force you to have it. It takes an in-depth look at the cost of insurance and how to save money by showing you how to find the cheap motorcycle insurance Florida offers once you know how to look for it.

Do You Need Motorcycle Insurance In Florida?

Florida motorcycle insurance requirements are, to say the least, confusing. Florida motorcycle law lets you register and ride a motorcycle without liability insurance coverage, which makes it the only state that does not require owners and riders to be insured. 

If you cause an accident while riding, you could be penalized if you do not have the financial resources to pay for damage and personal injuries. Is motorcycle insurance required in Florida? The simple answer is that it’s not a requirement, but you could face financial ruin and bankruptcy if someone is injured in an accident that is your fault.

The Florida motorcycle insurance statute requires that any rider who is at fault in causing an accident produce proof of financial responsibility. The motorcycle insurance laws in Florida let you do this either with a liability insurance policy issued by an insurance company before the accident or with a certificate of self-insurance issued by the state insurance department. 

The consequences are severe when you cause an accident and cannot prove that you can pay claims made against you. Your driver’s license and vehicle registration could be suspended for up to 3 years. You cannot get a hardship license, meaning you cannot drive at all during the suspension. The state may impose a $500 fee to reinstate your driver’s license.

A motorcycle insurance policy is the easiest way to ensure that you meet the financial responsibility requirements of the motorcycle insurance laws in Florida. Following are the minimum coverages to include in the policy:

• At least $10,000 of bodily injury insurance per person injured in an accident you cause.
• At least $20,000 of total bodily injury coverage per accident.
• At least $10,000 of property damage coverage.

You should consider increasing the coverage limits to better protect your assets in case of an accident where the claims filed by the victims exceed the limits of your insurance policy. If that happens, you could be held liable for whatever is not paid through your liability insurance policy. 

If you are over 21 and choose to ride without wearing a helmet, at least $10,000 of medical coverage motorcycle insurance is required in Florida. The coverage pays the medical bills up to the policy limits if you are injured in a motorcycle crash. You can add the medical benefits coverage to a motorcycle insurance policy along with bodily injury and property damage coverage, or you can satisfy the requirement by having a health insurance policy.

Minimum Insurance Requirements in Florida

Do you need insurance to ride a motorcycle in Florida? No, but you need proof of financial responsibility if you cause an accident. The easiest way to prove financial responsibility is with a motorcycle insurance policy, and the best way to know that you have the best coverage to protect you against financial harm is by learning about the types of coverage available in a motorcycle insurance policy.

The basic components of motorcycle insurance in Florida generally include bodily injury and property damage. Bodily injury coverage protects you in the event of claims made by other people for personal injuries they sustained in accidents where you were at fault. The insurance company agrees to provide an attorney to defend you in any lawsuits filed against you and pay to settle claims for any amount up to the policy limits. 

Bodily injury coverage is divided into two components. The first is the coverage limit for injuries sustained by one person in an accident. The second component is the maximum coverage for injuries caused to two or more people in a single accident. 

You will see bodily injury coverage limits written as follows: $25,000/$50,000. The first number, $25,000, is the maximum the insurance company agrees to pay when only one person is injured in an accident that you caused. The second number, $50,000, is the maximum amount the insurer must pay to settle all claims when more than one person is injured. 

The other basic component of a motorcycle insurance policy is property damage, which pays for claims against you for damage caused to other vehicles, street signs, buildings, and other forms of property. Because you can drive a motorcycle without insurance in Florida, there is no minimum bodily injury or property damage coverage requirement. The best motorcycle insurance Florida riders should get is what makes them feel protected if they are at fault for causing a crash. 

Someone with a home and other assets to protect from accident claims may want a motorcycle insurance policy with $100,000/$350,000/$15,000 in coverage. This provides them with insurance protection of $100,000 for bodily injury claims by one person, $350,000 for all bodily injury claims in an accident, and $15,000 for property damage claims.

If you elect to ride without wearing a helmet, you must add at least $10,000 in medical insurance to your motorcycle insurance policy to satisfy Florida law. A health insurance policy can be an alternative to adding medical insurance coverage to your motorcycle insurance policy.

When buying a motorcycle insurance policy, you may wish to add one or more of the following coverages:

• Collision coverage: Pays for repairs or replacement of your motorcycle when damaged in an accident regardless of who may have been at fault. 
• Comprehensive coverage: If your motorcycle is damaged or lost through vandalism, theft, falling branches, and other conditions beyond your control, comprehensive coverage pays for repairs or replacement.
• Uninsured and underinsured coverage: When an accident is caused by someone who does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to pay for the injuries you sustained, uninsured and underinsured coverage lets you file the claim through your own insurance company.

Some insurance companies also offer roadside assistance and other types of insurance coverage as part of their motorcycle insurance in Florida.

Factors Affecting Motorcycle Insurance Premiums in Florida

Whether you qualify for the cheapest motorcycle insurance Florida insurers offer depends on several factors, including:

• Your age and riding experience: Generally, insurance companies view teens and young riders as posing the greatest risk of being involved in accidents because they lack experience. However, an older rider without riding experience may pay more for insurance than an 18-year-old simply because the aging process slows reflexes and causes other impairments that affect riding ability.
• Location: Expect to pay more for motorcycle insurance in Florida than someone of the same age and riding experience who lives where colder temperatures in the winter shorten the riding season.
• Driving record: If you have a clean driving record with no accidents or traffic violations, cheap motorcycle insurance in Florida may be available, and someone with a poor driving record will pay more.
• Annual mileage: The fewer miles you put on a motorcycle each year, the less you’ll pay for insurance.
• Type of motorcycle: A motorcycle with a bigger, more powerful engine may cause insurance companies to assume you’ll use that power to exceed the speed limits. Riders of sports bikes also may be classified as posing a greater accident risk than riders of other types of motorcycles.

Your credit score, formal education, the age of your motorcycle, and other factors are used by insurance companies to determine how much you pay for Florida motorcycle insurance. For example, the cost to replace new motorcycles is greater than for older models, so cheap motorcycle insurance Florida riders look for may be available for older motorcycles.

The optional coverages you select, including collision and comprehensive, raise the cost of a motorcycle insurance policy. You can control the cost with higher deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage, even though you may pay more out-of-pocket if you make a claim.

How To Choose A Motorcycle Insurance Provider in Florida

Shopping for the best motorcycle insurance in Florida begins by gathering the information insurance providers use to decide to offer you a policy and how much to charge for it. Basic information you’ll need includes:

• Year, manufacturer, model, and engine size of your motorcycle.
• Number of miles you generally drive each week, month, or year, depending on how frequently you ride.
• Equipment you added to the motorcycle, such as saddlebags, custom wheels and pipes, and other accessories.

Be prepared to give the insurance company the dates and other details about accidents and traffic violations you may have on your driving record. Also, have available specifics about prior insurance claims you’ve made. 

The next step is to get quotes from a few insurance companies that do business in Florida and have experience working with motorcycle owners and riders. Contact local agents or visit an insurer’s website for a price quote. Whichever method you use, know the coverage you want, including optional coverages, such as collision and comprehensive.

The cost of insuring a motorcycle in Florida varies depending on the insurer, so getting quotes from a few companies for the same coverage is essential. For example, a review of five quotes gathered by ValuePenquin ranged from a high of $128 to a low of $52 for the identical coverage. 

Factors to consider when selecting a motorcycle insurance company include:

• Cost
• Customer service
• Coverage options
• Discount programs
• Ease of claim process

Many companies offer premium discounts to riders who complete a motorcycle safety program or have a clean driving record. Be sure to ask about discounts when looking for the best motorcycle insurance in Florida.

Takeaways

You now know that motorcycle insurance in Florida is not required to register or ride a motorcycle, except that you need $10,000 in medical insurance to ride without a helmet if you are older than 21. However, having liability insurance coverage is a good idea because it makes it easy to comply with the state’s financial responsibility law. 

Shopping for the cheapest motorcycle insurance in Florida is not difficult provided you follow the recommendations and tips offered in this article. Use the links to informative resources to help you get and compare quotes from several companies to choose the best motorcycle insurance in Florida.