Florida Auto Insurance For Seasonal Residents

Living in the Northeast during winter is always interesting, to say the least. There might be a few feet of snowfall during the year or a few inches. However much snow there is (or isn't) it's always cold! This is why people from the Northeast, and all over the country, flock to Florida during the cold winter months. For seasonal residents with cars, it's important to consider what type of auto insurance you have before making the move.

Any part-time or seasonal resident living in Florida at least 90 days each year is required to carry a minimum of $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL) and $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP), even if those 90 days are not consecutive. Also worth noting if you're an out of town resident, any insurance you buy must be sold by a company licensed to do business in Florida. If you use a company representative, he or she must be licensed as an insurance agent by the State of Florida, or an agent licensed to sell insurance in Florida must countersign the coverage. If you bought your insurance from a small, independent broker it might not extend over into Florida.

If you choose to leave your car at home and rent a vehicle in Florida, you are still required to have insurance. First, check your policy to determine if your rental vehicles are covered. Car rental companies often sell collision damage waivers that offer some features similar to insurance; however these aren't state-regulated by Florida's Department of Financial Services. If your policy includes collision coverage or PDL, it may already cover damages to a rental vehicle driven by you. In this case, you may not need a separate collision damage waiver. It's recommended that you check with your insurance provider before renting a vehicle, to make sure everything is in order.

Before buying insurance, verify whether a company is licensed to sell insurance in Florida by calling the DFS Consumer Helpline toll-free at 1-877-My-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236). If you need to purchase new insurance, it definitely pays to shop around for the best rates. The last thing you want to worry about while on vacation is your auto insurance.