FR-44 Insurance in Florida (2026)

After a DUI-related conviction in Florida, you can't reinstate your license with a normal policy. You need an FR-44— a certificate your insurance company files with the state proving you carry much higher liability limits than Florida normally requires. Only two states use the FR-44 at all: Florida and Virginia. Here's what it means, what it costs, and how to keep the damage as small as possible.

What an FR-44 actually is

The FR-44 isn't a type of insurance — it's a form. Your insurer files it electronically with Florida to certify that your policy meets the state's post-DUI requirement: liability limits of 100/300/50 ($100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 per accident, $50,000 property damage). You typically have to maintain the filing for 3 years. If the policy lapses, the insurer tells the state — and your license is back on the line.

Why it costs so much

Two things stack on top of each other. First, the required limits are roughly 10x Florida's standard minimums— you're simply buying a lot more coverage, including bodily injury liability that most Florida drivers aren't required to carry at all. Second, the conviction itself moves you into a higher-risk pricing tier with nearly every insurer. That combination is why minimum-coverage FR-44 policies average around $318 per month, according to ValuePenguin data.

How to pay less anyway

You can't negotiate the state's limits — but you can choose who sells you the policy, and that choice matters more here than almost anywhere else in car insurance. Insurers weigh a DUI-related record very differently: some effectively price you out, while others — including companies that specialize in high-risk and filing business — compete for exactly this profile. Comparing quotes from multiple companies is the single biggest lever you have.Beyond that, the usual moves still help: a higher-deductible policy on an older car, dropping coverage you don't need on a low-value vehicle, and paying on time so you never trigger a lapse. And the surcharge isn't forever — as the conviction ages, re-shopping each renewal catches the insurers that forgive it fastest.

No car? Non-owner FR-44

If you don't own a vehicle but need your license back, a non-owner FR-44 policysatisfies the filing without insuring a specific car. It covers your liability when you occasionally drive a car you don't own, and it's generally cheaper than a standard policy because there's no vehicle on it. If you had a suspension for a non-DUI reason instead, you may need an SR-22 filing rather than an FR-44 — different form, much lower required limits.