FR-44 Car Insurance
FR-44 car insurance takes effect if you commit serious driving infractions in Florida or Virginia, such as reckless driving or DUI. Car insurance rates are higher for those who must file an FR-44. Learn about the coverage you'll need and how much you might pay.
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Written by
Chris Tepedino |
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Reviewed by
Laura Walker
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UPDATED: Jun 28, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jun 28, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- An FR-44 is a document that your state department of motor vehicles releases after you’re convicted of a DWI, a DUI, or a comparable offense
- An FR-44 is not a type of insurance policy, but it causes your liability insurance limits and rates to go up
- You must hold your FR-44 for three years to return to normal insurance limits
Getting arrested for driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated is a serious matter. Penalties vary from state to state, but they often include fines, license suspension, and jail time. If you live in Florida or Virginia, you might face an extra consequence, FR-44 car insurance.
Although many people call FR-44s a type of car insurance, an FR-44 is actually a state-issued document that proves you have car insurance. It also signals to law enforcement that you have a history of reckless driving and are required to hold higher levels of car insurance than the average driver.
This article walks through some of the top questions about this crucial document and the effects it has on insurance rates.
What is FR-44 insurance?
Your insurance company provides your FR-44 form, which is why it’s often called car insurance. Technically, though, it’s proof that you can pay for damages you cause while driving.
Your state government contacts you if you need to carry an FR-44 when you drive. Get in touch with your insurance company to learn the details of what is required of your state’s department of motor vehicles.
If you’re uninsured, you must buy a new policy before completing the paperwork for an FR-44. As you look through lists of the best insurance companies, remember that some won’t take on a customer who needs one of these documents. Always ask potential insurance companies about available FR-44 policies before signing a contract.
An FR-44 works similarly to the proof of insurance that all drivers have to keep in their cars. It demonstrates that you have enough insurance to meet your state’s minimum requirements. It also certifies that you carry the added insurance you need as a driver with a history of reckless or negligent behavior.
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What are the FR-44 insurance requirements in Florida and Virginia?
Unless you live in Florida or Virginia, you’ll never have to purchase FR-44 car insurance. Furthermore, FR-44s are never issued unless you’ve committed a serious driving infraction.
According to the Virginia DMV, Virginia FR-44s are issued when people meet the following conditions:
- Not legally allowed to drive. Your license has been suspended or forfeited, and you were caught driving anyway.
- Driving while intoxicated. A law enforcement officer pulls you over after you’ve been drinking or doing drugs.
- Guilty of harming others. You hurt or kill someone while driving drunk or under the influence of drugs.
The state’s requirements also allow judges and law enforcement officials to issue FR-44s in comparable situations, even if they’re not exactly the same. The FR-44 requirements in Florida state that you must file one you’ve been convicted of driving under the influence, even for a first offense. You must carry your FR-44 for three years to get your standard driver’s license back.
What happens to your insurance limits with FR-44 car insurance?
Your FR-44 document certifies that not only do you meet your state’s minimum insurance levels, but you also have extra liability insurance. The increased levels of insurance coverage reflect your greater risk of damaging other people and property on the road.
When you have an FR-44, Virginia requires you to carry twice as much liability insurance as you would with an SR-22, which is a lower-level proof of financial responsibility. Before 2025, you must carry at least the following insurance limits:
- $60,000 in liability insurance for medical bills for one person
- $120,000 in liability insurance for medical bills for multiple people
- $40,000 in property damage liability insurance
After 2025, these limits will increase to $100,000, $200,000, and $50,000, respectively.
In Florida, you need $50,000 of property damage liability insurance. Your insurance limits for medical bills must be $100,000 for one person and $300,000 for each accident.
Does an FR-44 affect your car insurance rates?
Although an FR-44 is not a type of insurance, you can count on it increasing your car insurance rates. In both states, your insurance minimums with an FR-44 are more than twice what the state requires if you don’t have a history of unsafe driving.
Your insurance company is likely to increase your rates to account for the expanded limits. You may also see an increase in rates because your chances of causing another severe accident are much higher once you’ve been convicted of a DUI or DWI.
In addition to these new rates, you must also pay for your insurance company to file your FR-44 with Florida or Virginia’s DMV. Most insurance companies charge $15 to $25 for this service. If you can’t afford your increased rates at any point in the next three years, you lose your FR-44.
To continue your progress towards getting your regular license back, you must repay your insurance company’s fee and restart the three-year waiting period.
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Is an FR-44 the same thing as an SR-22?
An FR-44 is not the same as an SR-22, which you can find in most states. States generally issue SR-22s if you get in an accident after letting your car insurance lapse. You may also receive one if you exceed your state’s limits for points on your driver’s license.
SR-22s result in increased insurance requirements, but they’re not as high as with FR-44s. Furthermore, you can usually maintain your driver’s license when you receive an SR-22.
What if I can’t afford FR-44 insurance?
It is difficult to find cheap FR-44 insurance in Florida or Virginia. As it is with any kind of insurance, your best bet is to shop around. Florida FR-44 insurance quotes from State Farm and Geico tend to be on the lower side, but rates will be different for different drivers. The same goes for FR-44 insurance in Virginia. Shop around to find the best deal for your circumstances.
How much is FR-44 insurance in Florida?
FR-44 insurance costs in Florida will vary depending on the individual person and their circumstances. Average annual rates range between $1,200 and $5,000. Make sure to get quotes from multiple FR-44 insurance companies before settling on a policy.
How much does FR-44 insurance cost in Virginia? Fr-44 insurance quotes in Virginia are a little cheaper than Florida, averaging between $700 and $1,700 annually.
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What You Need To Know About FR-44 Car Insurance
If your state contacts you about FR-44 car insurance, you’ve probably been arrested for a DUI or a DWI. FR-44s, which are unique to Florida and Virginia, require you to take out more car insurance. To get your regular car license back, you must keep up with your increased insurance rates for three years without causing another serious accident.
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.
|
Written by
Chris Tepedino |
|
Reviewed by
Laura Walker
|