Florida gets tough on drivers
by 1st Lt. Shannon Cooper
EGLIN AFB, Fla. (AFNS) -- If you are on your way to the Sunshine State, or just
arrived here, with an out-of-state insurance policy, beware of rain showers ahead.
The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles' guidelines for registration and insurance are
taking many military members by surprise.
When residents arrive here and want to register their vehicle, they will have to
purchase the required insurance coverage through a company licensed to do business in this
state. If the insurance company is listed on the computer system as authorized to do
business in Florida, the insurance proof may be accepted if the coverage clearly indicates
Personnel Injury Protection, or PIP, and Property Damage Liability, or PDL, insurance,
said Theresa Gillespie, assistant manager, Okaloosa County Tax Collectors Office.
Insurance companies do not have to be located in this state. However, if the
company is located outside of Florida, it must have an authorized agent or broker here.
The agent can then issue a Florida policy, identification card, and make the required
insurance filing to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said DMV
officials.
An out-of-state policy will not provide no-fault benefits as required to
register the vehicle in Florida. However, if the out-of-state resident is insured through
a company doing business in Florida, it would be a very easy matter to have the account
transferred to an agent here, DMV officials reported.
If the department accepts an out-of-state insurance policy to issue a license
plate and registration, there is no obligation for the out-of-state insurance company to
electronically report coverage or cancellations to the department. As a result, the
records will always reflect that particular vehicle as being uninsured, and DMV will never
be notified of any coverage in the event the new resident should cancel his insurance.
This means the law may be easily broken in regard to required auto coverage, said DMV
officials.
"We had a lot of people having accidents who weren't covered properly. The
state was left picking up the tab, so they started requiring the coverage for
everyone," said Chris Hughes, Okaloosa County Tax Collector.
A minimum of $10,000 PIP and PDL are required for insurance coverage in Florida.
PIP is a form of "no fault" insurance in which, no matter who is at fault, the
policy will pay out. It covers the driver, family and passengers for bodily injuries. PDL
pays out only if the policy holder is at fault and there is other property damage (yard,
road sign, house, etc.). "Each state is very individual," said Geri Reich,
senior policy representative, United Services Automobile Association. "For instance,
the state of Kentucky also requires PIP. However, you can turn down the coverage for
everyone except unrelated passengers."
If a military member wants to obtain a Florida driver's license to establish
residence, the guidelines for insurance also apply. Proof of Florida insurance is required
along with Florida vehicle tags. For a driver's license not intended for establishing
residence, proof of insurance is not required.
"Military members stationed outside the state, who want to keep Florida
tags, must maintain Florida coverage," said Gillespie, "by meeting the
requirement for PIP and PDL."
People should call their Florida DMV office for specific information on what to
bring with them when they register their vehicle or for answers to more specific questions
regarding Florida insurance coverage.
(Cooper is assigned to Air Force Development Test Center public affairs)
