Car Insurance in Miami Beach, FL [The Complete Guide]

We get it. Car insurance can be expensive in metropolitan areas. The reasons behind those higher-than-normal costs are often a result of several different factors. The good news? We’re using this extensive guide explore those factors as we reveal everything you need to know about affordable car insurance in Miami Beach, Florida.

Here’s the deal: Miami Beach is one of the top vacation spots on the Atlantic coast. During the summer months, the population increases dramatically and tourism increases prosperity in the city.

Whether you’re a Miami Beach resident or visitor, we’ve got all of the car insurance information you need to know. We want to give you an idea of what it’s like to not only drive in the city, but to also give you more insight into car insurance rates.

In fact, you can think of this as your guide to Florida car insurance, as we’ll also address important state requirements and laws.

And as long as you’re living and driving in Miami Beach, we know you’ll want to save money. Whether you live in Miami or Tampa, begin shopping for rates by entering your ZIP code in our car insurance comparison tool.

The Cost of Car Insurance in Miami Beach, Fla.

Florida has some of the most expensive car insurance rates in the United States. Car insurance is expensive in Florida due to the massive population throughout the state. With more people driving on the roadways of the state, it increases the risk of accidents and drives up the rates.

Florida is home to several popular U.S. cities such as Orlando, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Boca Raton, and St. Petersburg. Miami Beach’s population is much smaller than some of those cities.

The average annual rate for car insurance in Miami Beach is roughly $4,850.

Florida’s average annual rate is $4,680, which makes Miami Beach’s annual rate $170 more than the state average. Although those are the average premiums in the state, it doesn’t mean you’ll end up paying nearly $5,000 per year for car insurance.

This section of the guide will explore all the factors that determine how much you’ll pay for car insurance in a year.

Male vs. Female vs. Age

What is clear about car insurance based on age, gender, and marital status is that younger and single motorists pay more for car insurance. Listed below are three data tables that show these annual premiums based on age, gender, and marital status.

First, let’s review the car insurance rates per year regarding age. In addition to car insurance rates, we’ll compare Miami Beach’s car insurance rates to major cities in Florida.

Seventeen-year-old drivers have rates that are nearly $8,000 more than the Miami Beach’s city average and Florida’s state average.

The average age in Miami Beach, Florida is 42.

Orlando’s cheapest annual rate for 60-year-old drivers is about $2,900, which is about $900 less than Miami Beach’s annual rate for 60-year-old drivers.

Let’s examine gender and how their rates differ for two other cities in Florida.

Regarding gender, Miami Beach is the cheapest for car insurance of three cities for male and female drivers. On average, males pay about $350 more for car insurance based on the data from the table.

Finally, let’s look at the marital status, gender, and age of drivers in Miami Beach. This data shows the combination of three determining factors that calculates the annual rate of each demographic.

Teen drivers under any car insurance have annual rate disparities due to the level of risks. Teen drivers tend to take more risks than older drivers. Therefore, the rates for teens are increased dramatically. Drivers who are 25 and older have lower than average rates for car insurance.

Cheapest ZIP Codes in Miami Beach

Some cities have a lot of ZIP codes assigned to their location. However, Miami Beach only has two ZIP codes.

Both ZIP code averages nearly reach the $5,000 mark, which is well over the Florida average annual rate.

What’s the best car insurance company in Miami Beach?

The best car insurance company is the company that best meets your needs. We’re here to give you information to help guide you to buy the best Miami Beach car insurance that’s right for your budget and covers your vehicle efficiently in case you’re in an accident.

The best car insurance company is subjective. Some may prefer some companies over others and some reviews of car insurance companies may not always reflect what companies are like in different states.

Continue on through the guide for more clear information on car insurance companies in Miami Beach.

Cheapest Car Insurance Rates by Company

Now that you’ve seen the initial annual rates from the state, let’s look at average annual rates from companies in Miami Beach.

Allstate’s average annual rate for single, 17-year-old male drivers is about $21,000, which rivals some annual tuition costs in Florida.

Drivers who are 35 and older have the cheapest rates in Miami Beach. Geico, State Farm, and USAA are the cheapest companies.

USAA policies are available only for military members and their immediate families.

Best Car Insurance for Commute Rates

Commute rates are based on how many miles you drive your vehicle per year. Car insurance companies separate these commute rates into two categories: 6,000 commute miles per year and 12,000 commute miles per year.

According to our data, the average commute mileage for drivers in Florida is 14,465.

It’s more than likely that Miami Beach motorists will travel somewhere along with that number. Here are the commute rates by each major company.

Nationwide and Progressive offer the same rates regardless of the commuting mileage you’re estimated to travel that policy year. State Farm and USAA have the cheapest commute rates. Their rates are below the Miami Beach average for car insurance costs.

Best Car Insurance for Coverage Level Rates

As long as we’re talking about buying car insurance in Miami Beach, we have to talk coverage. Ultimately, your coverage level is determined by the state’s minimum requirements for car insurance.

In Florida, the minimum requirements for car insurance are $10,000 for bodily injury of one person per car accident, $20,000 for bodily injury of two or more people per car accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident — also known as the 10/20/10 rule.

Car insurance companies may list these minimum requirements as rules. In this case, the minimum state requirement rule would be the 10/20/10 rule. Also, this rule is the lowest among the rules that car insurance companies offer.

Why should you get a higher coverage level? Imagine that you’re at fault in a car accident and the bodily injury and property damage costs exceed the 10/20/10 rule. That means you’ll be responsible for what the car insurance company didn’t pay for.

To save you money for the long term, consider higher coverage levels.

Some car insurance companies offer 50/100/50 rules for medium coverage and 100/300/100 rules for high coverage. Let’s look at the annual rates based on coverage level for car insurance in Miami Beach.

Geico, State Farm, and USAA have the cheapest rates based on coverage levels. The most expensive companies are Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive.

Best Car Insurance for Credit History Rates

Did you know car insurance rates can be determined by your credit score? Many car insurance companies will check your credit when you’re applying for a policy.

Motorists with a challenging credit standing will pay more for car insurance per year. If you’ve neglected to pay a car insurance company in the past, companies will consider that when issuing car insurance.

Credit history is important because it serves as a risk indicator for car insurance companies.

Good credit and fair credit standing may represent less risk for car insurance companies.

Here are the annual Miami Beach car insurance rates based on credit history.

Motorists with poor credit, regardless of the company, will pay more than motorists with fair and good credit. Under good credit, three companies in Miami Beach discount their policyholders at rates lower than the city’s average annual rate.

The only exceptions are Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, and Progressive, which have average annual rates of $5,000 or more for motorists with good credit.

Best Car Insurance for Driving Record Rates

Your driving performance isn’t just recorded by state courts. Car insurance companies look at your driving record to assess how much a risk you might be for them. When it comes to how much you might pay for car insurance in Miami Beach, remember this:

High-risk drivers are expected to pay more for car insurance.

It’s better to have a clean driving record if you ultimately want to save money on your car insurance each year. Let’s review the annual rates based on driving record.

A DUI conviction can cause your car insurance rates to increase dramatically. Allstate and Liberty Mutual have the highest percentage increase for those who have a DUI conviction on their record. Multiple accidents, speeding violations, and DUI convictions could cost a driver their policy.

Car Insurance Factors in Miami Beach

Are there any additional factors that determine affordable car insurance in Miami Beach? It may be subtle to motorists, but a city’s prosperity and job growth can influence car insurance premiums.

Why? Job growth means there will be more people commuting to work. This will put more people on the road, while prosperity increases the value of the property and the cost of living in a particular area.

This can determine car insurance rates if the average property value increases. Therefore, car insurance rates may increase due to areas growing in economy and prosperity.

This sub-section explores growth, prosperity, wages by gender and ethnicity, poverty levels, education, and common employments in Miami Beach.

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Metro Report — Growth and Prosperity

Our growth and prosperity data comes from the Brookings Institute, an organization that reports the forecast of U.S. cities’ job growth and prosperity. The growth and prosperity data is measured from 1 to 100, where 1 through 20 is the best performing and 81 through 100 is the worst performance.

We’ll provide two tables: One that focuses on job growth and the other on prosperity.

Within a year, job growth in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area increased by 2 percent. In 10 years, job growth increased by 8 percent.

GMP stands for gross metropolitan product, and it’s often referred to as the gross domestic product.

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the market value of all finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders over time.

In other words, the GMP is the overall scorecard of growth in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla. area.

From 2016 to 2017, the GMP increased at a fast pace, but for the last 10 years, the GMP in the area didn’t grow as well despite the 9 percent increase. Young firms didn’t perform well in recent years.

Let’s examine the prosperity data.

From 2016 to 2017, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area performed well in prosperity-related values.

However, when the Brookings Institute measured the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area in a 10-year trend, it found that the metro area performed poorly in productivity, the standard of living, and the average annual wage.

Median Household Income

Speaking of wages, Data USA reported that the median income per household is $50,193. Florida’s median household income is $50,883.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that each individual motorist earns this amount, but it describes the average income earned per household. A household, on average, has two incomes. It could be a combination of up to two incomes.

What does household income have to do with car insurance in Miami Beach?

When we look at car insurance in terms of household income, we think of how car insurance impacts our finances.

One way we can see how car insurance affects finances is by looking at car insurance as a percentage of income.

Earlier we mentioned that the average or median car insurance annual rate is $4,850. Let’s use Data USA’s median income and calculate premiums as a percentage of income.

We can do this by dividing $4,850 by $50,193 (4,850 ÷ 50,193). We get an answer of 0.0966. Move the decimal over two places to get 9.66, which is 9.66 percent, the percentage of income affected by car insurance.

Try it out for yourself. Use the CalculatorPro tool below to calculate what percentage of your income goes to car insurance premiums. This tool does the math for you and gives you instant results.

Homeownership in Miami Beach

In 2017, the average property value in Miami Beach was $416,700, which is nearly twice as expensive as the national average of $217,600. From 2016 to 2017, Miami Beach’s average property values increased from $398,600 to $416,700, which is about a 5 percent increase. The homeownership rate in Miami Beach was 37 percent, which is lower than the national average of 64 percent.

Some good news? Homeowners may see a discount for car insurance.

Since you’ve accumulated more assets, car insurance companies will offer discounts to homeowners, especially homeowners who want to use the same company for home insurance as well and bundle their policies. Renters, however, will likely pay the undiscounted rates.

Education in Miami Beach

More than 58 percent of Hispanic or Latino students graduated from colleges in Miami Beach. About 27 percent of white students and 15 percent of black students graduated from colleges in Miami Beach.

The largest colleges in Miami Beach are Beauty Schools of America, Talmudic University of Florida, and Yeshivah Gedolah Rabbinical College.

According to Data USA education reports, nail specialists and manicurists, general cosmetology, and makeup artists are the most popular majors in Miami Beach.

The average tuition costs for private four-year degrees in Miami Beach are $10,500 for private four-year colleges. We reviewed Data USA reports and searched the web for public universities in Miami Beach, but it appears Miami Beach doesn’t have any public four-year universities.

What we do know from the data is that Miami Beach is known for its education in cosmetology.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

How do these wages affect each race and ethnicity? One thing that’s for sure is that there is an income disparity among different ethnicities in the United States, even in Miami Beach. Let’s take a look at those disparities in the data table below.

Using the average annual rate for car insurance in Miami Beach, we calculated the car insurance as a percentage of income for each ethnic group and salary.

The salaries listed in the data are from Data USA’s 2017 report. Look at the full-time salaries of cashiers in the city. Car insurance as a percentage of income takes a hefty portion from cashiers and customer service employees.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

When we broaden our scope and look at wage disparities in terms of gender, we see that males earn about 1.34 times more than females. Let’s see how male and female wage disparities affect the residents of Miami Beach.

Even though women pay less for car insurance in Miami Beach, they pay more as a percentage of income, which nearly negates the idea that women pay less for car insurance.

Poverty by Age and Gender

There are those who don’t earn a wage at all in or earn a relatively low wage than listed in the previous table. Let’s continue looking at how gender is affected by the lens of poverty.

According to Data USA reports, roughly 17 percent of Miami Beach’s population lives in poverty, which is 15,124 people in the city.  The U.S. national average for poverty is around 13 percent. The people most affected by poverty are females who are 75 and older, followed by males and females who are 45 to 54 years old.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Hispanics and whites are the groups most affected by poverty in Miami Beach. Data USA reported that 44.8 percent of people living under the poverty line are in the white ethnic group, which is most affected by poverty in Miami Beach.

The Hispanic ethnic group was the second largest group to be affected by poverty, which has a percent share of 41 percent.

Employment by Occupations

From 2016 to 2017, the number of employees in Miami Beach increased from 51,700 to 52,800 employees. The most common jobs in Miami Beach are sales and related occupations, management occupations, and food preparation and serving-related occupations.

Miami Beach has a high number of residents who are in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations. The highest paid jobs are legal occupations, with salaries as high as $105,792.

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Driving in Miami Beach

Miami Beach is part of a chain of islands off the coast of Florida. Unlike some Florida cities like Fort Myers, which are located along the Gulf of Mexico, Miami Beach is along the Atlantic. Motorists will have to cross a bridge to get to the city. During the fall and winter, the streets may be easier to navigate, but during the summer, those streets are crowded with locals and vacationers.

Combine these conditions with average peak times, road conditions, and other statistical data, and you’ll see the complexity of driving in a small urban town like Miami Beach.

Let’s continue through the guide and give you more information on Miami Beach’s roads, motor vehicles, traffic and weather conditions, parking, transportation, and other essential information.

Roads in Miami Beach

Believe it or not, the very presence of highways can have bearing on car insurance in Miami Beach. After all, as  you travel more or less frequently on highways, things like your daily commute and how many miles you put on your car can result in rate changes.

The first thing we’ll explore in this section is some of Miami Beach’s roadways, road conditions, popular sites in the city, and red-light cameras.

Major Highways in Miami Beach

The state of Florida has 12 active routes.

An active route is open access to any roadway.

Inactive roadways are usually roadways that are undergoing maintenance.

Miami Beach only has one of those active routes leading to the city, which is Interstate 195 (I-195). I-195 is a freeway spur that links Midtown Miami with northern Miami Beach through the Julia Tuttle Causeway, which is a direct route between Miami Beach and Miami International Airport (MIA). I-95 crosses I-195.

From Miami to Miami Beach via I-195 is 4.42 miles.

Three other state roads flow through Miami Beach: FL-907, FL-112, and FL-A1A. The Julia Tuttle Causeway is in conjunction with the tolled Airport Expressway (FL-112 west to FL-953). The expressway provides one of the three hurricane evacuation routes from Miami Beach.

Two toll roads go to Miami Beach. One is on the junction of I-195 and FL-112, and the other goes through the Venetian Causeway (connects to NE 15th Street in Miami). Motorists are able to pay with cash or coin or through Florida’s toll payment service, known as SunPass.

SunPass is Florida’s Department of transportation’s prepaid toll service. You can use SunPass on all Florida toll roads. SunPass costs from 70 cents to $3.50.

Toll road centers can record your license plate and send a bill to you if you don’t pay the toll. Unpaid tolls carry a fine of $100.

Popular Road Trips/Sites

Miami Beach is one of the top tourist stops in Florida. And, it’s not hard to see why. With pristine beaches, modern art, and boats galore, tourists and residents alike have a lot of options to choose from.

Some of the more popular attractions include the Miami Beach Boardwalk, the Art Deco Historic District, Ocean Drive, and the Holocaust Memorial.

Road Conditions in Miami Beach

Good road conditions make driving so much easier for all motorists.

According to data from a nonprofit national transportation research group called TRIP, many of Miami’s roadways are mediocre (48 percent).

Miami Beach roadway conditions have not been reported in TRIP’s annual data.

Why is this important? Road conditions are important because they can change vehicle travel speeds and create delays, which in turn affects vehicle operating costs (VOCs).

VOCs are costs that change with vehicle use, such as fuel, tires, repairs, and mileage-dependent depreciation costs. As your car gets older and needs more work, this is often reflected in your car insurance costs. Since there are no reported costs for Miami Beach, we’ll go by Miami’s VOC, which is $427.

Does Miami Beach use speeding or red-light cameras?

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Florida is one of the states that use automated enforcement laws.  In other words, Florida residents statewide will encounter red-light cameras. Speed cameras are not used in Florida.

Miami Beach red-light cameras were first introduced in 2009. By 2017, the city of Miami outlawed red-light cameras. The Supreme Court of Florida ruled in 2018, however, that red-light cameras will remain in Florida.

Vehicles in Miami Beach

You’re likely to encounter a lot of vehicles in the Miami Beach area. The kind of vehicle you own will, without a doubt, play a role in how much you pay for car insurance in Miami Beach. This section will cover vehicle information in Miami Beach such as the most popular vehicles, how many vehicles residents own, speed trap locations, and vehicle theft.

Most Popular Vehicles Owned

Our data reported that the Toyota Corolla was the most popular car in Florida. Your Mechanic reporters insist that the Lexus ES350 Sedan, although less common, is the car of choice of Miami. Lexus and Toyota are great foreign brands. However, the Corolla is a more practical vehicle with great reviews on fuel economy and mileage efficiency.

In recent years, however, the Lexus brand has improved their sedans to be more fuel-efficient. Lexus cars are much more expensive than Toyota cars.

Cars per household

The car ownership data in this guide comes from Data USA’s transportation stats, which reports that over 22,000 households in Miami Beach own one car. The national average for one-car ownership is about 21 percent, but one-car ownership in Miami Beach is at 44 percent.

About 15,000 households own two cars, which is about 29 percent of total households in the city. The national average for two cars per household is 41 percent.

Households Without a Car

What about households that don’t own a vehicle at all? Roughly 9,000 households in Miami Beach don’t own a vehicle, which is 17.3 percent of households in the city. This value is much higher than the national average, which says that 4.37 percent of households in the United States don’t own a vehicle.

Could this be a result of poverty? Maybe so. Or it could mean that many people who work in Miami Beach prefer to use public transit or ridesharing to commute around the city.

Speed Traps in Miami Beach

Speed traps are sting operations set up by law enforcement to catch motorists who violate speed limits and road safety regulations. These speed traps generate revenue through traffic tickets.

Later on in the guide, we’ll explore why law enforcement is tough on traffic violators. If you’re caught in a speed trap and get a ticket, it could mean higher premiums for car insurance.

The latest speed trap in Miami Beach was on Pinetree Drive near 34th Street, reported on October 29, 2019.

Vehicle Theft in Miami Beach

No city isn’t without crime. Let’s look at some of the crime data within Miami Beach, but first, let’s see vehicle theft numbers and compare them to other nearby cities.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that Miami Beach had 399 vehicle thefts in 2018. North Miami Beach had 108 vehicle thefts. Miami had over 1,600 vehicle thefts.

Do vehicle thefts influence car insurance? It depends on the circumstance and the insurance law of the state. If thefts ever spiked higher than average over time, car insurance companies may file for increases in their policies. This could very well be the difference between affordable and pricier car insurance.

The FBI reported, “There were an estimated 748,841 thefts of motor vehicles nationwide in 2018.”

We turned to information on Neighborhood Scout to measure the safety rating of Miami Beach.

Neighborhood Scout listed these areas as the safest neighborhoods in Miami Beach.

• Port Boulevard / South America Way
• Pine Tree Drive / Lagorce Drive; Pine Tree Drive / Flamingo Drive
• Collins Avenue / West 63rd Street; Collins Avenue / Connecting Road
• Talmudic College of Florida / Alton Road; 16th Street/ Alton Road
• West Dilido Drive / Venetian Dilido Way

The numbers and facts are a measure of safety, according to Neighborhood Scout, so their evaluations are objective. The experience of actually living in the city is subjective and will likely be different than the data.

So why should we report it? As mentioned before, we’re here to inform you of as many facts as possible, and it’s up to you to make the judgment call. The information and data tables caution you to be aware of the chances of becoming a victim.

The crime index for Miami Beach is zero.

The crime index is measured from zero to 100, where zero is the unsafest and 100 is the safest.

Miami Beach has at least 7,841 crimes per year. Neighborhood Scout calculated that 875 of those crimes were violent crimes and 6,966 were property crimes.

The crime rate in Miami Beach is 10 violent crimes per 1,000 residents and 76 property crimes per 1,000 residents.

Miami Beach’s crime rate is much higher than Florida’s and the national average. The national average and Florida average for violent crime are about four violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

The Florida average for property crimes is only 23 property crimes per 1,000 residents, while the national average stands at 24 property crimes per 1,000 residents.

Traffic in Miami Beach

Traffic in Miami Beach varies throughout the year. The most traffic you’ll see is from spring through the end of the warm days of fall. Also, expect traffic to build up around the colder months due to other out-of-state visitors and residents who want to escape the cold temperatures of winter.

This section will explore the traffic levels of Miami Beach or areas around it. We will talk about transportation data, the busiest highways, roadway fatalities, and other factors that describe Miami Beach traffic.

Traffic Congestion

One way we can measure traffic congestion is by using a live traffic forecast agency such as TomTom. These traffic-tracking websites look at traffic congestion in real-time. TomTom allows you to navigate the state map and determine the level of traffic congestion in each city.

Let’s look at the detailed information on the general area of Miami Beach, which includes Miami. To get an extensive look at Miami Beach’s traffic conditions, we’ll look at the traffic report as a whole.

The congestion level in Miami was 30 percent, which is 1 percent lower than the congestion level in 2017. For highways, the average congestion level was 20 percent in 2018. Non-highways have an average congestion level of 35 percent.

This is important due to the time it takes to get to work each day. Data USA reported that Miami Beach drivers have an average commute time of 24 minutes. The higher the congestion level, the more time it’ll take to get to work.

These extra times are additional time spent in the car during peak hours. During morning peak hours, expect to spend 16 minutes per half-hour in your vehicle. However, in the evening peak hours, a driver could spend up to 19 minutes per half-hour in traffic.

Transportation

The average commute time in the U.S. is 25 minutes. The commute time in Miami Beach is 24 minutes. However, the average commute time in the state of Florida is 26 minutes. Only 2 percent of Miami Beach households had super commutes.

Super commutes are commutes that take longer than 90 minutes.

The most common method of transportation in Miami Beach is by car. Data USA reported that most working people drove alone to work, which is about 54 percent of households (28,000 households) in Miami Beach. Eleven percent of Miami Beach residents walked to work, while about 10 percent worked at home.

Busiest Highways

The busiest highway in Miami Beach is I-195 and FL-112. I-195 is in conjunction with FL-112, which is the main highway leading into Miami Beach. Those commuting up to North Miami Beach may take FL-A1A.

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How safe are Miami Beach streets and roads?

When roadways get busy, the chances of a car accident increases. And when it comes to car insurance in Miami Beach, you can bet more accidents for any given driver will result in higher rates.

Of course, this isn’t to say those car accidents don’t happen during clear traffic conditions, but expect the chances to increase with more traffic. With the increase in accidents, the chance of one being fatal grows.

Every year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares crash reports that show the total of fatal car accidents in each state and city in the United States. The extensive tables show totals from each county in the state as well.

Let’s see the fatal crash totals for Miami Beach.

Since the fatal crash totals are listed by county, we’ll list the counties in Miami Beach and all adjacent counties. Miami Beach is in Miami-Dade County. The counties adjacent to Miami Beach are Collier County, Monroe County, and Broward County.

The data provided below will show different types of crashes and how they influenced fatal accidents in each county.

Here are the total fatalities in Miami-Dade County and adjacent counties.

Miami-Dade County includes Miami and Miami Beach, which has an increased population during the warmer seasons of the year. Broward County includes Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Deerfield Beach.

Miami-Dade County had the most fatalities.

How many of the total crashes involved drivers who were driving under the influence? DUI-related crashes that cause fatal accidents are part of the reason why car insurance companies issue expensive car insurance premiums. Let’s look at some of the totals in Miami-Dade County.

Miami-Dade County has the biggest share of alcohol-impaired driver fatalities.

Now, let’s see the fatalities involving single-vehicle crashes.

Counties in Florida	2017 Fatalities (Single-Vehicle)	2018 Fatalities (Single-Vehicle)
Broward County	133	133
Collier County	10	23
Miami-Dade County	128	174
Monroe County	7	9

In 2017, Broward County had more single-vehicle crashes than Miami Dade County.

How many fatalities involved speeding? We have those totals here in the data below.

Broward County had the most speeding-related fatalities in 2018.

Roadway departures are accidents where vehicles collide and leave the roadway upon impact. Here are the number of fatalities that involved roadway departures.

Miami-Dade County had the highest fatalities involving roadway departures. What about intersections? The NHTSA record fatalities that happen in intersections. Let’s look at the fatality totals in the table below.

Miami-Dade County had more fatalities involving intersection than all other counties in the table combined.

How about fatalities that affected passengers? Let’s see how many passengers were involved in fatal accidents.

Maimi-Dade County had the most fatalities in 2017. In 2018, however, Broward County had the most passenger fatalities.

Here are the total fatalities that involved pedestrians.

Miami-Dade County had the most fatalities in 2017 and 2018.

Finally, let’s look at the pedal cyclist fatalities.

Once again, Miami-Dade County had the most fatalities involving pedal cyclists.

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) tracks fatalities on certain types of roads. Those roads are known as arterial roads, minor arterial roads, and collector roads.

Arterial roads are roads that are heavily populated with traffic, while minor arterial roads are smaller roads that link cities and small towns. Collector roads connect motorists to collecting points on roadways and eventually connect to arterial roads within the county.

Broward County had more urban-related incidents than Miami-Dade County.

Here’s another table that describes the U.S. DOT railroad crossings in Miami-Dade County.

The most incidents involving railroads were non-suicide injuries in Miami-Dade. Automobiles were likely to be involved in railroad accidents as well.

Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report

Allstate provides an annual report that rates and ranks the cities around the United States that have the best drivers. Miami Beach isn’t targeted in the annual report, but the larger Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach.metro area is covered.

The average years between claims for Miami, FL is roughly 10 years. The relative claim likelihood is approximately 4.6 percent. Drivers in Miami, FL has 33 hard-braking events per 1,000 miles. The Miami metro area was ranked 86th in 2018. In 2019, they were moved up to 29.

Ridesharing in Miami Beach

Ridesharing has become more popular in recent years. One of the ways motorists save money on transportation is by utilizing ridesharing. Ridesharing is now available through smartphone apps and other mobile networks across the United States.

The most common rideshare services in Miami Beach are Uber, Lyft, and taxis.

EStar Repair Shops

When you need to have your car repaired, you’ll take it to a body or paint an auto shop to get it fixed. If you happen to be in a situation where you recently got into a car accident, here are a few locations in the area.

What’s special about EStar locations is the repair monitoring system they are enlisted in. This will give you alerts letting you know the status of car repairs.

Weather in Miami Beach

What’s the weather like in Miami Beach? Throughout the guide, we mentioned how many visitors come to Miami and Miami Beach. Miami Beach is probably one of the warmest places in Florida. Let’s take a look at some of the average temperatures. Also, let’s review the number of natural disasters in Miami Beach.

During the latter part of the year, hurricane season can potentially bring torrential downpours, strong winds, and flooding. There’s no telling when rainfall totals will increase or decrease.

Speaking of storms, Miami Beach has seen its share of natural disasters. Despite the eight natural disasters in 2018, the rate of natural disasters is still lower than the U.S. average, which is 13.

Public Transit in Miami Beach

If you’re commuting around Miami and Miami Beach without a car you’ll probably use the Miami-Dade Transit Metrobuses, which is the 14th largest public transit system in the U.S., and the largest transit agency in Florida.

Miami-Dade Transit runs 365 days a year. Public transit in Miami-Dade County goes from Miami Beach and Key Biscayne to West Miami-Dade, and as far north as Diplomat Mall in Broward County, and as far south as Homestead, Florida City, and the Middle Keys.

MetroBus fare costs $2. You must pay with exact change. The money receivers will not accept pennies and won’t give you change if you have a $5 bill or more.

Miami-Dade Transit has more than 90 bus routes, and some run 24 hours a day, which includes the S route that runs through South Beach.

Speaking of which, South Beach Local is a small bus that runs throughout South Beach from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week. It costs 25 cents to ride the South Beach Local bus and is often used by residents and tourists to commute around South Beach.

Commuters going to Miami International Airport can take the Airport Flyer transit bus, which costs $2.35. If you’re coming from South Beach, it’s the cheapest route to the airport.

An advantage in taking advantage of public transportation? The fewer miles you’re putting on your car, the less you may end up paying for car insurance in Miami Beach.

Cost of Alternate Transportation in Miami Beach

An alternative way to get through Miami Beach is through Miami-Dade’s transit rail system. Compared to other cities, the Miami Metrorail system has only one line running north and south through the city of Miami.

The train runs from 5 a. m. to midnight for seven days a week, servicing all 22 stops.

The rail system does not go to the airport, tourist spots or South Beach. Train admission costs $2 for a single trip. The Metrorail system does not accept cash. You must purchase an Easy Card to pay your fare.

Miami buses still accept cash as a form of payment, but the Metrorail does not.

An Easy Card resembles a credit card. It’s a pay-as-you-go system for your public transport. Buses and train stations all have fare boxes that are compatible with Easy Card. When the card is used, your fare is deducted from the value on your Easy Card. The cards are reloadable.

The Tri-Rail is a rail service that runs in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. It’s one line running north and south. Tri-Rail stations are not near the coastline. A one-way fare costs between $2.50 and $7 and a return fare costs between $5 and $11.50, depending on your final destination.

Bike rentals are also available. Miami and Miami Beach regulate bike rentals in their respective cities. Bike and Roll offers bike tours in Miami Beach. They have rental bikes, skates, and Segways.

Parking in Metro Areas

What is parking in metro areas like in Miami Beach? This section describes the parking regulations in the Miami Beach metropolitan area.

The City of Miami Beach has partnered with ParkMobile and ParkMe to offer a mobile app and smartphone payment service for metered parking.

Miami Beach visitors and residents can use the Miami Beach Parking App to identify municipal parking facilities such as parking garages and electric vehicle charging stations. Upon arrival, users may then pay for their parking times by selecting the payment option provided by ParkMobile.

Miami Beach lists parking areas on their website and the apps to use when using parking areas around the city.

Air Quality in Miami Beach

Cars are the leading cause of air pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency measures air quality in every major area in the United States. Major areas tend to be places where there’s a large population.

Miami Beach has a population of about 92,000, which is not more populated than other cities such as Miami or Jacksonville. The EPA measures air quality through the Air Quality Index (AQI), which measures how clean or polluted your air is.

The EPA reported 272 days to the Air Quality Index. There were 211 days of good AQI, 59 days of moderate AQI, and two days of unhealthy AQI for sensitive groups.

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Military/Veterans in Miami Beach

One thing we know for sure? Miami Beach has its fair share of veterans. Let’s dig deeper into who they are, where they served, and what car insurance discounts are available to them.

Veterans by Service Period

Data USA reports that at least 1,453 veterans live in Miami Beach. The most common service members living there are veterans who served in Vietnam.

Military Bases within an Hour

The only military base in Miami Beach is the U.S. Coast Guard Station. It’s located at 100 MacArthur Causeway, Miami Beach, FL 33139.

Military Discounts by Provider

We mentioned that veterans pay lower than average rates for car insurance. For USAA policyholders, they pay significantly less than the average motorist. But do other car insurance companies offer car insurance discounts for military members and their immediate families like USAA? Here is a list of car insurance companies that offer a military discount:

• Esurance
• Farmers
• Geico
• Liberty Mutual
• Metlife
• Safe Auto
• Safeco
• State Farm
• The General

Let’s revisit the cheapest companies and their car insurance rates.

USAA Available in Florida

Not only is USAA is available in Miami Beach, but it’s also available across the state. USAA insurance policies are much cheaper than other car insurance policies.

Unique Miami Beach Laws

There are national laws, state laws, county laws, and city laws. To help you get a better of what laws drivers in Miami Beach need to abide by, we’re breaking down some of the most important and unique laws below:

Hands-Free Laws

Effective on October 1, 2019, the state of Florida outlawed all use of handheld devices while driving on the road. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) stated that cellphones can only be used in a hands-free manner while operating a motor vehicle in a designated school crossing, school zone, or active work zone area.

The city of Miami Beach is in compliance with Florida state law and has implemented the hands-free law into Miami-Dade County.

Here, we can’t help but reiterate the dangers of driving while distracted. Whether you’re trying to drive while using your cell phone, or you’re trying to drive while applying makeup — blush, powder, lip balm, and all. These behaviors take your eyes off of the road, and can lead to very serious, irreversible consequences — some even fatal. It’s precisely why we see more and more states and cities enforcing such legislation.

Food Trucks

Food trucks aren’t allowed in Miami Beach. Although Miami has a detailed system for food truck vendors, Miami Beach has banned food trucks. The only time you’ll see food trucks in Miami Beach is during events. Officials are working on lifting the food truck ban in Miami Beach.

Tiny Homes

In March 2018, Miami-Dade commissioners considered tiny homes as a resolution to Miami Beach’s housing crisis. Advocates are in the process of changing zoning laws in Miami-Dade County so investors can start building affordable houses for low-income residents or people who want to minimize their lifestyle.

Parking Laws in Miami Beach

The City of Miami Beach manages parking in Miami Beach and South Beach and surrounding neighborhoods. All motorists should watch carefully for signs that state whether street parking is for residents or is available to the public. Miami Beach officials say the easiest way to pay is to download the ParkMobile.

Parking can sometimes be scarce, so Miami Beach DOT recommends using the ParkMe — Miami Beach app, which will show you instantly where parking spots are available.

If you don’t pay for parking in the metro areas of Miami Beach, the City of Miami Beach Parking Enforcement division will cite and tow your vehicle under certain conditions. If you suspect your car has been towed, contact the Parking and Code Enforcement Hotline or the following city authorized towing companies.

If you violate the Miami Beach metro parking rules, your vehicle could be towed.

Parking/Code Enforcement Hotline
(305) 604-4785 or (305) 604-CITY

Beach Towing
1349 Dade Blvd.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-2128
(West of Alton Road)

Tremont Towing
1747 Bay Rd.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 672-2395

Miami Beach Car Insurance FAQs

In this section, we’ll cover all the common questions you may have thought of as you read through the guide.

If there are a few questions that you have but didn’t see in this section or through the guide, post your questions in the comment section below.

#1 – What are the minimum requirements for car insurance in Miami Beach?

Miami Beach is in compliance with Florida state law for car insurance requirements, which is $10,000 for bodily injury per accident, $20,000 for bodily injury two or more people per accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident.

#2 – How far is Miami Beach from Miami, Florida?

Miami is four miles away from Miami Beach. Depending on peak traffic conditions, it could be a short drive over I-195 / FL-112.

#3 – Are car insurance companies required by law to replace a windshield?

Yes. Florida is one of only three states that require insurance companies to replace or repair your windshield for free

#4 – What’s the closest airport to Miami Beach?

The closest airport to Miami Beach is Miami International Airport.

#5 – How can motorists prepare for natural disasters in Miami Beach?

The best way a motorist can prepare for a natural disaster is to first get home insurance or renter’s insurance as well as comprehensive car insurance. Comprehensive car insurance covers damage specifically from disasters such as storms, flooding, falling objects, and stolen vehicle damage.

You’ve gone through the stats. You’ve seen the rates. You’ve learned about the factors. Now, it’s time for you to make your move and seek out the best car insurance company for your needs in Miami Beach, Florida.

The journey to buying affordable car insurance in Miami Beach begins now. Start shopping for car insurance rates in the Miami area by entering your ZIP code in our FREE car insurance comparison tool.