Car Coverage for Student Drivers in Florida

If you are preparing your teen driver for getting his or her license, the process can be overwhelming at first.

It is important to stay engaged and do everything you can to make your teen driver as safe on the road as possible to reduce the risk of accident and injury.

You also need to think about auto insurance requirements for your teen driver so that he or she is fully prepared to be on the road.

If you are looking for the best auto insurance rates for your teenager, start comparison shopping today by entering your ZIP code above!

Preparing Your Child for Driving

Having a child who is getting ready to hit the road means that you have some extra responsibility in making sure that they are fully prepared to drive.

You will need to have frank discussions about the dangers of driving as well as their responsibility for the safety of others while on the road.

If your child is going off to college, you face additional concerns about drinking and driving in that environment.

Be sure to have a candid conversation with your child about the consequences and dangers of getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.

Florida’s Auto Insurance Laws and Requirements

Auto insurance is mandatory in Florida for all drivers.

The minimum requirements for coverage are $10,000 for personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and $10,000 for property damage liability.

Florida is a no-fault auto insurance jurisdiction, which means that in the event of an accident, drivers will first recover from their own auto insurance company without any consideration for who was actually at fault for the accident.

However, if the personal injuries are very serious in a car crash, then the injured driver can recover against the responsible parties for their injuries.

If you are under the age of 21 in Florida, there are very strict DUI laws.

If you have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher, then you can be arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. If convicted, you can face a suspension of your driver’s license as well as fines up to $2,000 for your first offense.

The penalties get even more serious thereafter.

In Florida, there are Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) laws, which are incremental licensing steps that your child must complete in order to receive a full driver’s license from the state.

It is always a good idea to remind your child that driving is a privilege in Florida, so it is vital that they follow all of the licensing regulations so that they do not forfeit their chance to drive.

New drivers start out with a learner’s license, for which they must be at least 15 years old to apply and must complete a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Course, pass tests, and have a parental consent form.

After your child is 16-years-old and has had the learner’s license for a full year, he or she can get an intermediate license. The teen also cannot have any violations on their record. At the age of 18, your child can have a full privilege driver’s license in Florida.

If you or your child will be attending college in Florida, then you will need to arrange for a resident driver’s license. There are certain required documents that you must have in order to obtain a Florida license, including:

• Your current license
• Your social security card
• Proof of your new Florida residential address

The Risk of Young Drivers on the Road

Did you know that car crashes are the number one cause of death for teen drivers in the U.S. and in Florida?

Teens have an exceptionally high risk of being involved in an accident because of their inexperience behind the wheel.

Also, their cognitive development is still underway so they may not possess fully developed reactionary and decision-making skills when it comes to driving.

Auto Insurance for Students in Florida

High school and college students may be able to be covered by their parents’ auto insurance policy, especially if the student is living at the parent’s home address.

Being under a parent’s policy is generally the preferred option because rates are very expensive for new drivers to get auto insurance coverage on their own policy.

While your new driver is being covered under your policy, make sure that he or she is practicing safe driving.

It is important to maintain a clean driving record so that your child is able to get reasonable rates for his or her own car insurance policy down the line.

Remember that if your teen goes away to college and does not plan to drive a car, it may be possible to get much lower rates because they will not need to be covered under your policy for that time.

If your teen plans to drive your insured car while home on school breaks, then your auto insurance provider should be informed of this scenario so that you can be sure that any potential claim would be covered.

If you are a college student from out of state, you will need to secure your own auto insurance coverage while driving your car in Florida. If you get temporary tags or register a vehicle in Florida, you will also need to have proof of auto insurance coverage in Florida.

If the cost of auto insurance coverage is too much for you as a college student, there are plenty of alternatives until you can afford your own policy. These alternatives would include:

• Public transportation
• Walking
• Bicycling
• Uber/Lyft services

Not being able to afford auto insurance or even a car would also be a reason to live as close to your campus as possible to reduce transportation costs.

Discounts for a Student Driver

Even though auto insurance tends to be higher for younger drivers, there are still various ways to save money on your car insurance policy.

For example, you should definitely ask about the range of discounts that are offered to you.

Discounts could include:

• Good Student Discount – based on your grades at school
• Multi-car Discount – being a part of your family’s policy
• Safety Feature Discount – based on the devices installed in your car
• Defensive Driving Course Discount – if you take driving classes to be a safer driver
• Limited Driving Discount – if you will not be driving your car more than a few miles a day

Comparison Shop for the Best Auto Insurance Rates for a Student Driver

The most effective way to make sure that your rate is as reasonable as possible is to comparison shop before committing to a specific policy.

By doing this online, you can be sure that you are not paying more than you have to for the coverage that you need.

Make sure that you also consider raising your liability limits if you have a new teen driver being added to your policy. An umbrella liability policy could also be a good idea for you and your family.

Last Words on Auto Coverage for Student Drivers in Florida

All drivers in Florida must maintain auto insurance coverage. While the rates for teen drivers may be higher, there are ways to avoid paying more than you absolutely have to for auto insurance coverage.

By comparison shopping between different auto insurance companies, you can make sure that you are getting the best price possible for your policy.

If you are a college student taking classes in Florida, make sure that you comply with state law to have the required Florida auto insurance coverage.

You may need to get your own policy if your parents have a separate policy back home. Staying on your parents’ policy can save you a lot of money if you are still living at home with them.

If you are looking to save on auto insurance rates, start comparison shopping with our FREE online quote tool! Enter your ZIP code to begin!