A beautiful state with many tourist attractions and opportunities for employment and advancement, Florida offers a host of unique destinations. But to get to many of them, you need a vehicle. New residents to Florida often register a car so they can take advantage of all the benefits that the state has to offer. However, vehicle owners in Florida need to know about the state's car insurance requirements in order to legally operate their automobiles.

Florida car insurance requirements include both personal injury protection and property damage liability plans. These kinds of car insurance cover damage to the other driver's vehicle in the event of an accident, in addition to covering that driver's medical expenses should the driver sustain injuries. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, as long as you have a four-wheeled vehicle with Florida tags, you must carry valid Florida car insurance that amounts to $10,000 for both personal injury protection and property damage liability plans.

Although Florida car insurance requirements do not mandate that drivers have additional coverage, obtaining car insurance greater than the state mandated minimum is advisable for those who can afford it. With greater amounts of coverage in both personal injury protection and property damage liability plans, you will be covered in the event that you have an accident that exceeds $10,000 in damage and injury. Without this additional coverage, you can end up paying for the damage that exceeds your policy out of your pocket. Other kinds of coverage, such as bodily injury liability, which covers drivers in the event that they cause serious or permanent injury or death and provides legal representation, can be helpful, as paying these costs without insurance can drain a bank account.

Regardless of the type of coverage, Florida car insurance requirements do not allow previous residents of another state to keep their car insurance policies active once they have officially changed their state of residence to Florida. In fact, Florida car insurance policies are indicated as Florida coverage, insurance policies that cover a vehicle registered in Florida. Because most insurance companies have agents in many states, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, transferring your current policy from another state to Florida is generally easy.

Driving in the Sunshine state without meeting Florida car insurance requirements can be costly, earning you up to $500 in fees and 3 years of license suspension. So whether you get the minimum coverage or greater coverage, make sure you meet Florida car insurance requirements to legally operate your vehicle!