How long do I have to get Florida car insurance after moving?

FLHSMV says to title and register your car within 10 days of establishing residency, and you need insurance from a Florida-licensed insurer to do that. So in practice, get Florida coverage first.

When do I become a Florida resident for driving purposes?

FLHSMV lists starting a job here, enrolling children in public school, registering to vote, filing for a homestead exemption, or living here more than six months in a row.

Can I keep my old state's car insurance in Florida?

Not once you're a resident. Florida requires personal injury protection and property damage liability from an insurer licensed in Florida to register your car here.

Does my homeowners policy cover flooding in Florida?

Usually not. Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood coverage is a separate policy, and a new federal flood policy usually has a 30-day wait.

Moving to Florida: your insurance checklist — From Elona’s desk

When you move to Florida, you have 10 days after becoming a resident to title and register your car here, and you need insurance from a Florida-licensed insurer to do it. You have 30 days to get a Florida driver license. Get the insurance lined up first, because registering your car waits on it.

Welcome! Moving here comes with a long to-do list, and insurance tends to be the part that gets put off. Here’s the order I’d tackle it in.

When the clock starts

FLHSMV says you may be considered a Florida resident once you do any of these:

Start a job or run a business here
Enroll your children in a Florida public school
Register to vote here
File for a homestead exemption
Live here for more than six months in a row

From that point, the deadlines below apply.

Your car: insurance first

Get a Florida policy. To title and register your car here, you need proof of personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability, at least $10,000 of each, from an insurer licensed in Florida (Fla. Stat. 320.02, 627.733 and 324.022). Your old state’s policy won’t do. (What PIP covers.)

Florida’s system is different from most states. Your own PIP pays your own injuries first, whoever caused the crash. Bodily injury liability isn’t required for most drivers, but that doesn’t mean you won’t want it. It’s worth a real conversation, not a default.

Title and register within 10 days. FLHSMV says to do this within 10 days of establishing residency, and Florida law sets the same 10 days from the day you start work here or enroll your children in a public school (Fla. Stat. 320.38). You’ll need:

Proof of identity
Proof of Florida insurance
Your out-of-state title
A VIN verification: the vehicle identification number has to be physically checked by a law enforcement officer, a military police officer, a licensed Florida dealer, or a tax collector or FLHSMV examiner

Still paying off the car? If a lender holds your title, contact them and ask them to transfer it to Florida. If they won’t, ask for a letter on their letterhead; FLHSMV accepts it so you can still register.

Get your Florida license within 30 days. FLHSMV says 30 days from establishing residency, and Florida law sets 30 days from the day you start work here or enroll your children in a public school (Fla. Stat. 322.031). Your spouse and children who drive have the same 30 days.

Don’t cancel the old policy too early. Keep it until the Florida policy has started, so there’s no day without coverage. Then handle your old state’s plates and registration the way that state requires.

Snowbird or here part of the year? Even if you keep your residency elsewhere, a car that’s been in Florida for more than 90 days in the past 365 must carry Florida’s required coverage (Fla. Stat. 627.733).

Your home: what’s different here

Florida homeowners insurance has a few things people from other states don’t expect:

Flood isn’t usually included. Most homeowners policies exclude flood damage, according to FEMA. Flood coverage is a separate policy, and a new National Flood Insurance Program policy usually has a 30-day waiting period. Don’t wait for hurricane season. (About the 30-day wait.)
Hurricane deductibles. Many Florida policies have a separate deductible for hurricane damage, set differently from your regular one. Read it on your declarations page. (Hurricane deductibles, explained.)
Inspections. Some insurers ask for a four-point inspection on older homes, and a wind mitigation inspection can help show your home’s hurricane features. (Wind mitigation, explained.)

Your car and the weather

Florida’s storms affect cars too. Flood water and wind damage to your car are usually covered by comprehensive, not collision, so if you’re only carrying the state minimum, a storm can leave you with no coverage for your car at all.

Good to know

Bring your old declarations pages. They show what you had, so we can match or improve it.
Make a folder. Title, registration, insurance cards, lender letter: keep them together until everything’s done.
Tell your insurers you’ve moved. Your address affects your coverage.
Ask about umbrella coverage. It sits on top of your auto and home liability, and it’s worth understanding while you’re setting everything up anyway.

Just moved?

Welcome to Florida. Upload your current declarations pages at /quote/ and I’ll put together a Florida policy that matches what you had, explain what’s different here, and walk you through registering your car.

Talk to Elona