FR-44 Insurance Services for Florida and Virginia
FR-44 insurance is not a separate product but a high-limit auto policy paired with the FR-44 filing that certain serious DUI convictions require. The FR-44 is a financial-responsibility certificate proving you carry liability far above the ordinary state minimum. Our licensed agents file it the same day your state allows.
FR-44 Insurance as a High-Limit Policy Plus a State Filing
FR-44 insurance splits into two parts that work together. The first is a real auto policy written at the higher liability limits this filing demands. The second is the FR-44 itself, a certificate of financial responsibility your insurer files with the state as proof that policy exists.
Buying that policy and completing the filing are the two tasks an FR-44 insurance requirement creates. The policy is what actually pays a claim, while the certificate only tells the state the policy is active. Our licensed agents set up both parts together so neither one lags behind the other.
Florida and Virginia as the Only FR-44 States
Only two states use the FR-44 at all. Florida and Virginia require it after a serious DUI conviction, treating that offense more strictly than the rest of the country does. In most other states, the same conviction calls for a standard SR-22 instead of this higher certificate.
Naming the right form matters, because filing an SR-22 where an FR-44 is required leaves you short of what the law demands. A driver who moves away from Florida or Virginia usually drops to an ordinary filing in the new state. We confirm which certificate your state expects before we send anything.
The FR-44 Certificate Against a Standard SR-22
The FR-44 differs from an SR-22 in one decisive way, the amount of liability coverage it certifies. Both are certificates of financial responsibility, filed by your insurer to prove a qualifying policy exists. The FR-44 simply certifies far higher limits than the ordinary SR-22 floor.
That single difference is why an FR-44 policy usually costs more than an SR-22 would for the same driver. The paperwork looks similar and both forms answer the same financial-responsibility law, so the gap is coverage, not red tape. Our licensed agents make sure your FR-44 insurance is written to the exact limits your state records demand.
The Higher Liability Limits an FR-44 Requires
The higher liability limits are the heart of the FR-44. Where a standard SR-22 accepts your state’s minimum liability limits, the least coverage the law allows, an FR-44 demands markedly more bodily-injury and property-damage protection. Those raised figures are set by Florida and Virginia, not by the insurer.
Each limit is written as three numbers, covering bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident, and property damage. An FR-44 lifts all three above the ordinary minimum, which is the real reason the policy behind it prices higher. We quote coverage that meets those raised figures from the first day, so the certificate holds.
The DUI Conviction Behind an FR-44 Filing
An FR-44 almost always traces back to a DUI, the impaired-driving conviction that both states single out for this stricter certificate. A first offense is often enough to trigger it in Florida or Virginia. The filing rides on top of whatever penalties the court and the state already impose.
Because a conviction can also bring a license suspension, the temporary loss of your driving privilege, the FR-44 is usually part of getting back on the road. Filing the certificate answers the insurance condition, while the court handles the rest. Our licensed agents file it the same day your state allows once your policy is active.
Owner and Non-Owner FR-44 Coverage
An FR-44 comes in an owner and a non-owner version, matched to whether you keep a car. The owner form insures a specific vehicle you hold title to, at the raised limits the state demands. The non-owner form covers you as a driver when you own no vehicle.
A non-owner FR-44 fits a driver who sold a car or never bought one but still has to satisfy Florida or Virginia. Both versions certify the same higher limits, so the difference is the vehicle, not the paperwork. We check who owns the cars in your household before filing, so the certificate matches your real situation.
FR-44 Insurance Cost Drivers and Continuous Coverage
Two forces drive what FR-44 insurance costs, the higher limits it certifies and the DUI on your record. The raised coverage means more protection to price, so the policy sits above a comparable SR-22. Your record, your state, and the carrier move that price more than the filing fee.
The FR-44 stays valid only while the policy behind it stays paid and in force. Let it lapse and your insurer must tell the state, which can restart your required term and stall license reinstatement, the state’s act of restoring your driving privilege. We shop several carriers to keep the price down and watch your renewal dates.
Frequently Asked Questions About FR-44 Insurance
These are the questions our licensed agents hear most from drivers facing an FR-44 in Florida or Virginia. Each answer sticks to what this coverage involves and what only your state controls. Bring anything this page does not cover to our licensed agents.
Is FR-44 Insurance a Separate Kind of Policy?
No — it is not its own product but a high-limit auto policy paired with the FR-44 your insurer files with the state as proof. You carry one policy, and the certificate rides on top of it at the raised limits Florida and Virginia require. Our licensed agents set up both parts together.
How Does an FR-44 Differ From an SR-22?
An FR-44 certifies much higher liability limits than an SR-22, so the policy behind it usually costs more. Both are insurer-filed certificates submitted to the state that prove you carry coverage, but only Florida and Virginia use FR-44 insurance. Our licensed agents file the exact form your state records demand.
Which States Require FR-44 Insurance?
Only Florida and Virginia require an FR-44, and both reserve it for serious DUI convictions. Most other states use a standard SR-22 at ordinary limits for the same offense. If you move out of Florida or Virginia, our licensed agents help you switch to the filing your new state accepts.
How Fast Can You File My FR-44 Insurance?
Where your state allows same-day filing, our licensed agents can submit your FR-44 the day you call, once the policy is active. Florida and Virginia process filings electronically, though timing on their end varies. We confirm your state’s method before we set a timeline.
Will a Coverage Lapse Affect My FR-44 Insurance?
Yes — if the policy behind your FR-44 lapses, your insurer must report it, and your state can restart your required filing term. That can push back the day you clear the requirement for good. Our licensed agents track your renewal dates so the certificate stays continuous.
