Afraid of Florida drivers? So are auto insurers. | Ranking Florida

Palm Beach Post
·2 min read
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Editorials are the opinion of The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board, not the Post's newsroom.

Editor's Note: RANKING FLORIDA is a series of editorials using national rankings to show where the state stands on issues that resonate with Floridians.

We're No. 1! Florida has the nation's highest auto insurance rates. Not only do Sunshine State motorists pay the nation's highest premiums but experts say those costs are set to accelerate.

On average, drivers in Florida shell out $2,560 each year, according to car subscription service FINN. The national annual average is $1,682.

Florida has too many uninsured motorists, which pushes the costs onto those who are insured. Unfortunately, there's no relief in sight. If trends continue, auto insurance premiums will reach an estimated $4,813 annually by 2033.

FINN ranked Ohio, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon and Vermont as having the lowest rates.

Reckless drivers, uninsured motorists, theft and insurance fraud are often cited as the reasons for sky-high auto insurance premiums.
Reckless drivers, uninsured motorists, theft and insurance fraud are often cited as the reasons for sky-high auto insurance premiums.

More: Car insurance rates are up, What are the cheapest options for young drivers in Florida?

There are a number of reasons for Florida's sky-high coverage costs. For one, Florida remains one of the nation's most dangerous states to drive in, something anyone who's spent time on the roads of South Florida and in other parts of the state can attest to. Auto theft, insurance fraud, healthcare costs, even bad weather, add to the risks, resulting in higher premiums.

And then there are the uninsured motorists. Insurance industry estimates show more than one in five drivers in Florida lacks auto insurance. Simply put, if you're in a traffic accident, there's a one in five chance that the other motorist lacks coverage.

Property insurance dwarfs high auto insurance rates

Over the past year, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have focused more on homeowner's insurance, which is arguably a far bigger problem than auto insurance, since many property owners caught in the paths of Hurricanes Ian, Michael and Nicole are still rebuilding homes and lives, and high rates can make it too expensive to own a home. But while that effort resulted in giving insurance corporations relief from lawsuits, consumers got no break from rising premiums in return.

Meanwhile the rising cost of insuring a car or truck continues to driving up the overall cost of living in Florida, prompting motorists to consider dropping coverage, which only contributes to the vicious cycle of more expensive premiums.

The state should do better. Waiting for the marketplace to somehow self-correct isn't a solution. Tougher law enforcement on uninsured motorists would be an obvious start.

In Tallahassee, the Florida Legislature, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, the state's chief financial officer and the other elected cabinet members who make up the Financial Services Commission, should become more consumer-friendly in regulating the auto insurance industry and pressing for lower rates. In this case, a No. 1 ranking is nothing to be proud of.

CONSIDER THE SOURCE: FINN is a car subscription service headquartered in New York City. Besides leasing automobiles, the company collects data and conducts research on automobiles and mobility issues.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Auto insurance rates the nation's highest in Florida