You do not need motorcycle insurance to register your bike in Florida. Be aware that if you’re uninsured and operating your motorcycle at the time of a motorcycle accident for which you are charged, you will be financially responsible for injuries sustained by others, as well as any damage to property.
After that initial accident during which you were not covered by liability insurance, you may be required to have liability insurance for three years, or your license and registration may be suspended.
If you choose to operate a motorcycle in Florida without a helmet, you are required to be insured.
What Are My Motorcycle Insurance Options in Florida?
Your motorcycle insurance can be:
- Full coverage or liability-only coverage through a state-licensed insurance company
- A Certificate of Self-Insurance instead of liability insurance by proving each year that you have a certain amount of unencumbered net worth, usually $40,000
- A Financial Responsibility Certificate, which is a more cumbersome way to show self-insurance.
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Why Should You Have Motorcycle Insurance in Florida?
You don’t anticipate having an accident, but things happen. If you choose not to carry motorcycle insurance, you risk your assets. You could be financially responsible.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), compared to passenger vehicle occupants, motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to die in a crash and 4 times more likely to be injured. These are tragic statistics and indicative of the high cost associated with accidents involving motorcycles.
How Much Is Motorcycle Insurance in Florida?
The cost of motorcycle insurance in Florida can vary from a little over $100 to $1,000 a year, depending on the following:
- Your credit score
- Your age
- Whether you’re getting the minimum liability-only or full coverage insurance
- The model and year of motorcycle you’re insuring
- Your motorcycle riding history
- How many years you’ve been riding
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Will My Car Insurance Cover My Motorcycle in Florida?
Your car insurance will not cover your motorcycle. Florida’s insurance requirements for vehicles are different from those for motorcycles.
- PIP, or Personal Injury Protection, is a no-fault coverage required for vehicles with four or more wheels, but not for motorcycles. When you’re driving your car and you are injured in an accident, PIP covers a percentage of your medical costs no matter who caused the accident. PIP also helps cover lost wages.
- The state does not require PIP for motorcycle coverage, although some insurance companies in Florida may offer a similar product called Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage. Note that MedPay will not cover lost wages.
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Does Florida’s No-Fault Law Apply to Motorcycles?
Only vehicles with four or more wheels are covered by Florida’s no-fault law. Motorcyclists injured in an accident have to file a claim against the at-fault driver. If the at-fault driver is not insured or is underinsured, your MedPay should help with costs.
What Is Required to Get a License to Operate a Motorcycle in Florida?
If your motorcycle engine is bigger than 50cc:
- You must have a motorcycle endorsement on your driver license or a “motorcycle only” license.
- Florida recognizes an endorsement on a driver license from any state other than Alabama. If your endorsement is from Alabama, you need to carry a “Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course completion card” along with your license.
- To get an endorsement on your Florida Class E operator’s driver license, you must successfully complete either a Basic RiderCourse (BRC) or a Basic RiderCourse updated (BRCu), then get your endorsement within a year.
If you want a “motorcycle only” license:
- You must be 16 or older and have a Learner’s license for at least a year with no traffic convictions if you’re under 18
- Pass the Florida Class E operator’s knowledge test
- Successfully complete a BRC or BRCu
Is Florida a No-Helmet State?
Florida’s headgear laws change depending on your age and what you’re riding.
- If you’re over 21 years of age and a rider on or operator of a motorcycle, you do not have to wear protective headgear if you’re covered by a minimum $10,000 insurance policy that covers medical costs resulting from an accident while on said motorcycle.
- All motorcyclists must wear approved eye protection when operating their bike, but passenger riders are not required to do so.
- If you’re riding in an “enclosed cab,” or if you’re 16 or older but riding on or operating a motorcycle that cannot go faster than 30 mph on a flat surface, protective headgear requirements do not apply.
- If you’re under 16 years of age, you have to wear protective headgear when riding on or operating a motorcycle or moped.
Over 20 percent of Florida’s motor vehicle operators are uninsured, and the uninsured motorist coverage has a statute of limitations of five years.
Our personal injury team at Ged Lawyers helps you fight for due compensation. We are committed to your case and you. Contact us today.
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