Car Insurance in Florida vs. New York: Costs, Laws and Resources

If you’re thinking about moving from Florida to New York, keep in mind that the two states mandate different car insurance coverages and limits. For instance, Florida doesn’t require bodily injury coverage, but New York does. New York also requires personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage in its car insurance policies.

In this guide, MoneyGeek breaks down the differences between car insurance laws and requirements in Florida vs. New York. We also analyzed insurance costs to find the cheapest companies for your needs.

Florida car insurance laws only require property damage liability and PIP in a minimum coverage policy. On the other hand, New York’s car insurance laws require 25/50/10 in liability limits along with PIP and uninsured motorist coverage. As a result, car insurance in New York is much more expensive than car insurance in Florida. Florida drivers pay approximately $1,123 per year for a policy, whereas New York drivers average $2,278 on auto insurance.

Both Florida and New York are no-fault states. This means that you must file a claim with your insurance provider after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. No-fault states require drivers to have PIP coverage as part of their car insurance policies. This ensures you’re financially covered after an accident, but it may raise your premiums.

According to our research, here are the cheapest insurance companies by average minimum coverage policies in Florida and New York:

• Cheapest in Florida: GEICO ($590 per year)
• Cheapest in New York: GEICO ($1,092 per year)

For eligible military members and their families, the most affordable option is USAA, with policies averaging $406 in Florida and $902 in New York.

Although GEICO is the cheapest insurer in both states, its policies are far more expensive in New York than Florida. This shows that rates can vary widely from state to state.

Coverage level is one of the factors that will influence the cost of your insurance. For instance, drivers with a minimum coverage policy pay an average of $1,123 per year in Florida and $2,278 in New York. Meanwhile, drivers with full coverage policies pay roughly $2,208 per year in Florida and $3,433 in New York.

There are many reasons car insurance in one state can be more expensive than in another — it’s impossible to pin the cause on just one factor.

For instance, Florida has higher highway density (meaning more crashes) and more uninsured drivers than New York, resulting in costlier insurance. This can be true even if New York has more expensive policies for minimum and full coverage insurance according to state averages.

Car insurance rates can range widely depending on where you live within a state.

Gainesville is the cheapest city for state minimum insurance (averaging $693 per year) in Florida, whereas Hialeah is the most expensive ($1,461 per year). As for New York, you’ll pay the cheapest rates if you live in Rochester ($715 per year), but the most expensive rates if you live in New York City ($2,732 per year).

Car insurance requirements don’t vary in a given state, so it’s most likely that living in more densely populated areas affects your rate.

When moving from Florida to New York or vice versa, you’ll have to update your driver’s license and registration. You may be able to stay with your current insurer if it can still provide you with adequate coverage. However, your rate may change based on your new state's risks and coverage requirements.

If you do need to shop for a new insurer, MoneyGeek has resources you can use to find an option that best meets your driving profile.

Car insurance laws and prices often differ from state to state. MoneyGeek answers some frequently asked questions to help you better understand the differences between car insurance in Florida vs. New York.

To calculate average car insurance rates by company and across Florida and New York, MoneyGeek collaborated with Quadrant Information Services to collect auto insurance quotes across both locations. We used a sample profile for a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record and minimum coverage unless modified by criteria like coverage level, age, driving offenses and credit score. Learn more about how costs are calculated in our MoneyGeek car insurance methodology.

Minimum car insurance requirements by state were sourced from the department of motor vehicles (DMV) of the respective state.