Chris Chase
Licensed Florida insurance broker · FL License #G193830 · NPN 21407586
Last reviewed October 2026
The short version
- An SR-22 or FR-44 is a form your insurance company files with the state. The insurance itself is a regular auto policy.
- An FR-44 follows a DUI conviction and requires $100,000/$300,000/$50,000 of liability coverage for at least three years.
- Have your case number ready. It tells me which filing you need.
If the state or a court told you that you need an SR-22 or an FR-44, you’re not shopping for a special kind of insurance. You’re shopping for a regular auto policy that comes with a form filed with the state.
The filing does change which companies will write the policy and how it has to be set up. Here’s what to expect.
In this article
What each filing is
- SR-22. Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles describes it as an insurance filing certifying that you carry bodily injury and property damage liability, in order to meet the requirements for getting your license reinstated.
- FR-44. This is the filing Florida requires after a DUI conviction. It certifies much higher liability limits.
In both cases the insurance company sends the form to the state for you. You don’t file it yourself.
What the FR-44 requires
Florida Statute 324.023 sets the limits for a driver found guilty of DUI:
- $100,000 for bodily injury to, or death of, one person in a crash
- $300,000 for bodily injury to, or death of, two or more people in a crash
- $50,000 for property damage
Those limits have to be carried for at least three years. For comparison, the coverage Florida requires of most drivers is $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection and $10,000 of Property Damage Liability. That difference is why an FR-44 policy costs more than a minimum policy.
Have your case number ready
Your case number is on the paperwork from the court or from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The insurance company uses it for the filing, and it tells me which kind of filing you need.
Not every SR-22 is the same. Some cases only call for the basic required coverage, without injury liability. Those policies typically have to run six months, be paid in full, and can’t be cancelled during that time. Bring the paperwork, or read me the case number, and I’ll sort out which one applies.
Rules that catch people off guard
- Paying in full. An FR-44 policy is commonly paid in full up front, so plan for that.
- The driver with the filing stays on the policy. That person can’t be excluded to lower the price, and some companies won’t allow any excluded drivers on a policy with a filing.
- All your vehicles. You may be asked to put every vehicle you own on the policy.
- Who the filing is for. Some companies will only file for the person the policy is written for, or their spouse. A filing for an adult child or another driver in the house narrows the options.
- Other states. If your filing is for another state, tell me up front. Some companies file only in Florida.
- Limits can be capped. Some companies limit how high your liability limits can go when there’s a filing.
- Discounts can change. With some companies the pay-in-full discount doesn’t apply when there’s a filing.
If you don’t own a car
You can still be required to carry a filing. A named non-owner policy covers you when you drive a vehicle you don’t own, and it can carry the filing. Not every company offers one, and it isn’t meant for someone who has regular use of a car in the household.
How long it lasts
For an FR-44, the statute requires the higher limits for a minimum of three years. For an SR-22, the length depends on your case. I handle the insurance side. Your notice from the state, the court, or your attorney is the place to confirm how long yours has to stay in place.
Whatever the period is, keep the policy active for all of it. If it cancels, the insurance company notifies the state.
What it costs
There’s no single price. The limits are higher, and the reason for the filing is part of your record. For context, here are averages from auto insurance quotes in the area over the past 36 months, across all kinds of drivers:
| Policy | Average quote (6 months) | Typical range (6 months) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 vehicle, liability only | $1,610 | $690 to $1,840 |
| 1 vehicle, full coverage | $2,520 | $1,210 to $3,180 |
Most of those quotes carried Florida’s lower liability limits, so expect an FR-44 policy to come in higher. These are averages of past quotes, not an offer. The best thing you can do is have it shopped.
Where my role ends
I handle the insurance. Questions about your license, your case, reinstatement fees, or how long the filing must stay in place go to the state, the court, or your attorney.
Why having it shopped matters more with a filing
A filing shrinks the list of companies that will write your policy. Some don’t accept an FR-44 at all, some only accept an SR-22, and some need an underwriter to approve the policy first. The ones that remain don’t price a filing the same way.
That’s the part I do for you. I check which of the insurance companies available to me will write your situation, compare what they offer, and explain the differences in plain terms. I can’t promise approval or a particular price, but you’ll know your real options instead of guessing.
Common questions
Is an SR-22 a type of insurance?
No. It’s a form filed with the state showing you carry the required coverage. The coverage comes from a regular auto policy.
Can I get an FR-44 with a suspended license?
Often, yes. People commonly need the filing in order to get the license back. Tell me your license status up front.
Can I make monthly payments on an FR-44 policy?
These policies are commonly required to be paid in full. I’ll tell you what each company I find requires.
Requirements can change, and companies handle filings differently. Confirm your own requirement with Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and I’ll tell you what applies to the options I find.
Official sources
- Florida Statute 324.023: financial responsibility after a DUI
- Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: insurance requirements
Keep reading
- Florida Car Insurance Requirements
- What You Need for an Insurance Quote
- Car Insurance Rules That Surprise People
- Florida auto insurance
Related coverage: auto insurance and motorcycle insurance.
Want me to look at your options?
Tell me what you have now and I’ll compare it against the companies I work with. No pressure either way.