Car Insurance After a Hit-and-Run in Florida

Drivers in every state of the U.S. are required by law to stop after a car accident to exchange information and provide help. Florida is no exception, but the number of hit-and-run crashes in the state has increased by 40 percent in the last decade. Since filing claims after a hit-and-run can be challenging, our insurance editorial team explains the process and what happens to insurance costs following a hit-and-run in the Sunshine State.

Hit-and-runs in Florida

Florida state law strictly defines what constitutes a hit-and-run in the state. You could be charged with a hit-and-run under Florida law if you’re in an accident that results in injuries, death or property damage and:

• You leave the scene of an accident before exchanging information — including your name, address and vehicle registration number — with the other driver(s)
• You fail to render reasonable assistance, such as calling 911 or offering transport to a hospital, to anyone injured

Despite strict laws and steep penalties, hit-and-runs remain a serious problem in Florida. According to FLHSMV, Florida saw 97,905 hit-and-run crashes in 2024, resulting in 20,449 injuries and 246 deaths.

Hit-and run laws in Florida

Florida law imposes strict penalties on drivers who violate the hit-and-run laws in accidents involving property damage, injuries or fatalities. The severity of penalties, as well as the nature of the charges, depends on the outcome of the accident:

• Property damage only: Second-degree misdemeanor charge with up to 60 days in prison and $500 fine
• Injuries: Second- or third-degree felony charge with up to five years in prison and $5,000 fine
• Fatality: First-degree felony charge with four to 30 years in prison and $10,000 fine

If you leave the scene of an accident involving either injuries or fatalities, you’ll also have your Florida driver’s license revoked for a minimum of three years. Hit-and-run charges in Florida with fatalities are subject to the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act (Section 316.027 of the Florida Statutes), which mandates a minimum sentence of four years in prison for a hit-and-run accident involving the death of any person.

How does a hit-and-run affect car insurance in Florida?

If you’re convicted of a hit-and-run offense in Florida, you can expect a significant increase in your Florida car insurance rates. While exact data on the increase associated with a hit-and-run conviction is difficult to find, let’s use the average increase following an at-fault accident as a starting point.

According to Bankrate’s research, a Florida driver with a single at-fault accident on their record pays an average of $5,425 per year for full coverage insurance and $1,564 per year for state minimum coverage as of June 2025. That’s an average increase of 33 and 45 percent, respectively, for a single at-fault accident, regardless of outcome.

But a hit-and-run is more than an at-fault accident. It involves criminal charges, ranging from a second-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree felony. For this type of conviction, you’re likely looking at an insurance premium increase more in the range of 45 to 65 percent. That’s the average increase associated with a DUI, another moving violation that can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony in the state of Florida.

The only way to determine exactly how a hit-and-run might affect your insurance premiums is to compare quotes from multiple companies. If you’re looking for cheap auto insurance after a hit-and-run, working with an insurance agent could help you understand your situation and the options available to you.

What to do after a hit-and-run in Florida

If you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident in Florida, try to remain calm and take the following actions:

• Move your vehicle to a safe place: If your car is still driveable, move it out of the flow of traffic while staying as close to the scene of the accident as possible.
• Make sure that everyone is okay: Check on all passengers in your vehicle. If anyone has obvious or suspected injuries, call for medical assistance or arrange transport to a medical provider.
• Call the police: A police report will provide backup for any insurance hit-and-run claims that need to be filed, so it’s a good idea to call the police right away, and wait at the scene until they arrive. Try to alter as little as possible at the scene, and be ready to give them a statement about the accident.
• Document the scene: Take notes on anything you remember about the accident, including the time, date, location and weather conditions. Write down anything you remember about the other driver or vehicle, including the direction they were traveling as they left the scene or the make, color or body style of their vehicle.
• Check for evidence: A collision could leave evidence to potentially lead law enforcement to the at-fault driver’s vehicle. Look for broken glass or vehicle components on the ground or paint left on your vehicle. Don’t touch anything; instead, point it out to police when they arrive.
• Take photos: Photo evidence can help your insurance company process your claim more accurately and aid law enforcement investigations.
• Talk to eyewitnesses: If anyone observed the crash, ask them for their observations and request their contact information for follow-ups.
• Contact your insurance company: Reach out to your insurance company as soon as possible to report the accident and start a claim, if applicable.

Your coverage selections will determine what type of claim you can file with your insurance company following a hit-and-run accident. Be prepared to work with your insurer to make sure you get the payout you need.

Frequently asked questions

• Will insurance cover a hit-and-run in Florida?
  

  Depending on your coverage selections, your car insurance policy could cover some of your damages following a hit-and-run accident. By law, all Florida car insurance policies include personal injury protection, which you can use to file a claim for medical costs and other injury-related expenses for yourself or your passengers.

  You may also be able to file a claim after a hit-and-run if your policy includes one of two types of optional coverage. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, you may also be able to use that insurance to help cover your medical bills. Finally, if you have collision coverage on your policy, you’ll be able to file a claim for any damage to your vehicle caused by the hit-and-run incident.

• How do you report a hit-and-run in Florida?
  

  There are several ways to report a hit-and-run in Florida. You can dial *FHP (*347) on your phone to get in touch with the Florida Highway Patrol. You can also report a hit-and-run anonymously by calling the Florida Crime Stoppers at **TIPS (**8477). Additionally, Florida Crime Stoppers has a free mobile app for download on both Apple and Android devices.

• How does a hit-and-run impact car insurance rates in Florida?
  

  Your car insurance may be impacted no matter which side of a hit-and-run you’re on. For the victim of a hit-and-run, their insurance premium may increase if they file a claim. For a driver who hits another vehicle and flees the scene, there will likely be a substantial increase in their insurance premiums if they are found. Further, the at-fault driver may need to maintain an SR-22 form for a number of years following the accident. The accident can also be added to the at-fault driver’s driving record. In some situations, the driver may have difficulty finding insurance companies that will offer them coverage at that point.

• What’s the best car insurance company?
  

  Every driver looks for something different in their insurance company. Some people want the lowest rates and the most discounts, while others are more concerned with customer service ratings. For this reason, the best car insurance company for one person may not be a good fit for the next. Before shopping for new insurance, you may find it helpful to list your priorities and use them as a guide. A discussion with a licensed insurance agent may also help.

• How do you find affordable car insurance?
  

  Shopping around for car insurance can be an effective way to pay less for car insurance, especially if you haven’t compared quotes in a while. Try to request car insurance quotes from several insurance providers and use the same coverage types and amounts to make it easier to compare. Generally, you might want to shop for car insurance whenever your policy renews or you have major life or policy changes.

• What is the hit-and-run penalty in Florida?
  

  Penalties for a hit-and-run conviction in Florida start with a $500 fine and up to 60 days in prison for a hit-and-run that results in property damage without injuries or fatalities. For hit-and-runs that involve injuries or fatalities, hit-and-run penalties in Florida range from $5,000 to $10,000 in fines and could include imprisonment for up to 30 years, with a minimum of four years for any conviction with fatalities. You’ll also be charged with a felony and lose your driving privileges for three years if you leave the scene of an accident with injuries or fatalities.

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze June 2025 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2023 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually. Bundling and paperless billing discounts are applied. 

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. Your quotes will differ.

If otherwise specified, the base profile has been modified with the following driver characteristics:

• Incidents:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket, single DUI conviction and lapse in coverage.

• Mileage:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following differences in mileage: 2K, 5K, 12K (base), 15K and 20K.

• Model:
  

  Unless otherwise stated, rates are for 2023 vehicle models. For new vs used vehicles, we included the following year in our calculations: 2013.

• Age:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18-70 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations. For teen drivers, rates were determined by adding a 16- or 17-year-old teen to their 40-year-old married parents’ policy. The rates displayed reflect the total cost of a driver this age added to their parents’ policy.

• Gender:
  

  The following states do not use gender as a determining factor in calculating premiums: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.

• Status:
  

  Rates were evaluated based on the following marital/family status: single (base), married, 40-year-old married man and woman. Marital status is not a rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts.