Car Insurance With Bad Credit in Florida

Can Florida insurers charge me more for bad credit?

Yes. Florida does not ban credit-based pricing for car insurance, and it puts no limit on how big the surcharge can be. Most insurers turn your credit report into a “credit-based insurance score.” That is a number meant to predict claims, not whether you pay back loans. A low score can move you into a pricier tier.

Florida does regulate how insurers use it: what they must tell you, what they cannot count, and how often they must look again. Our national guide covers the basics.

One detail drivers miss: an insurer can keep you in a pricier tier at renewal without sending a new notice. Notices are only required for the first decision and for the re-reviews the law requires. If you never ask, you may never hear about it.

How much more will I pay with bad credit in Florida?

Expect a large gap, and expect sources to disagree. Florida drivers already pay more than the national average (MoneyGeek puts full coverage $944 a year higher), so the same percentage costs more dollars here. The estimates below are from published sources for the profiles shown. Your quote will differ.

That works out to roughly 108% more (MoneyGeek) up to 136% more (Insurance.com) on full coverage. Sources differ in drivers, deductibles and insurer samples, so treat the range as a rough guide.

The bigger surprise is how much insurers differ. In MoneyGeek’s October 2026 poor-credit quotes for full coverage, monthly prices ran from $295 at the cheapest of ten insurers to $464 at the most expensive.

Can my insurer cancel or drop me over bad credit?

Not in the middle of your policy. Florida lets an insurer cancel a personal car policy for only three reasons: unpaid premium, fraud or a material misstatement, or a suspended license or registration in your household. Credit is not one of them.

At renewal, the insurer can choose not to renew. But it cannot do so for credit alone. It must weigh at least one other factor, send 45 days’ written notice, and give specific reasons. If the notice is missing the reasons, the policy stays in force.

A credit re-review itself also cannot be used to cancel you, refuse to renew you, or change how you pay.

A nonrenewal notice, or a cancellation for any reason other than unpaid premium, must also mention the state’s last-resort plan (the FAJUA). Treat that as a backup and start comparing quotes right away.

What does my insurer have to tell me about my credit?

Three things, in plain language.

• Before it checks. The application must say a credit report or score is being requested. The notice must include a sentence pointing you to the state’s free financial literacy programs at MyFloridaCFO.com.
• After a worse deal. If credit played any part in a higher price, a worse tier, extra restrictions or a refusal, you get the main reasons, up to four. A phrase like “poor credit history” is not enough. It must be specific enough that you can find the problem on your report.
• How to see the report. You get a free copy, or the name and phone number of the credit bureau to call. Federal law gives you 60 days to ask for a free copy.

Some insurers score your household, not just you. Florida Farm Bureau says it looks at you and your spouse and uses the better score. Ask whose credit is pulled.

What cannot be counted against me in Florida?

Florida bans several shortcuts that would hit people unfairly.

• No credit history. An insurer cannot punish you for having a thin or empty file. It must treat you as neutral, drop credit from your rating, or use a method the state has approved. This matters for young drivers.
• Medical bills. Collection accounts coded as medical cannot be counted, if the bureau codes them that way.
• Your ZIP code. Place of residence cannot drive a credit decision or be a reason to pull your credit.
• Shopping around. Inquiries you did not start, checks you ran on your own report, insurance inquiries, and clusters of mortgage or car-loan inquiries within 30 days (counted as one) cannot be held against you, when your report codes them that way.
• Protected traits. Race, religion, age, gender, marital status, income and national origin cannot be used to decide whether to pull your credit.

What does Florida not do?

• It does not cap the surcharge. Insurers must file rates with the state, which reviews them for being unfair or excessive. That review is the main brake.
• It does not require a refund if a credit report error raised your price. Your premium is adjusted going forward after a re-review. Ask the insurer about back credit anyway.

How do I get a lower rate when my credit improves?

Ask. Do not wait for the insurer.

If credit hurt you at the start or at a later renewal, the insurer must review your credit at least once every two years, or sooner if you ask, and lower your premium to reflect any improvement. Insurers that use credit only when the policy begins can follow a different path. They must re-rate you without credit within the first three years, and they cannot raise your price because credit was left out.

Put your request in writing once your report improves. Name the date the account was paid or the error fixed, and ask for a re-score and a new premium.

Example. Your renewal at $5,600 a year was set partly on a score hurt by a collection. You pay it off, and 18 months later your report is cleaner. You email the insurer and ask for a re-review. If your tier improves and the price falls to $4,700, that is $900 a year back in your pocket. These numbers are made up to show the steps.

Which life events can earn an exception in Florida?

Three: a divorce, the death of a spouse, or a temporary job loss. If one of them pushed your score down, ask the insurer to review it. The insurer decides within 10 business days after you ask and after it receives the documents it wants. If it agrees, it uses neutral credit or ignores credit, whichever is better for you.

The list is short. A medical emergency, identity theft or the death of a parent or child is not named. You can still ask, but the insurer need not grant it. Send proof with your request, such as a divorce decree, death certificate or layoff letter.

Are there Florida insurers that do not use credit?

We could not confirm any. Florida’s regulator does not appear to publish a list, and some other states do. So ask each company before you get a quote whether it pulls a credit-based insurance score on Florida policies and how much it counts. Then compare the same limits and deductibles at three or more companies. See cheap car insurance in Florida and the full coverage page.

If nobody will write you a policy, the FAJUA is the state’s last-resort market, sold through agents. Get a price before you commit and treat it as a bridge. For what the state requires at the bare minimum, see our Florida minimum coverage page.

Common mistakes

• Waiting for a notice. A pricier tier at renewal needs no new notice. Ask for the re-review yourself.
• Letting coverage lapse while you fix your credit. Switch insurers without a gap in coverage instead.
• Asking by phone only. Send a written request and keep a copy.
• Quoting one company. The same score can cost $295 at one insurer and $464 at another.
• Closing old cards. Account age is one of the data points insurers use.

What to do next

1. Get your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com, where each bureau offers one weekly.
2. Look for accounts that are not yours and medical collections. Dispute errors with the bureau. It has 30 days to investigate.
3. Find the insurer’s notice or renewal letter and read the reasons it lists. If they are vague, ask for specific reasons.
4. If divorce, a spouse’s death or a temporary job loss hurt your credit, send a written exception request with proof.
5. After your credit improves, send a written request for a re-review. Do this at least once a year.
6. Get quotes from at least three insurers using the same limits. Our guide to lowering your car insurance shows how.
7. If an insurer ignores these rules, call the Florida Department of Financial Services consumer helpline at 1-877-693-5236.

Bottom line

If a high Florida quote comes from your credit, check your reports for errors first, then ask your current insurer for a re-review. If nothing is wrong, shop at least three insurers, because the credit penalty varies widely by company. If no standard insurer will take you, the state’s last-resort plan exists, but it is a bridge, not a long-term plan. See our high-risk insurance guide.