Category: Florida

Florida Residents Can Earn Rewards for Driving Eco-Friendly

Last updated on November 16th, 2017

Driving Eco-Friendly – The state of Florida set few laws for emissions into place over the years. However it didn’t last very long. It became a huge political issue and thus was abolished as a law. Supposedly, a few counties air supply had tested fairly clean. Clean enough to not have any emissions laws put into place. This made the emissions tests not worth their time. The counties that are suffering with low air quality are fighting to bring the emissions laws back.

There are a few incentives for Florida drivers who practice eco-friendly driving. The state has decided to reward people who purchase vehicles that are EPA-certified. These are classified as Inherently Low Emission Vehicles. Driving Eco-Friendly and Drivers of ILE vehicles are allowed to drive in high-occupancy vehicle whenever they choose, and there is no limit to passengers that are riding in the car.

To find out if your vehicle is on the list of approved low emission vehicles, you can click here. If you do find that your vehicle is on the list, you will need to fill out the application for your HOV decal. This decal can be placed on your car.  It will show other residents that you are proud to drive a vehicle that is saving the air quality. There is only a small fee for the decal. $5 for one year, and $10 for a 2 year decal and membership.

Why not help out your fellow Florida residents and the rest of the world by driving a car that is safe for our environment? Everyone should have clean air to breathe, so let’s take a stand.

Filed under: Florida, Articles, State Emissions TestingTagged with: , , ,

Florida Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

Florida Car Insurance – The state of Florida is one of only a handful of states to have a no-fault insurance laws whereas most other states are tort states, or states that place blame for a traffic accident on one person or another and it is the at fault driver that is financially responsible for all damages. Tort states typically require liability insurance which serves to protect the policy holder from financial liability in an accident but because Florida is a no-fault state, and Florida Car Insurance laws are a bit unique. Like every other state, Florida still requires its residents to meet minimum liability car insurance requirements in order to legally drive a vehicle. As of 2009 these requirements were set at $10,000 for bodily injury to one person, $20,000 for bodily injury to two or more people and of course $10,000 in property damage coverage. These coverage minimums are established by Florida’s Financial Responsibility Law which states that a drive must have the previous mentioned coverage when one of the following situations arise

 

-The policy holder is involved in a crash that is their fault

-The policy holder’s license is suspended because too many points were accrued

-The policy holder receives a citation for a DUI and their license is suspended

-The policy holder loses their license because they are a habitual traffic offender

-The policy holder has their license revoked for any reason

 

In addition to its financial responsibility law the state of Florida also operates under a no-fault law which requires anyone that has resided in the state at least 90 days during the last year to meet certain insurance requirements. These requirements included a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection as well as a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability coverage.  The personal injury protection insurance is meant to compensate the policy holder if they are in an accident and they sustain injuries and/or miss work due to those injuries. The property damage liability coverage on the other hand is intended to help pay for property damaged sustained in an accident by someone other than the policy holder.  Unlike property damage coverage, which is typically placed on a certain vehicle, personal injury protection in Florida is purchased for individuals and is not limited to a certain vehicle, meaning that even if the policy holder is a passenger in a vehicle they do not own when they are involved in an accident the coverage is still in place and can be used if the other driver does not have the required insurance.

Although underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage is not required by the state of Florida in order for a vehicle to be legally driven it is one of the many forms of coverage that Florida residents have the option to purchase. In fact, any insurance company that does business in Florida is required by law to offer underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage to their customers. If a driver decides not to purchase underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage as a part of their policy the insurance company is required to issue a declaration page with the policy stating that the policy holder willingly opted out of underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage.

If a driver is found to be driving without the minimum required amounts of car insurance  on a vehicle they risk facing a fine and could even have their license and registration suspended for a period of up to three years.  If the registration of a vehicle is suspended the owner must pay a mandatory $150 reinstatement fee and provide proof of insurance to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles before it can be reinstated.  The $150 reinstatement feel will continue to increase for subsequent offense and can reach s high as $500. In the state of Florida there is very little chance for drivers to skirt the system and avoid purchasing the minimum amounts of coverage as required by state law due to the many different ways the state government has of locating uninsured drivers. In addition to traffic stops and car accidents an uninsured drive can also be found when they are reported by the insurance company. Florida Car Insurance law requires that insurance companies notify the HSMV when a customer cancels a car insurance policy or allows it to lapse. If a driver is reported as having canceled their policy and the state does not receive any updated policy information they will directly request proof of insurance from the driver.  If the driver does not provide this information immediately they are at risk of having their license, registration and tag suspended for a period of up to one year. While the HSMV may allow for a small grace period for the Florida driver to provide proof of insurance legally all three items can be suspended after just one day of a reported lapse in coverage.

Filed under: Florida, Articles, Car InsuranceTagged with: , ,

Florida Emissions

Last updated on September 22nd, 2023

Florida Emissions Florida Emissions

In the state of Florida, auto emissions testing requirements have been abolished. There once was a smog tackling program, but that only lasted for a few years and was often attacked by both residents and legislators.

Man of the counties had enough clean air that made the tests obsolete, but counties that still struggle with their air quality are looking for various other ways to develop clean air once more.

Florida Incentives

There are rewards if a drive purchases a vehicle that is EPA certified as an Inherently Low Emission Vehicle. This includes hybrids. These drivers are then eligible to drive in the high occupancy vehicle lane at any point in time, regardless of how many passengers are actually in the vehicle.

You can check with the DMV to see if your vehicle qualifies and if it does, you can apply for an Application for HOV Decal so that you can receive a sticker for your car. You can complete and submit your application through the Tax Collector’s office of your local county and you will need to pay either a $5 fee for 1 year or a $10 fee for 2 years. There is also a mailing fee of $0.75 as well.

Green Driver Incentives

There are ways that you can save money if you are a green driver in Florida. Although the state does not currently require smog or emission testing there are tax credits for vehicle owners of fuel-efficient vehicles. These credits are available through the Federal government and include:

  • Hybrids
  • Plug-in hybrids
  • Electric cars
  • Biodiesel vehicles
  • Alternative fuel vehicles

Tax Credits for Businesses

There are tax credits that businesses can take part of if they own alternative fuel vehicles. For example, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services offer a rebate for businesses who convert, purchase, or lease a natural gas fleet vehicle.

There is also a rebate available for businesses who offer electric vehicle charging for both their customers and employees. Property owners may also seek to receive funding from the government in order to have an EV charging station installed on their property, but this does require that you enter into a finance agreement

Insurance

You may also find that you can receive a discount on your car insurance by driving a green vehicle. Depending on your particular circumstances, you may qualify for a number of the following discounts just from practicing green driving habits or driving a fuel-efficient vehicle.

  • Hybrid auto discounts
  • Alternative fuel vehicle discounts
  • Economy car discounts
  • Low-mileage discounts
  • Pay as you drive discounts

You should discuss these options with your insurance provider so you can learn exactly what you apply for.

Conclusion

Overall, the air quality in Florida is at a level that provides the state little need to worry about emissions testing. However, the areas that do have a bit of an issue are looking for ways to improve air quality in other areas. Drivers are also encouraged to maintain a green driving habit due to the many incentives that are offered by the government, both Federal and State.

Filed under: Florida, Articles, State Emissions Testing