Why Kemper Quoted FR-44 Instead of SR-22
You called Kemper for an SR-22 quote after your Florida license suspension and the agent told you Florida requires FR-44 filing, not SR-22. This is correct. Florida is one of only two states — the other is Virginia — that uses FR-44 certificates for DUI-related offenses and certain other high-risk suspensions. The form name difference signals a completely different liability floor: FR-44 requires $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 property damage. Standard SR-22 states accept 10/20/10 minimums. The premium difference reflects this gap.
Kemper writes FR-44 coverage in Florida through its non-standard tier. The carrier files electronically with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) when you purchase a policy meeting FR-44 minimums. The filing itself costs nothing extra — the higher premium comes entirely from the increased liability limits FR-44 mandates. If your suspension stems from DUI, refusal to submit to testing, or certain reckless driving convictions, FR-44 is non-negotiable for reinstatement and for any Business Purpose Only License (hardship) eligibility.
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Get Your Free QuoteFlorida FR-44 Minimum Limits
$100,000/$300,000/$50,000
Florida Statutes § 322.28 mandates these liability floors for FR-44 filers. Most SR-22 states accept 25/50/25 or lower. FR-44's bodily injury minimums are four times higher than a typical SR-22 state, which directly increases premium cost.
Florida Statutes § 322.28
When Florida Requires FR-44 vs. Standard Coverage
FR-44 filing applies to DUI convictions, administrative DUI suspensions (refusal or BAC 0.08+ arrest), and certain aggravated reckless driving cases under Florida Statutes § 322.28. If your suspension stems from unpaid traffic tickets, child support arrears, failure to appear, or points accumulation without alcohol involvement, DHSMV does not require FR-44. You still need liability coverage to reinstate, but you can carry Florida's standard PIP/PDL minimums ($10,000 PIP, $10,000 property damage) without the 100/300/50 liability floor.
Insurance lapse suspensions trigger a different requirement: you must restore coverage and pay a tiered reinstatement fee ($150 first offense, $250 second, $500 third within three years per § 324.0221), but DHSMV does not mandate FR-44 unless the original lapse occurred while you were under an existing FR-44 filing order. Kemper and other carriers writing non-standard auto can issue standard liability policies for non-DUI suspensions. Clarify your suspension trigger with DHSMV before purchasing FR-44 coverage you may not legally need.
Buying FR-44 when your suspension does not require it wastes premium dollars. Verify your filing requirement with DHSMV before binding coverage.
How Kemper Files FR-44 With DHSMV
When you purchase a policy meeting FR-44 minimums, Kemper submits the certificate to DHSMV within 24 hours. DHSMV updates your record to show active FR-44 compliance. You receive a paper copy of the certificate for your records, but DHSMV does not require you to carry the physical form — the electronic filing is the official proof. If you cancel the policy or let it lapse before your FR-44 period ends, Kemper notifies DHSMV immediately and your license suspends again within days.
The FR-44 filing period lasts three years from your reinstatement date for DUI suspensions, measured from the date DHSMV restores your license, not from the conviction date or the date you purchase insurance. If you apply for a Business Purpose Only License (hardship license) during your suspension, the three-year FR-44 clock starts when DHSMV issues the hardship license, not when you eventually reinstate to full driving privileges. Dropping coverage or switching to a carrier that does not file FR-44 during this three-year window triggers automatic re-suspension with no grace period.
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What Kemper FR-44 Policies Cost in Florida
Kemper's non-standard tier typically quotes $180–$320/month for FR-44 coverage in Florida, depending on county, age, vehicle, and violation count. Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties see the highest premiums due to theft rates and uninsured motorist density. Drivers under 25 or with multiple DUI convictions within five years face the upper end of this range. Adding comprehensive and collision coverage pushes monthly premiums above $400 in high-cost counties.
The premium reflects two separate risk layers: the DUI conviction itself, which Kemper underwrites as high-risk, and the 100/300/50 liability floor FR-44 mandates. Even if you owned a clean record, purchasing 100/300/50 limits costs more than Florida's standard 10/10 PIP/PDL minimums. Stacking a DUI surcharge on top of elevated limits produces the final premium. Kemper does not charge a separate FR-44 filing fee — the certificate transmission is included in the policy cost.
Non-owner FR-44 policies cost less because they exclude physical damage coverage and cover only your liability when driving a vehicle you do not own. Kemper writes non-owner FR-44 policies for suspended drivers who sold their vehicle or who need to satisfy DHSMV's FR-44 requirement without owning a car. Non-owner premiums typically range $90–$180/month depending on violation history. The FR-44 filing applies the same way: Kemper transmits the certificate to DHSMV and you maintain the policy for three years to avoid re-suspension.
Florida FR-44 Filing Period
3 years
Florida Statutes § 322.28 requires maintaining FR-44 for three years after reinstatement or hardship license issuance. Letting coverage lapse for even one day during this period triggers automatic license re-suspension. DHSMV receives real-time cancellation notices through FITS.
Florida Statutes § 322.28
Alternatives to Kemper for Florida FR-44 Filing
Kemper writes FR-44 but is not the only carrier serving Florida's suspended-license market. Progressive, Geico, The General, National General, Acceptance Insurance, Bristol West, Dairyland, and Infinity all file FR-44 in Florida and quote online or through agents. Rate variation between carriers can exceed $100/month for identical coverage and driver profiles. Miami and Jacksonville drivers especially benefit from multi-carrier comparison because county-level underwriting produces wide spreads.
Non-owner FR-44 availability varies by carrier. Progressive, Geico, Dairyland, and The General all write non-owner policies with FR-44 filing. Kemper writes non-owner coverage but availability depends on your county and violation type — some underwriting guidelines restrict non-owner eligibility for drivers with multiple DUIs within three years. If Kemper declines non-owner coverage, quote with Progressive or Dairyland as fallback options.
Start Comparing FR-44 Carriers in Your County
Kemper provides one data point. Your actual lowest premium comes from comparing four or five carriers writing FR-44 in your county with your specific violation profile entered identically across quotes. County matters: a $220/month Kemper quote in Polk County may beat a $280 Progressive quote, but the same comparison in Duval County reverses. Violation count, age, and vehicle year all shift the carrier ranking.
Use the comparison tool on this site to request quotes from multiple FR-44 carriers simultaneously. Enter your suspension trigger, county, vehicle details, and violation history once. Carriers return quotes within 24–48 hours. Bind the lowest quote meeting FR-44 minimums and the carrier files electronically with DHSMV. Your FR-44 compliance begins the day the policy activates, which starts your eligibility clock for hardship license application or reinstatement.