Jacksonville Florida DUI Information

Reader’s Question:

How serious is it to be charged for DUI here in Jacksonville? I mean, do I need a lawyer for me to defend me in case I am charged with DUI?

Krystal

Jacksonville, FL

You will be in serious trouble should you be charged for driving under the influence or DUI in Jacksonville, Florida. Traffic laws are in place and the authorities as well as the Florida Department of Highway Security and Motor Vehicles (FDHSMV) have stringent implementation of the DUI laws.

In case you would be found guilty of DUI in Jacksonville, you will pay a fine of $250-$500 or be imprisoned for five to 30 years, depending on the seriousness of the offense and the damage that you may have done to other parties and/or properties. Other forms of punishment include suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, permanent criminal record, immobilization of your vehicle, community service and higher auto insurance payment.

If you get arrested for DUI, you need to get in touch with a DUI attorney the soonest time possible and ask for legal advice. You can make a special plea within 10 days so that your driver’s license will not be revoked for an indefinite period. It is really important that you have a representation of a DUI attorney who is an expert in the field of DUI. If you don’t know anyone who can help you find a DUI attorney, you can resort to the Internet. There are different directories of DUI lawyers that can be found online. You can easily find them since they are grouped according to city.

Reader’s Question:

Generally, how many cars can you place on a certain Florida DUI auto insurance policy?

Ken

Jacksonville FL

The number of cars permitted on a Florida auto insurance policy differ by car insurance company. Most Florida car insurance companies though take no more than 4 cars in a policy.

In addition, multiple policies may be provided. Some insurance companies will permit additional cars to be added to the policy by endorsement after the policy has been issued.

Because car insurance guidelines differ from one company to the other, I cant say for sure how many cars is allowed in one policy.

You can insure as many vehicles as you like as long as the insurer you are dealing with can handle it and it is not against their guidelines. Most insurance companies will setup a second Florida auto insurance policy if they cannot handle the amount of vehicles to just one policy.

Remember, the more car you insure the more expensive your car insurance rates will be. This is because more cars are being insured and thus premiums will be due on each car. The cost of premium on each vehicles will depend upon what coverages are put on each car.

Reader’s Question:

I’ve been having problems getting low cost car insurance because of my DUI here in Jacksonville. Will you please help me and give me some tips in getting lower DUI insurance rate?

Claire

Jacksonville, FL

Car owners found guilty for DUI need to purchase DUI insurance coverage from a car insurance company. DUI insurance, also called SR22 insurance, is a lot more costly as compared to traditional types of car insurance. The rising number of DUI cases is also another reason behind the increase of DUI insurance. Drivers who can’t afford high DUI insurance can still shop for low DUI insurance rate in the Internet. It also allows them to conveniently shop for a DUI insurance provider at a time that is convenient to them.

Because DUI insurance is offered to high risk drivers, car insurance companies giving DUI insurance have no option but to increase their rates. It is a common knowledge that insurance companies give higher rates to higher risk policy holders.

Another reason why it is very difficult to get cheap DUI insurance in Jacksonville is because of the increasing cases of DUI in the country. With more drivers being caught for DUI, car insurance companies are jacking up their prices in order to cover for their increased expenses.

Today’s drivers are fortunate that there are now several DUI insurance companies offering discounted DUI insurance and most of them can be found in the Internet. This makes it easier for drivers to shop for cheap DUI insurance rate.

Drivers who are in search of the best rates should remember to compare as many low DUI insurance quotes as possible. There are several websites that allow them to request and compare DUI insurance quotes conveniently. Drivers can then get to the best DUI insurance in the market with the help of these websites.

Reader’s Question:

My father is a senior citizen but his car insurance premium have increased and when we asked his insurers they said that he is also considered as a high risk driver here in Jacksonville. How could that happen, isn’t he should get lower premium since he has the discounts from being a senior citizen?

Dave

Jacksonville, FL

Being labelled as a high risk driver is not only because you drunk drive or you have had a lot of traffic violations in the past. High risk car insurance companies usually determine their clients by checking the drivers’ record, driving experiences, the address, the gender and the age. High risk car insurance companies in Jacksonville usually check this information because it can really determine whether you are a high risk driver or not.

It is true that Senior Citizen has the privilege of getting discounts especially the older the person gets, the lesser accident prone and tickets you get. But then, other high risk car insurance companies give higher rate for older people for they have poorer eyesight, poorer hearing and weaker reflexes. Other age that they consider labelling as high risk are the teens or newly licensed drivers, they usually act reckless on the road since they don’t have much experience yet and don’t know much about responsibility. With regards to senior citizens, high risk car insurance companies differ from each other. The thing that they agree both is where you live. They consider you high risk if you live a crowded city and have a high crime rate. They give also higher rates to those who drive miles away from home and how many times they use their car a week. You should also be informed that the more claims you have, the higher your rates are.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance companies, car insurance discounts, high risk car insurance, senior car insurance

Reader’s Question:

Do I need to have SR22 insurance here in Jacksonville if I have DUI? My case is still ongoing so I just need to know some things if I get convicted.

David

Jacksonville, FL

SR22 insurance is a certificate of financial responsibility asked by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as a proof that a person has car insurance. If you have an ongoing DUI case in Jacksonville, it does not necessarily mean that you need SR22 insurance. It would actually depend on whether you will be convicted or not and whether you have car insurance at the time you were arrested for DUI.

A number of things may cause you to need SR22 insurance in Jacksonville. If you will be ultimately convicted for DUI, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked. In this case, you need SR22 insurance to reinstate your driver’s license and you have to maintain it for a certain number of years. Other reasons include causing an accident without proper insurance, having numerous tickets or accidents in a short period of time or an accident you caused that resulted to death.

SR22 insurance could be acquired by getting in touch with your insurance company and let them submit the form for you to the DMV. Normally, you would have to pay a small charge for the SR22 to be filed. SR22 generally will be required for three years but would vary depending on the gravity of the incidence.

Tags: car insurance, DUI, SR22 insurance

Reader’s Question:

The insurance carrier that I have for my homeowners and life insurances is different from my car insurance carrier here in Jacksonville, Florida. I was advised that I can get cheaper car insurance rates if I have them under one insurance carrier, is that true?

Harrison

Jacksonville, FL

Since your homeowners and life insurances in Jacksonville, Florida are under the same insurance carrier, you can include your car insurance coverage to the policy that you currently have. You could be qualified to get a discount for having multiple policies under the same insurance carrier. But your current insurance carriers are not the only options that you have since there are lots of insurance carriers around. You may very well shop around for better insurance rates and find cheaper car insurance coverage. Certainly, there are a lot of means for you shop around for cheaper car insurance rates.

If you are fond of surfing the Internet, you could easily search an insurance carrier that would provide you online car insurance quotes. Once you go online, the only thing you need to do is to fill out the questionnaire online and submit your information. After that, you could get a lot of car insurance quotes that will be sent to your email. You can be able to find a quote that is cheaper than what you pay for to your current car insurance carrier. If you don’t trust the Internet, you may get in touch with insurance agent or simply call up insurance carriers and request various quotes.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance online, car insurance quotes, car insurance rates, cheaper auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

I am purchasing my own car real soon that I need to have insured here in Jacksonville, Florida. What type of vehicle do I need to get in order for me not to have high insurance premiums and how else can I save on auto insurance?

Abram

Jacksonville, FL

Before you purchase a new vehicle in Jacksonville, Florida, you need to make some research about the different types of vehicles and the probable cost of insurance for it. The insurance industry groups rate each vehicle model according to the claims history of collision, injury, theft, etc. If a particular vehicle has higher rating, that means that the auto insurance premiums are lower. In the same way, a flashy sports car that has lower rating could considerably mean higher insurance rates since car insurance carriers relate that type of vehicle to be of more risk because of higher possibility of theft and the owner tends to drive recklessly.

There are also other means for you to save money on your auto insurance such as taking precautionary measures. A lot of auto insurance companies give discounts on drivers who take steps to give protection for their vehicles against damage and robbery. By choosing to install antilock brakes, front and side airbags, alarms and some other safety features on your vehicle, you are more likely to have considerable savings on your auto insurance premiums.

Tags: auto insurance companies, auto insurance premiums, car, car insurance discounts

Reader’s Question:

I try my very best not to spend too much for certain things including my car insurance here in Jacksonville, Florida. Can you tell me the factors that determine my car insurance rates and how they can impact my car insurance?

Garland

Jacksonville, FL

Certainly, Garland, I can help you understand the things that affect your car insurance rates in Jacksonville, Florida. Let me tell you first that it’s generally who you are that figures out how much you pay for your car insurance. There are things that you have power over and some things are out of your hands. The factors that you could not alter would be your age and gender. According to statistics, elderly (65 years up) and younger people (16-25 years old) are more probable to have accidents. When it comes to gender, they say that female drivers are safer motorists than the males.

For the things that you have power over to change include the place you live in, your driving record, the type of your car and your credit score, among other things. The area that you are living in is important because this may tell whether you are more likely to have accidents because of the population in the area. Your driving record, whether you have a clean one or not, will be counted on your car insurance rates. Regarding the type of vehicle that you drive, if you own a low-profile vehicle, you’re more likely to have lower car insurance rates. In terms of your credit score, several car insurance companies think that those who have poor credit and even those who don’t have credit history are in the higher risk category.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance rates

Reader’s Question:

What is an SR-22? My son had to get one due to a violation here in Jacksonville, Florida. Also, what will happen there is a “lapse” in maintaining an SR-22?

Don

Jacksonville, FL

An SR-22 is a form that is submitted by your car insurance provider to Florida’s Department Of Motor Vehicle as proof that you have enough financial capacity to properly compensate for damages or injuries in case you cause a car accident. In other words, it is proof of your car insurance there in Jacksonville and you will need to maintain this form (meaning, you will need to have continued car insurance coverage) for a period of about two or three years.

If your son was required to get an SR-22 it could mean that he was caught driving without any auto insurance to show for, has had one too many traffic violations, caught Driving under the Influence (DUI) or has been proven at-fault in a car accident. This is the state’s way of making sure that your son is capable of paying for damages and liabilities in the event of another car accident or violation in the future.

It is highly advisable that your son maintains continuous auto insurance coverage for the duration of the SR-22. Any lapse in coverage, such as failing to maintain his insurance policy or violations causing his insurance provider to terminate the insurance agreement will only make it harder for him to reinstate coverage in the future. He may also be fined very high fees and penalties and may end up paying for even higher auto insurance premiums or rates in the future for losing his SR-22.

Tags: advice, auto insurance, car insurance, car insurance company

Reader’s Question:

My brother races a lot with his sports car here in Jacksonville, Florida. Will his car insurance company provide coverage in case of any accident when he is racing?

Gayle

Jacksonville, FL

Most auto insurance providers label race car drivers as the worst drivers. In other words, the accidents are worst and that would be the reason why your brother’s car insurance company in Jacksonville, Florida won’t give coverage while he is racing or even at high-performance driving schools. It would be so risky for car insurance providers because the crashes are rather huge. As a matter of fact, a high-speed crash would generally end up as a total loss of the vehicle.

Before, nearly all auto insurance policies will not provide coverage for damages caused from drag-racing, organized racing or even timed event. However, high-performance driving schools frequently don’t clock the race and they promote their events as the training for the motorists–not racing. But in the most recent years, a good number of car insurance providers began to keep out coverage for driving at any spots that are intended for racing, regardless the events are timed or not. Motorist who have been joining some races for a number of years using their own vehicle are now faced with a problem–that forces them not to use their own car or pray that no accident would happen.

Tags: car, car insurance, car insurance company