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:

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:

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

Reader’s Question:

I have only recently got my driver’s license here in Jacksonville, Florida, but it seems like I’m being charged a higher Insurance rate (I compared it with my parent’s). I don’t get it? I practically have no driving records yet that will show any violations!

Martine

Jacksonville, FL

There are a lot of people who are also wondering why car insurance protection costs so much for teenagers and first time drivers. Car insurance companies are hardly to blame though, statistics show that teenagers and first-time drivers, along with senior citizens, have the highest rates of car accident involvement. This is due to lack of experience while on the road, raging hormones and skills issues are just a few of the factors that contribute to first-time drivers being considered as high-risk drivers. The higher the risk you pose the higher your insurance will be as the car insurance company’s means of compensating for the additional risk. Having no driving record to show for is just as bad since you have nothing to show your insurance provider that you are a safe and responsible driver.

So is there anything we can do about it? Yes there are! Although not that much there are still ways that you can lower down car insurance premiums there in Jacksonville, Florida, here are a few tips:

1. Drive an Older vehicle – it costs less to insure and you can even drop comprehensive collision coverage.
2. Driving School – accredited defensive driving classes can give you valuable skills staying safe while on the road as well as qualify you for discounts towards your rates.
3. Follow the rules – goes without saying but still worth a mention. Build a good driving record by avoiding traffic violations. You’ll be happy you did a few years down the line.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance online, car insurance company, car insurance quotes

Reader’s Question:

I am a newly-wed and I just bought my new car for my family’s personal use here in Jacksonville, Florida but we are not residents of Florida. Do I still need to insure my car, and if yes, what will be the coverage of my automobile insurance?

Beck

Jacksonville, FL

Like you, there are many temporary residents in Florida that usually visit the state during the winter season. However, I suggest that you still get your car insured because in Jacksonville or anywhere in Florida there is a state-imposed minimum requirement for Florida automobile insurance. Hence, if you are driving in Florida without automobile insurance you can be reprimanded and the consequences are grave. You may lose your car’s license plate and registration for three years. You are also forbidden to drive any car for any reasons within the time your license is suspended.

The required coverage of your automobile insurance policy are, to wit: 1) personal injury protection, which covers you and your passenger’s bodily injuries caused by roadway accidents; 2) property damage liability, which covers any physical damages to the other party’s property; and 3) bodily injury liability, which covers other party’s death or bodily injury and also shells out for your legal processes fees.

You may have all those coverage for your policy and when you leave Florida, you may suspend your coverage after two months so that you may not be obliged to pay your policy premium for the whole year. This, however, requires you to give back your car registration.

Tags: auto insurance, temporary insurance

Reader’s Questions:

Hi, my son is off to college next fall and he might be bringing the car we have here in Jacksonville, Florida with him. How can this affect our car insurance rates?

Frances

Jacksonville, FL

Congratulations regarding your son getting into college. We agree that college is a very crucial time for the family and not a lot of people can afford any major financial setbacks (such as those caused by car accidents) during this time. Depending on where your son will be attending college and where the car will be driven or how far it is from home, the number of times the car will be used and if it will still be covered under the same insurance policy, it may or may not affect your insurance coverage that much.

If he is off to college that is located in an area that has a high number of car accidents, vandalism or car theft it is possible for your insurance provider to increase your rates to compensate for the added insurance risk. Normally, most will provide a discount if your son goes to college without the car and is more than 100 miles away from home.

If you choose to remove him from your policy and he decides to get her own it will obviously save you money but it may be more expensive for him to get insurance on his own. If the car will be driven more frequently expect your car insurance to rise proportionately.

It will be highly recommended that you get in touch with your car insurance provider there in Jacksonville, Florida so you can give them the details and they can tell you accurately how your son bringing the car to college will impact your insurance rates.

Tags: auto insurance premium, auto warranty deals, car insurance, car insurance company