FR-44 Coverage Limits Explained (100/300/50)
FR-44 requires 100/300/50 liability limits: $100k bodily injury per person, $300k per accident, $50k property damage. Higher than the state minimum and double an SR-22's bodily-injury limits.
FR-44 coverage limits in Florida are 100/300/50: $100,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 of property damage liability. Those limits are higher than the state minimum most drivers carry, and the bodily-injury figures are double what an SR-22 requires. The numbers describe how much your policy will pay others if you are at fault, which is exactly what the state wants guaranteed after a DUI.
What do the numbers 100/300/50 mean?
The three numbers are your liability limits in thousands: 100 for bodily injury per person, 300 for bodily injury per accident, and 50 for property damage.
Read left to right, they answer three separate questions. How much will the policy pay for any one person you injure? How much across everyone hurt in a single crash? And how much for the property, usually another vehicle, that you damage? Each has its own ceiling, and all three apply at once.
A quick example makes the structure click. Say you cause a crash that injures two people. The per-person figure caps what the policy pays each of them, and the per-accident figure caps the total across both. If one person’s injuries are severe, the per-person limit is what stands between the policy and your own pocket. The property-damage figure is entirely separate and covers the cars and objects, not the people.
When you get a quote, do not take the word FR-44 as proof the limits are right; read the declarations. The liability line should show the three figures at 100/300/50, and if a quote lists anything lower, it will not satisfy the filing no matter what it is labeled. Checking that single line before you pay is the simplest way to avoid buying a policy that gets bounced back by the state.
| Coverage | Required limit | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury, per person | $100,000 | Injuries to any single person you are liable for |
| Bodily injury, per accident | $300,000 | Total injuries to everyone in one at-fault crash |
| Property damage | $50,000 | Damage you cause to another party’s property |
Why does an FR-44 require such high limits?
The limits are high because the FR-44 follows a DUI, and the state ties its most serious financial-responsibility standard to its most serious driving offense.
A standard Florida policy can be written far lower, which leaves an at-fault driver, and everyone they hit, exposed once the coverage runs out. By forcing 100/300/50, the state makes sure a driver it has flagged as high risk is carrying real protection for other people on the road. These limits are the core of the FR-44 requirements, and they are the main reason the policy costs more than the coverage you carried before.
The limits protect others first
Liability coverage pays the people you injure or the property you damage, not your own car. That is precisely what the state is insisting on after a DUI: a guarantee for the public, not for you.
There is a logic worth understanding here, because it explains why the state will not budge on the numbers. A DUI is not a paperwork violation; it is the kind of driving that produces the most serious crashes. The state’s response is to demand that anyone with that conviction carry enough coverage to make injured parties whole, rather than leaving them, and the driver, exposed to a judgment that outstrips a thin policy. The high limits are less a punishment than a safeguard for everyone else on the road.
It also protects you, in a way that is easy to overlook. When your liability limits are high, the policy absorbs a larger share of a serious claim before anything reaches your own assets. A driver carrying only the bare minimum can be personally sued for the gap between a thin limit and a large judgment. So while 100/300/50 costs more, it also puts a taller wall between a bad accident and your savings, which is a genuine benefit hidden inside the requirement.
This is also why a driver already on a lower filing can see limits jump. Someone carrying an SR-22 for a minor violation who then picks up a DUI does not stay at the lighter limits; the new conviction moves them to the FR-44 standard of 100/300/50. The coverage requirement tracks the seriousness of the offense, so as the offense escalates, so does the floor the state will accept.
How do FR-44 limits compare to an SR-22?
An FR-44 requires double the bodily-injury limits of an SR-22, which is the sharpest line between the two filings.
An SR-22 is attached to lesser violations and lets you file at lower liability limits. The FR-44 is reserved for DUI-level offenses and demands the heavier 100/300/50 floor. That gap in required coverage is a big part of why an FR-44 premium runs higher. If you are still sorting out which one applies to you, our comparison of FR-44 versus a standard policy shows how the limits reshape the price.
Same three numbers, very different weight: 100/300/50 is the state’s way of saying a DUI driver must carry real protection, not the bare minimum.
The practical takeaway is that you cannot treat the two filings as interchangeable when you shop. A quote built around SR-22 limits will look cheaper precisely because it is buying less coverage, so comparing it to an FR-44 quote is comparing two different products. When you gather prices, make sure every one of them is written at 100/300/50, or you are not seeing what an FR-44 will actually cost. The limits are the constant; only the premium should vary between carriers.
What do FR-44 limits not cover?
The 100/300/50 requirement is all liability, so it does not include coverage for your own vehicle, your own injuries, or anything beyond the stated ceilings.
This surprises drivers who assume higher limits mean broader protection. They do not. If you want your own car repaired after a crash you cause, you need separate physical-damage coverage, which the FR-44 does not require. And any loss above your limits can still fall back on you personally.
- Damage to your own car (that is comprehensive and collision, sold separately).
- Your own medical bills beyond what other coverages provide.
- Losses larger than 100/300/50, which can become your personal responsibility.
- Anything on a non-owner policy tied to a specific vehicle you do not own.
This is also why the limits are a floor, not a ceiling. You are free to buy more than 100/300/50 if you want a wider margin, and some drivers do, since a serious crash can generate a claim larger than the minimum. The FR-44 only cares that you meet the required level; going above it is your choice and does not change the filing. What you cannot do is go below, even by a little, without the certificate being rejected.
Should you carry more than 100/300/50?
Carrying more than the required limits can be worth it if you have assets to protect, because anything a claim runs above your coverage can become your personal responsibility.
Picture a serious at-fault crash with injuries that exceed the per-person limit. The policy pays up to its ceiling, and the remainder does not simply vanish; an injured party can pursue you for it. A driver with a home, savings, or wages worth shielding may decide that higher liability is cheap insurance against that exposure. A driver with little to lose may stay at the minimum. Either way, the FR-44 is satisfied the moment you hit 100/300/50, so the extra is about protecting yourself, not about the filing.
What do drivers get wrong about FR-44 limits?
The most common misunderstanding is reading higher required limits as broader protection for yourself, when 100/300/50 is entirely liability that pays other people.
- Thinking the limits repair your own vehicle. That takes separate collision coverage.
- Reading 100/300/50 as one pool. It is three separate ceilings that apply at once.
- Treating the coverage as optional trimming. Written below the minimum, the filing is rejected.
- Confusing the property-damage figure with your own car. It pays for damage to others’ property.
- Assuming the limits cover your own injuries. Those rely on other coverages you buy separately.
Frequently asked questions
What are the FR-44 coverage limits in Florida?
FR-44 requires 100/300/50 liability: $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 property damage. These are the minimums your policy must carry to satisfy the filing.
Why are FR-44 limits higher than normal?
Because the FR-44 follows a DUI, the state applies its strictest liability standard. The 100/300/50 requirement guarantees stronger protection for others than a standard minimum policy would.
Are FR-44 limits higher than SR-22 limits?
Yes. An FR-44 requires double the bodily-injury limits of an SR-22, which is a main reason an FR-44 policy generally costs more than a comparable SR-22 policy.
Does FR-44 cover my own car?
No. The 100/300/50 requirement is liability only, covering the people and property you harm. To protect your own vehicle you need separate comprehensive and collision coverage.
Can I buy more than the required limits?
Yes. 100/300/50 is the minimum for the filing; you can choose higher liability limits if you want more protection, though the FR-44 itself does not require it.
What does the property-damage limit cover?
The $50,000 property-damage limit pays for damage you cause to someone else's property, most often another vehicle, up to that ceiling in an at-fault accident.
Informational only. Not legal, financial, or insurance advice. FR-44 and SR-22 requirements are set by Florida (FLHSMV) and the courts and can change; verify your specific requirement with the FLHSMV. Pricing shown is illustrative, not a quote. FR44 Insurance of Florida is an independent insurance agency and not a government entity.