Bristol West stopped writing new FR-44 business in Florida in 2023. If you were quoted Bristol West coverage after a DUI, you likely received an SR-22 quote by mistake — which won't satisfy Florida's FR-44 filing requirement and will restart your 3-year clock.
Why Bristol West FR-44 Quotes in Florida Are Actually SR-22 Policies
Bristol West discontinued new FR-44 policy issuance in Florida in 2023, though the carrier continues servicing existing FR-44 policies written before that date. If you called Bristol West or received a quote through an aggregator after a Florida DUI conviction, you were likely quoted an SR-22 policy — not FR-44. Florida eliminated SR-22 entirely for DUI offenders in favor of the stricter FR-44 filing, which requires 100/300/50 liability limits instead of the standard 10/20/10 minimum.
The distinction matters because filing SR-22 when Florida DHSMV requires FR-44 does not satisfy your reinstatement requirement. Your insurer files the certificate electronically with the state, but if the filing type is wrong, DHSMV treats it as never filed. You remain suspended, and the 3-year FR-44 clock does not start until a compliant FR-44 certificate is on file.
Most aggregators do not filter by FR-44 availability — they show carriers writing high-risk auto policies generally. Bristol West appears in those results because the company writes non-standard auto coverage in Florida. The system does not distinguish between carriers that write new FR-44 business and those that stopped. You waste time getting quoted, submit the application, and discover weeks later that the filing was incorrect.
What FR-44 Filing Actually Requires in Florida After a DUI
Florida FR-44 requires 100/300/50 liability coverage — $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 bodily injury per accident, and $50,000 property damage per accident. This is ten times the standard Florida minimum for bodily injury. Under current Florida DHSMV requirements, FR-44 filing lasts 3 years from your license reinstatement date, not your conviction date. The clock does not start until you are fully reinstated.
Your insurer files the FR-44 certificate electronically with DHSMV. You do not file it yourself. If your policy lapses or cancels for any reason during the 3-year period, your insurer is required to notify DHSMV immediately, and your license is suspended again. You must maintain continuous FR-44 coverage without any gap — even one day triggers automatic re-suspension.
Non-owner FR-44 policies cover you when driving vehicles you do not own. Many Florida DUI drivers use non-owner FR-44 solely for reinstatement when they sold their vehicle or no longer drive regularly. The filing requirement is identical whether you own a vehicle or not.
Get FR-44 insurance quotes from carriers that file in Florida and Virginia
FR-44 requires higher liability limits than SR-22 — compare carriers that understand the difference.
Get Your Free Quote✓ FR-44 Filing Included✓ No Obligation✓ Licensed Carriers✓ FL & VA Specialists
FR-44 Rate Ranges by Violation Count for Active Florida Carriers
Florida FR-44 premiums vary by violation count, conviction age, and county of residence. A single DUI conviction with no prior moving violations typically produces monthly premiums between $210 and $380 for minimum FR-44 liability limits. Adding a second DUI within the past 5 years pushes that range to $340–$520 per month. A DUI plus reckless driving or multiple at-fault accidents within 3 years can exceed $600 monthly.
Carriers writing new FR-44 business in Florida include The General, Direct Auto, Acceptance Insurance, and National General. Progressive and GEICO write FR-44 in Florida but typically decline applicants with convictions less than 2 years old or multiple DUIs. State Farm and Allstate do not write new FR-44 policies in Florida at all — existing customers with FR-44 filings may be retained, but new applicants are referred out.
Non-owner FR-44 policies run $150–$280 per month for a single DUI with no other violations. The coverage is liability-only and does not include collision or comprehensive, which reduces the base premium compared to a standard owner policy. Estimates based on available industry data; individual rates vary by driving history, vehicle, coverage selections, and location.
How to Verify a Carrier Actually Writes FR-44 Before Applying
Call the carrier directly and ask: "Do you write new FR-44 policies in Florida for DUI convictions?" Aggregator results do not distinguish between carriers that write SR-22, FR-44, or neither. Many carriers listed as high-risk auto specialists write SR-22 in other states but not FR-44 in Florida. If the agent says they write SR-22, clarify that Florida requires FR-44 for DUI — SR-22 does not exist for DUI offenders under current DHSMV rules.
Confirm the liability limits in your quote match 100/300/50. Some agents quote Florida's standard 10/20/10 minimum and add FR-44 filing without adjusting the limits upward. That policy will not satisfy reinstatement because the limits are too low. The certificate filed with DHSMV must show 100/300/50 or higher.
Request written confirmation that the insurer will file FR-44 electronically with Florida DHSMV within 7 days of policy effective date. Most carriers file within 24–48 hours, but some take up to a week. If you are on a court-ordered or DHSMV deadline, confirm the filing timeline before binding coverage.
What Happens If You File SR-22 Instead of FR-44 in Florida
Florida DHSMV does not accept SR-22 filings for DUI reinstatement. If your insurer files SR-22 by mistake, DHSMV's system rejects it or ignores it entirely. You receive no confirmation that your filing was processed because it was not processed. Your license remains suspended, and you remain out of compliance.
The 3-year FR-44 clock does not start until a valid FR-44 certificate is on file. Filing SR-22 for 6 months, discovering the error, then switching to FR-44 does not give you credit for the 6 months — the 3-year period starts from scratch when the FR-44 is filed. You lose time and pay premiums for coverage that did not satisfy the requirement.
Some drivers discover the error only when they attempt to renew their license or are pulled over and charged with driving while license suspended. DHSMV does not send a notification that your filing type is incorrect — the burden is on you to confirm that FR-44 was filed, not SR-22. Check your policy documents and the certificate of insurance for the exact filing type before assuming compliance.
Why Most National Carriers Stopped Writing New FR-44 in Florida
FR-44 exists only in Florida and Virginia. Most national carriers do not maintain separate underwriting and compliance infrastructure for a two-state filing program. The higher liability limits required for FR-44 increase claim exposure, and the DUI-convicted applicant pool produces loss ratios that many carriers will not underwrite.
Bristol West, Progressive, and GEICO all reduced FR-44 appetite in Florida between 2022 and 2024. Existing policyholders with FR-44 on file were retained, but new applicants were declined or referred to non-standard subsidiaries. Bristol West now writes only SR-22 in other states and does not issue new FR-44 certificates in Florida.
The result is a narrow carrier market. Drivers with DUI convictions in Florida have access to roughly 5–8 carriers actively writing new FR-44 business, compared to 30+ carriers writing standard auto policies. Rates are higher, underwriting is stricter, and policy terms are less flexible. Shopping is essential because the rate spread between the highest and lowest FR-44 quote for the same driver can exceed $200 per month.
