Update on Out-of-State Student Car Insurance Dilemma
In December, my son took one of our cars from Florida to Virginia for college. Virginia’s insurance requirements are significantly higher than Florida’s, which caused our Progressive policy to increase nearly threefold when we adjusted the coverage and registered the vehicle in Virginia.
As advised by our insurer, we decided to get a separate policy for the car in Virginia through Geico. Now we have one policy in Virginia for my son and me, covering one car, and another policy in Florida for both of us and the other car.
However, I’ve just received a notice from Florida indicating they plan to cancel our registration because, according to their records, the Cadillac (which is insured under the Geico policy in Virginia) is uninsured. This is frustrating.
Will Florida recognize the Virginia policy? Since I don’t reside in Virginia and the car is under my name, I can’t register it there. Additionally, both my son and I hold Florida licenses, as he is a student and his residence remains in Florida.
Is my only option really to pay three times the amount for insurance?
It sounds like you’re in a bit of a challenging situation with the car insurance and registration for your son’s vehicle. Here are a few steps you might consider taking to resolve this:
Contact Florida DMV: Reach out to your local Florida DMV office to explain your situation. Provide them with proof of the insurance policy from Geico in Virginia. Make sure to clarify that the car is being used by your son at school and is garaged in Virginia.
Insurance Documentation: Have Geico provide documentation that proves your son has car insurance in Virginia. This documentation may help you establish that the vehicle is indeed insured.
Temporary Registration: In some states, it may be possible to apply for a temporary registration, especially for students living out of state. Ask the DMV if this could be an option for you.
Consider Policy Changes: Since the insurance costs in Florida are significantly lower, you may want to explore if it’s possible to adjust your Florida policy to reflect that the Cadillac is garaged in Virginia while still keeping it under your name in Florida. Some insurers may offer competitive rates for students living out of state but may require more verification.
State Regulations: Check if Florida has a specific rule or agreement regarding insuring vehicles owned by residents who are students out of state. Each state has different regulations regarding insurance and registration for students.
Consult with Geico: Since you have the policy with Geico in Virginia, consider reaching out to them for further clarification on cross-state insurance and any advice they might have specific to your situation.
You may need to gather some additional documentation and have some discussions with both the insurance companies and the DMV, but it could potentially save you from incurring such high costs. Good luck!