(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Policy” means a motor vehicle insurance policy that provides personal injury protection coverage, property damage liability coverage, or both.
(b) “Binder” means a binder that provides motor vehicle personal injury protection and property damage liability coverage.
(2) A policy may not be issued for a term of less than 6 months unless it is:
(a) Issued to achieve common expiration dates; or
(b) Issued to complete the unexpired portion of a previous policy period.
(3) Except as provided in s. 627.7282, an insured may not cancel a policy or binder during the first two months immediately following the effective date of the policy except:
(a) Upon total destruction of the insured motor vehicle;
(b) Upon transfer of ownership of the insured motor vehicle; or
(c) After purchase of another policy or binder covering the motor vehicle that was covered under the policy being canceled.
(4) The insurer may cancel the policy in accordance with this code except that, notwithstanding s. 627.728, an insurer may not cancel a new policy or binder during the first 30 days immediately following the effective date of the policy or binder for nonpayment of premium unless the reason for the cancellation is the issuance of a check for the premium that is dishonored for any reason or any other type of premium payment that was subsequently determined to be rejected or invalid.
(5)(a) A licensed general lines agent may charge a per-policy fee not to exceed $10 to cover the administrative costs of the agent associated with selling the motor vehicle insurance policy if the policy covers only personal injury protection coverage as provided by s. 627.736 and property damage liability coverage as provided by s. 627.7275 and if no other insurance is sold or issued in conjunction with or collateral to the policy. The fee is not considered part of the premium.
(b) To the extent that a licensed general agent’s cost of obtaining motor vehicle reports on applicants for motor vehicle insurance is not otherwise compensated, the agent may, in addition to any other fees authorized by law, charge an applicant for motor vehicle insurance a reasonable, nonrefundable fee to reimburse the agent the actual cost of obtaining the report for each licensed driver when the motor vehicle report is obtained by the agent simultaneously with the preparation of the application for use in the calculation of premium or in the proper placement of the risk. The amount of the fee may not exceed the agent’s actual cost in obtaining the report which is not otherwise compensated. Actual cost is the cost of obtaining the report on an individual driver basis when so obtained or the pro rata cost per driver when the report is obtained on more than one driver; however, in no case may actual cost include subscription or access fees associated with obtaining motor vehicle reports online through any electronic transmissions program.
(6) If a motor vehicle owner’s driver license, license plate, and registration have previously been suspended pursuant to s. 316.646 or s. 627.733, an insurer may cancel a new policy only as provided in s. 627.7275.
(7) A policy of private passenger motor vehicle insurance or a binder for such a policy may be initially issued in this state only if, before the effective date of such binder or policy, the insurer or agent has collected from the insured an amount equal to at least 1 month’s premium. An insurer, agent, or premium finance company may not, directly or indirectly, take any action resulting in the insured having paid from the insured’s own funds an amount less than the 1 month’s premium required by this subsection. This subsection applies without regard to whether the premium is financed by a premium finance company or is paid pursuant to a periodic payment plan of an insurer or an insurance agent. This subsection does not apply if an insured or member of the insured’s family is renewing or replacing a policy or a binder for such policy written by the same insurer or a member of the same insurer group. This subsection does not apply to an insurer that issues private passenger motor vehicle coverage primarily to active duty or former military personnel or their dependents. This subsection does not apply if all policy payments are paid pursuant to a payroll deduction plan, an automatic electronic funds transfer payment plan from the policyholder, or a recurring credit card or debit card agreement with the insurer. This subsection and subsection (4) do not apply if all policy payments to an insurer are paid pursuant to an automatic electronic funds transfer payment plan from an agent, a managing general agent, or a premium finance company and if the policy includes, at a minimum, personal injury protection pursuant to ss. 627.730-627.7405; motor vehicle property damage liability pursuant to s. 627.7275; and bodily injury liability in at least the amount of $10,000 because of bodily injury to, or death of, one person in any one accident and in the amount of $20,000 because of bodily injury to, or death of, two or more persons in any one accident. This subsection and subsection (4) do not apply if an insured has had a policy in effect for at least 6 months, the insured’s agent is terminated by the insurer that issued the policy, and the insured obtains coverage on the policy’s renewal date with a new company through the terminated agent.
(8) Subsection (7) does not apply if an insured or family member has previously purchased and has in effect a policy of private passenger motor vehicle insurance and is purchasing additional coverage or adding coverage for an additional vehicle, with such coverage being written by the same insurer or a member of the same insurer group.
History.—s. 17, ch. 88-370; s. 5, ch. 89-238; s. 1, ch. 89-296; s. 12, ch. 90-248; s. 3, ch. 91-106; ss. 83, 114, ch. 92-318; s. 5, ch. 95-202; s. 1, ch. 95-424; s. 10, ch. 96-377; s. 4, ch. 98-103; s. 7, ch. 98-173; s. 1, ch. 98-270; s. 33, ch. 99-3; s. 3, ch. 99-381; s. 3, ch. 2000-192; s. 1194, ch. 2003-261; s. 68, ch. 2003-267; s. 21, ch. 2003-411; s. 3, ch. 2005-195; s. 92, ch. 2006-1; s. 7, ch. 2007-324; s. 13, ch. 2010-198; s. 16, ch. 2011-174; s. 16, ch. 2012-151; s. 4, ch. 2016-133; s. 13, ch. 2017-132; s. 16, ch. 2019-108; s. 13, ch. 2020-63.