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Florida garage liability for vehicle and RV dealers

Florida’s current statute separates dealer classes and filing options: franchised motor-vehicle dealers submit garage liability, while other dealers may use it or general liability paired with business auto. Salvage dealers are exempt for vehicles that cannot legally operate on public roads. RV dealers have a separate filing requirement; describe inventory and roadworthy status to the broker without assuming the filing insures stock or customer vehicles. 1,2

What Is Garage Liability?

Garage liability can address injury and property-damage claims from auto repair and related garage operations. If you run a repair or service shop, check separately whether customer cars in your care need garagekeepers coverage for vehicle damage. Read the national Garage liability guide.

Florida Requirements

RequirementDetails
Motor vehicle dealer filingFlorida § 320.27 requires franchised dealers to submit garage liability; other motor-vehicle dealers may submit that or general liability paired with business auto. Statutory minimums and a license-period policy apply. 1
Nonoperable salvage exceptionA salvage dealer is exempt from garage-liability and PIP requirements for vehicles that cannot legally be operated on Florida public roads. 1
RV dealer filingA recreational-vehicle dealer must submit garage liability with statutory minimums; a mobile-home dealer selling only park trailers is excepted. 2

What to Watch for in Florida

  • Identify the exact dealer class

    Florida distinguishes franchised, independent, wholesale, auction, salvage and RV activity, and filing options differ. Confirm license category, entity, location, and operations before comparing a garage policy with general liability plus business auto. 1,2

  • Separate nonroadworthy salvage from road use

    The salvage exception applies only to vehicles that cannot legally operate on Florida roads. It does not say all salvage inventory is exempt or protect stock from physical damage. Track roadworthy status and ask separately about stock and customer vehicles. 1

  • A liability filing is not open-lot or garagekeepers proof

    Section 320.27 describes liability/PIP filings; it does not promise physical-damage protection for dealer stock or vehicles held for service. Ask about open-lot, garagekeepers, transit and storage wording, limits and deductibles. 1,2

Who Regulates Insurance in Florida

Florida Office of Insurance Regulation

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation licenses and regulates insurance companies and reviews rates and forms. The Department of Financial Services separately licenses insurance agents and handles consumer insurance complaints; its resource page links to both state license searches. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 4.94% of gross premium plus a 0.03% FSLSO service fee for policies effective July 1, 2026 or later When Florida is the insured’s home state, Florida taxes the entire gross premium at 4.94%; the premium definition includes policy and similar insurance charges. The separate FSLSO service fee is 0.03% for policies effective July 1, 2026 or later. Surplus-lines policies do not receive Florida Insurance Guaranty Association protection. 6,7,8

Florida Surplus Lines Service Office

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Florida

  1. Which license class applies at each location, and does it require garage liability or allow general liability plus business auto?
  2. For salvage stock, how does the business establish which vehicles cannot legally operate on public roads?
  3. What policy section addresses inventory damage at each lot and in transit?
  4. How are customer cars in repair, preparation, or storage custody valued and treated under the offered terms?

Garage Liability in Florida: FAQ

Are Florida salvage dealers exempt from garage liability? 1,2

The statute exempts a salvage dealer for vehicles that cannot legally be operated on Florida roads. It does not promise physical-damage protection. 1,2

Can every Florida dealer file general liability plus business auto? 2

No. Franchised motor-vehicle dealers must submit garage liability; other motor dealers may use either permitted filing choice. RV dealers have a separate statute. 2

Garage Liability in Other States

Other Coverage in Florida

Sources

  1. 2026 Florida Statutes § 320.27, Motor vehicle dealers. Florida Senate; § 320.27(1)(c), dealer classes; subsection (3), liability/PIP filing and nonoperable salvage exception. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. 2026 Florida Statutes § 320.771, License required of recreational vehicle dealers. Florida Senate; § 320.771(3)(j), RV filing and park-trailer-only mobile-home exception. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Florida Office of Insurance Regulation; Official regulator homepage; insurer regulation. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Resources. Florida Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate; State page links to DFS agent search and OIR active company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Get Insurance Help. Florida Department of Financial Services; Insurance concern and formal complaint intake; consumer helpline. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Florida Statutes § 626.932: Surplus lines tax. Florida Legislature; 4.94% tax on gross premium; home-state taxation; statutory definition of premium. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. FSLSO Bulletin 2026-02. Florida Surplus Lines Service Office; Service-fee rate effective July 1, 2026: 0.03%. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  9. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  10. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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