Quick answer: Yes. Florida’s excess profits law returns money based on the policy, not the driver’s record, so FR-44 policyholders qualified on the same terms as everyone else. Because the credit was calculated as a share of premium paid, and FR-44 premiums run higher, many filing-holders received more than the roughly $300 average.
When word first got around that Progressive would be sending money back to Florida drivers, the question I heard most from FR-44 clients wasn’t how much. It was some version of: does this apply to me, or is this one of those things I’m excluded from?
I understand why people ask it that way. After a DUI, you spend a couple of years running into doors that are closed to you. Companies that won’t write you. Rates that don’t resemble what your neighbor pays. It becomes a reasonable habit to assume the good news is for somebody else.
Not this time.
What Actually Happened
Florida has a law on the books that most drivers have never heard of. If an insurance company earns more than a set amount of underwriting profit on personal auto over any three-calendar-year stretch, the state doesn’t let it keep the excess. That money goes back to policyholders.
Progressive crossed that line for the 2023 through 2025 period. The number worked out to roughly $950 million, spread across more than 2.7 million Florida auto customers, and it began going out in early 2026. The average worked out to around $300, though almost nobody actually received the average — more on that in a moment.
The reason the profits got that high is the same reason your renewal has been drifting downward. Florida’s 2022 and 2023 legal reforms cut into the litigation costs that had been driving this market, and the savings arrived faster than the companies had priced for. I walk through that whole shift in Florida FR-44 Drivers: Why 2026 Finally Looks Better, and I covered the announcement itself as it developed in Progressive Confirms Excess Profits Credits for Florida Auto Policyholders in 2026.
Why an FR-44 Never Disqualified Anyone
This is the part worth understanding, because it applies to far more than one rebate.
An FR-44 is a certificate. It’s an electronic filing sitting alongside your policy, telling the state you’re carrying the higher liability limits Florida requires after certain DUI convictions. It is not a different kind of insurance policy, and it does not create a separate class of customer. Underneath the filing is an ordinary Florida auto policy, rated under the same rules the company applies to everybody.
So when a refund gets calculated on earned premium — which is exactly how this one was calculated — there’s no place in that math where your driving record enters the picture. The formula looks at what the policy paid. That’s it. I go further into where FR-44 drivers genuinely are treated differently, and where they aren’t, in Do Insurance Companies Treat Florida FR-44 Drivers Differently?
Why the Credit Was Often Larger for FR-44 Drivers
Here’s the piece almost nobody mentioned.
The credit was proportional to what each policy earned in premium during 2025. FR-44 policies carry higher liability limits than a standard Florida policy, which means higher premiums, which means a bigger slice. Those limits are only one piece of what you’re paying, of course — your record, your vehicle, your household, and each company’s own underwriting all feed into that number, and I lay the whole thing out in What Affects the Cost of Florida FR-44 Insurance?
I’m not going to dress that up as a windfall. Nobody came out ahead on the DUI. But for drivers who had been quietly paying elevated premiums for two or three years without a lapse, seeing a number come back that reflected all of that premium was, in a small way, the first time the arithmetic worked in their favor. If you want to see how those premium dollars stack up over a full compliance period, that’s the subject of The Real Cost of Florida FR-44 Insurance Over Time.
One Date Decided Everything
Eligibility came down to a single line: your Progressive policy had to be active on December 31, 2025.
That’s not a technicality. It meant a driver who had been with Progressive through 2023 and 2024 — contributing to the very profits being returned — got nothing if they’d moved to another company during 2025. Three years of premium, no credit, because of where they happened to be sitting on one particular day.
I had a client run straight into that question last fall. Her Progressive policy was renewing in November, and I’d found her a better number with GEICO — about a hundred dollars over the term. She was ready to move, and on the face of it she should have.
We talked it through instead. The credit wasn’t guaranteed at that point, but the filing language was clear enough about the December 31 requirement that the odds looked good. She decided to sit tight and revisit it in the new year. Her exact words were that she didn’t want to miss out on free money, which I thought was a fair way to put it.
She was right to wait. The credit came through, and it was worth considerably more than the hundred dollars she’d have saved by switching in November.
I want to be careful here, because that was a judgment call with a favorable outcome, not a rule. If the savings had been four hundred dollars instead of one hundred, I’d have told her to go. And this is never a reason to let a policy lapse or get careless with timing — with an FR-44, a gap doesn’t cost you money, it costs you your license. That’s why timing matters so much, and why I wrote When Should I Buy Florida FR-44 Insurance?
Will This Happen Again?
Possibly, and it’s worth knowing how to think about it.
The excess profits test is a rolling three-year calculation, and Progressive isn’t the only company writing in a market this profitable. Other carriers could trigger it for the 2024 through 2026 period or later. Nobody has announced anything, and I’d be making things up if I told you otherwise.
What I can tell you is the shape of it. If it happens, it will follow the same pattern: eligibility tied to being an active policyholder on December 31 of the final year, credits calculated as a share of premium paid, and no application to fill out. You don’t chase a rebate. You either happen to be there or you don’t.
Which brings me to the thing I’d actually want you to take away. A one-time credit is welcome. A lower renewal, every six months, for the rest of your filing period, is worth more. Don’t let the possibility of a refund talk you out of shopping — most of the time, the better move is the better rate. This one was an exception, and I said so because the numbers said so.
If you’re carrying an FR-44 and you’re not sure whether you’re with the right company or whether anything is owed to you, call me and I’ll look at it. If the answer is that you’re fine where you are, I’ll tell you that too.
Get a Straight Answer About Your FR-44 Policy
If you have questions about your Progressive credit, your current rate, or whether it makes sense to move companies, call or text me at 305-796-2968. I’ve been placing Florida auto insurance since 1987 and handling FR-44 filings statewide, and I’m happy to look at your situation and tell you honestly what I see.
Florida FR-44 Insurance Resource Guides
Understanding Florida FR-44 Insurance — Start here if you’re new to all this. What an FR-44 actually is, why Florida requires it, and how it’s different from a normal insurance policy.
License Reinstatement and FR-44 Compliance — Getting your license back, staying compliant once it’s filed, and avoiding the lapses, missed payments, and mistakes that lead to another suspension.
Florida FR-44 Insurance Companies and Rates — What actually moves your rate, where the real discounts are, switching carriers the right way, and what an FR-44 costs over time.
Florida DUI Education and Consequences — What a DUI conviction actually triggers in Florida, from license suspension through the FR-44 requirement itself.
Beyond DUI — Related situations that come up along the way: moving in or out of Florida, household questions, and how Florida’s rules compare to other states. (Coming soon)
Florida Auto Insurance — Back to the main site for general Florida auto insurance guidance beyond FR-44.
Continue Reading About Florida FR-44 Insurance Companies & Rates
If you found this guide helpful, these articles take a closer look at Florida FR-44 rates, quotes, discounts, insurance companies, and the decisions that can affect what you pay:
What Affects the Cost of Florida FR-44 Insurance? – Start here for the complete picture of how your driving history, vehicle, household, insurance history, and company underwriting come together to determine your FR-44 rate.
Do Insurance Companies Treat Florida FR-44 Drivers Differently? – Learn how insurance companies approach drivers with an FR-44 requirement and why underwriting differences matter when comparing insurers.
The Real Cost of Florida FR-44 Insurance Over Time – Look beyond the initial premium at how costs can change over time and the decisions and mistakes that can keep an FR-44 driver paying more than necessary.
Do All the Cars in My Household Need FR-44? – Learn how vehicle ownership, multiple cars, and household policy structure can affect an FR-44 requirement.
Can I Still Get Discounts With Florida FR-44 Insurance? – Find out which auto insurance discounts may still be available even after a DUI and FR-44 filing.
When Should I Buy Florida FR-44 Insurance? – Learn how choosing the right effective date can help coordinate your insurance, FR-44 filing, and license reinstatement.
Why Did Everyone’s Car Insurance Go Up After My DUI? – Understand why one household member’s DUI can sometimes affect the rates of other drivers and vehicles on the policy.
Are Florida Auto Insurance Rates Going Down for FR-44 Drivers? – See how changes in Florida’s broader auto insurance market can affect FR-44 pricing and renewals.
Florida FR-44 Drivers: Why 2026 Finally Looks Better – Take a closer look at the market developments that have improved the outlook for some Florida FR-44 drivers.
Can FR-44 Drivers Get a Progressive Rebate? – (This article) Learn how Progressive’s Florida rebate may apply to eligible FR-44 policyholders and what it can mean for your premium.
Why Are New Car Prices Raising Auto Insurance Rates? – Understand why newer vehicles, expensive repairs, technology, and replacement costs can significantly increase insurance premiums.
Should I Be the Driver or the Policyholder for FR-44 Insurance? – Learn why vehicle ownership, household relationships, and who is named on the policy can affect how an FR-44 policy should be structured.
Florida FR-44 Insurance Quotes: Five Things That Actually Move the Number – Focus on five rating factors that can materially change an FR-44 quote before you choose an insurance company.
About the Author
Written by Clifford Schimek — Florida Auto & FR-44 Insurance Expert
Questions like this one come up constantly, and they almost always start from the same assumption — that a DUI puts a driver outside whatever good news the market is handing out. Knowing when that assumption is wrong, and being able to say so with a reason behind it, is a large part of what I do every day. If you ever need help or just want a straight answer, you can always call or text me directly.
Clifford Schimek — Florida Auto & FR-44 Insurance Expert
Call or text: 305-796-2968
Learn More About Cliff
Why Clifford Schimek? – The case for working with me
Florida Auto Plus Insurance – Agency website
Florida FR-44 Information and Guidance – For Florida drivers who need an FR-44 filing
View my Google Business Profile – Reviews and business information