Medical bills from a car accident can be extremely expensive, which is why you need to ensure that you are fully insured. You need to know what kind of insurance coverage covers you in different situations. For example, when an insurance agent tells you that your policy has “Full Coverage”, the agent is likely referring to comprehensive and collision coverage for your car. “Full Coverage” doesn’t mean you are fully protected.
The Law Offices of Philip DeBerard serve a few locations so check out our personal injury lawyers in Port St. Lucie as well as Vero Beach and West Palm Beach.
In Florida the only mandatory car insurance is Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL). The minimum required coverage for both of those is $10,000. Personal Injury Protection pays your medical bills and lost wages. This is “no fault” coverage. It will pay out regardless of any dispute about who caused the crash. Property Damage Liability covers what you think it means – someone else’s property if you crash into them. A very high percentage of Florida drivers only carry the minimum insurance. This means if one of them crashes into you, they have NO insurance that will pay for your injuries.
PIP often falls short of covering medical expenses if you are hurt in an accident. First of all it only pays 80% of your medical bills, and secondly, $10,000 doesn’t go nearly as far as it used to. Injuries sustained in a car accident can result in significant medical expenses and may require time off work to recover. The type of insurance that protects you beyond PIP is the other driver’s bodily injury coverage, if they have any, or your own Uninsured Motorist coverage. You can and should purchase Uninsured Motorist coverage. This type of insurance can help reimburse you for your bodily injury damages like medical bills, rehabilitation, and lost wages, providing much-needed financial support during a challenging time.
Even if the other driver involved in an accident has insurance, bodily injury coverage may not be sufficient to cover all your expenses. What if your hospital bill is thirty thousand dollars, and the other driver only has ten thousand in Bodily Injury coverage? Well after your PIP and the other driver’s bodily injury coverage each pays their ten, you will owe the hospital the final ten thousand dollars! And remember that the only mandatory insurance is PIP and PDL, there is no requirement that the other driver carry any coverage to reimburse you for your injuries. Uninsured motorist coverage can step in to fill this gap, providing additional protection in case of an accident.
While Florida law does not require drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage, the benefits far outweigh the costs. In a state with a high rate of uninsured motorists and frequent hit-and-run accidents, having this additional layer of protection is a wise investment in your safety and financial well-being.
When shopping for auto insurance in Florida, be sure to inquire about uninsured motorist coverage and we would strongly advise you to add it to your policy. We also suggest you get “stacked” UM coverage. The explanation for that will be in another post. UM insurance is a small price to pay for the added security and peace of mind it provides on the unpredictable roadways of the Sunshine State. Don’t wait until it’s too late—protect yourself and your family with Uninsured Motorist coverage today.
