If you are a driver in Florida, you need to be aware of many laws regarding your auto insurance. Every registered vehicle in the state is required to carry auto insurance that will cover a portion of the damages either party suffers in the event of a car crash.
However, it isn’t enough to just have a car insurance policy. There are specific state minimums that your coverage needs to meet in order to protect you—particularly because Florida is a no-fault state for auto insurance purposes. Continue reading to learn more about Florida auto insurance laws and how they apply to you.
Living in a no-fault state, you’ll be obligated to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage on your auto insurance policy. This means that, regardless of who is responsible for causing an accident, your own insurance company will need to cover a portion of your damages.
Typically, these include your medical expenses and lost wages. When purchasing your auto insurance policy, it’s important that you carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP coverage, although it is often recommended that you exceed that minimum. This is because your damages, should you be involved in an accident, will only be covered up to the limits of your insurance policy.
For example, let’s say you were injured in a car crash and your medical bills totaled $25,000. Your PIP coverage would only cover your medical expenses up to $10,000 if you only carried the state minimum for no-fault coverage.
Apart from having $10,000 in PIP coverage, your auto insurance policy should also have $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL). This will cover damage to your vehicle and other property that was damaged in your motor vehicle accident.
Although the above are the mandatory insurance requirements, adding bodily injury protection (BIL), underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage (UIM/UNM), comprehensive, and collision can help ensure that you get the most out of your auto insurance policy if you are involved in a motor vehicle collision.
If you have questions about Florida auto insurance laws or aren’t sure whether your auto insurer has covered the damages they are required to, get in touch with a highly trained Lakeland auto accident lawyer at Lopez & Humphries, PA.
Our firm will work tirelessly to ensure that you achieve maximum compensation for your losses. You can find us online or give our office a call at 863-709-8500 to schedule your free case review today.