Most Florida motorists already know this but anyone operating a motor vehicle within the state must carry at least a minimum of insurance required by state law. This includes $10,000 in personal injury protection insurance and an additional amount of $10,000 worth of property damage liability insurance. Under the state’s minimum requirement motorists are eligible to have a deductible of up to $2,000 for the PIP insurance coverage, and a deductible of $500 for the property damage liability insurance coverage.
In theory, the Florida legislature contemplated that civil lawsuits over car accidents might be reduced if each motorist was required to maintain PIP insurance. The idea was to have those policies pay out claims to injured parties without regard as to which party was actually at fault for the accident. As a consequence, any Florida motorist now involved in an accident while carrying PIP insurance will be covered for up to $10,000, minus the deductible, to reimburse an injured party for medical costs and related bills.
PIP insurance will pay 80 percent of most “reasonable” accident-related medical expenses, in some cases even chiropractic and dental coverage may apply. PIP will also pay 60 percent of the injured party’s losses attributed to disabling injuries. These may include actual lost wages and even a loss of earning potential due to the inability to work.
Additionally, the family of a person killed in an accident may receive $5,000 in death benefits.
Out of all of the benefits of PIP insurance, perhaps one of the most generous provisions is that the coverage not only extends to you but to relatives who live in your home, passengers in your car at the time of an accident and even others who drive your car with your permission.
If you are a Florida motorist injured as a result of a car accident you should know that you may be eligible for certain benefits provided by your insurer. A consultation with your attorney may help reveal certain benefits which were previously unknown to you.
Source: The 2014 Florida Statutes, “627.736 Required personal injury protection benefits; exclusions; priority; claims.” Sep. 23, 2014