What Is Mandatory Auto Insurance Coverage in Florida?
Once you own a car, you want to keep it safe and secure. Buying insurance for your vehicle is a major undertaking. To do it right, you need to understand how insurance works, what coverages are required in Florida, and how to purchase enough coverage so that your legal rights are protected if you are involved in an accident. In this blog post, we will discuss the basic issues and concepts car owners need to be aware of when purchasing insurance coverage for their vehicle.
Motor Vehicle Insurance
All registered car owners in Florida must obtain two types of auto insurance coverage pursuant to Florida’s No-Fault Insurance law system. The first type of insurance coverage is called personal injury protection insurance and it requires drivers to have a minimum of $10,000 in PIP coverage. Personal injury protection coverage will pay for 80% of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses incurred as a result of a car accident. In addition, PIP coverage will pay for 60% of lost wages after an accident. It will also cover up to $5,000 in death benefits. The coverage applies regardless of which driver is responsible for causing the accident that is the subject of the claim. Personal injury protection coverage will pay for claims made by the insured’s children, other members of the household, and even passengers in the vehicle who do not have their own PIP insurance coverage. The second insurance required to be purchased by all registered car owners in Florida is property damage liability coverage. Property damage liability coverage protects a car owner if they cause damage to someone else’s property in an accident. Florida’s no-fault system requires each driver to carry at least $10,000 in property damage liability coverage. This means that for most, purchasing these two types of insurance coverage means you are fully covered. However, we recommend purchasing extra coverage in order to truly be protected in the event of an accident. Additionally, if you are a driver who has received certain types of citations or caused an accident that resulted in the injury or death of another person in the past, you may be required to carry additional coverage under Florida’s financial responsibility laws.
Speak with a Miami Car Accident Attorney Today!
When discussing insurance coverage, some car owners may believe that having full coverage means complying with the statutorily mandated minimum coverages required for all drivers in the state of Florida. On the other hand, other drivers would recommend purchasing enough coverage to be able to protect yourself in the event of being involved in a serious accident with extensive property damage or catastrophic injuries. At Suarez & Montero, we believe it is better to be safe than sorry. We understand just how quickly the costs associated with car accidents can be including medical treatment costs and car repairs. Also, many people lose a great deal of money when their injuries prevent them from being able to go back to work. That is why we suggest going well above the minimum amount which Florida law requires. We understand the difficulty injury victims face after an accident when going up against a large insurance company. As the bills continue to add up, so does the stress. What is even more frustrating is when an insurance company simply refuses to pay you what you are owed for your injuries and property damage. Our attorneys are ready to provide proven legal representation and stand ready to protect your rights. We are available 24/7 to give you a free, no risk case consultation! At our firm, our policy is that if you don’t recover compensation, you won’t pay any fees for our services. Not to mention, we also provide free case consultations where we assess the circumstances surrounding your case and give you an objective overview of what steps you can take going forward if you decide to act against the party responsible for your injuries. For over 19 years, we have delivered quality legal representation for people who, through no fault of their own, have been injured in all types of accidents and incidents. We are available 24/7 to give you a free, no risk case consultation.
We serve clients throughout Florida including those in the following areas:
Miami-Dade: Aventura, Coral Gables, Doral, Fontainebleau, Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Lakes, North Miami, Tamiami, and Westchester.
Broward: Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Weston; and Palm Beach County including Boca Raton, Lake Worth, and West Palm Beach.
