Do I Need Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Florida?
Florida ONLY requires limited amounts of automobile coverage such as personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) coverage for drivers in the state. Florida does not require vehicles operating in this State to carry Bodily Injury coverage. Bodily injury coverage is the type of insurance that affords liability protection in the event that an owner or driver injures another person as a result of their own negligence. Unfortunately, as many as one in four drivers don’t carry ANY insurance, let alone the optional Bodily Injury coverage. To protect yourself in case of an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, you should purchase the optional Florida uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage on your car insurance policy.
Minimum Insurance Coverages Required in Florida
The Sunshine State doesn’t require much for auto insurance. Florida only requires a minimum of the following:
- $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage
- $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage
However, despite the low minimum requirements, many drivers in Florida don’t have car insurance, which puts other drivers at risk in case of an accident. Although Florida is a no-fault state and injured drivers will have their own auto insurance to cover 80% of the costs of medical expenses up to $10,000.00, that coverage alone does not come close to making an injured person whole.
Injured drivers can pursue a bodily injury claim with the negligent driver’s auto insurance, assuming they have it, in order to seek compensation for their medical expenses not paid by PIP, lost wages, pain and suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, and emotional distress.
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
If the negligent driver doesn’t have bodily injury liability coverage or doesn’t have enough coverage, the best source of recovery is from your uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage, assuming you purchased it! As we know, uninsured or underinsured motorists are common in Florida, as such, you should protect yourself of your loved ones and purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your auto insurance policy.
Uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is protection against an uninsured and/or underinsured driver who negligently operated his/her vehicle and caused injuries. In Florida, you must carry bodily injury liability (BIL) in order to add UM/UIM coverage to your policy.
Most major insurance companies offer discounts for bundling more types of coverage into the same policy, so you may only have to pay a little extra for UM/UIM after adding BIL to your policy.
Why Do You Need Florida Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
The national average for uninsured motorists is approximately 13% of all drivers, and reports from the last few years place Florida between 20-27% of drivers not carrying insurance.
According to the Department of Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), there were 390,700 crashes in Florida in 2022. That means nearly 100,000 crashes that year, or nearly 270 crashes per day, likely included at least one uninsured driver.
With UM/UIM coverage, you can guarantee that you and your family are protected and will have a source of recovery in the event of a crash involving an uninsured and/or underinsured motorist.
How an Attorney Can Help in a Car Accident Case with an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist
We all know by now that your insurance company or any insurance company wants to put profits over people and that means minimizing your claim.
An experienced attorney can help navigate and maximize your pursuit of justice in order to ensure that you are treated fairly for the damages you may have suffered.
Contact a Key West & Marathon Car Accident Attorney for an Accident with an Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist
Drivers should have Florida uninsured/uninsured motorist coverage, even though the state doesn’t require it. If you’ve been in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, call Florida Keys Injury at 786-605-8500 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
