Posted in Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured Motorist
In my 27 years practicing law, I have had countless clients tell me that they have “full coverage” for their accident, only to find that they have the bare minimum coverage. In reality, there is no such thing as full coverage. There is minimum insurance coverage in Florida that every driver must have, but these types of policies are inadequate to protect someone who is injured in an accident. Many clients only have Personal Injury Protection (this is “no-fault” coverage that helps pay your medical bills and lost wages if you are injured), Property Damage (this coverage pays for the damage you cause to other vehicles or property when you are at fault) and Liability (this coverage is used to pay for the other person’s injuries if you are at fault).
But what if you are injured due to another driver’s negligence and that driver only has minimum insurance? Many drivers in Florida either drive illegally without any insurance coverage or they have only the minimum liability coverage of $10,000.00. If you have significant injuries, their $10,000.00 in coverage will not come close to compensating you. What can you do about this? Plan ahead by purchasing one of the best insurance coverages there is – uninsured motorist coverage (UM). UM coverage will kick in to pay for your injuries if your claim exceeds the amount of the other driver’s available insurance. For example, if your claim is worth $100,000.00 but the driver who hits you has either no insurance or minimal insurance, then you can look to your own insurance company and make a claim for the UM coverage to help compensate you. If you are involved in an accident, make sure you talk to an experienced injury attorney to discuss your legal rights.