As the leading personal injury attorney in Florida, attorney David Shiner and the car accident lawyers at Shiner Law Group have seen firsthand how car insurance can protect drivers from the enormous costs following a car accident in Florida and throughout Palm Beach County.
Florida is known to have some of the worst drivers in the country. The motor vehicle accident attorneys at the Shiner Law Group who have litigated their share of disputes in Florida certainly would not disagree.
This year, Florida ranked eighth among states with the worst drivers in a report conducted by the financial website SmartAsset, which gathered information about motorists and traffic nationwide. On the bright side, Florida had been ranked No. 1 in 2017. And if you are looking for another silver lining, the report also found that Florida boasts the fewest uninsured motorists in the nation.
However, almost three-quarters of the registered drivers in Florida have motor vehicle insurance.
Every state – with the exception of New Hampshire and Virginia – requires car insurance. And even New Hampshire and Virginia have stipulations that hold drivers who cause accidents liable for damages.
Some states offer coverage alternatives, but if you live in Florida and drive a vehicle with four or more wheels, you are required to maintain automobile insurance.
Uninsured drivers caught without motor vehicle insurance may be subjected to a fine of $50-$500. And, depending on the number of offenses, if you are uninsured, you might even go to jail.
When you move from the ranks of the uninsured and purchase car insurance in Florida, you must have a minimum of $10,000 Personal Injury and Protection coverage. That means if you are injured in a car accident, PIP will pay you up to $10,000 in immediate medical coverage without having to establish fault.
You must also carry a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability insurance, which will cover damages to someone’s home or buildings.
Florida is a no-fault state, which means, regardless of who is at fault in an accident, your insurance will pay medical costs related to your injuries up to the limits of your policy.
Minimum coverage for registered Florida drivers is:
- $10,000 of no-fault or personal injury protection (PIP) insurance;
- $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL) insurance.
PIP insurance reimburses for any medical expenses and loss of income including lost wages associated with a car accident. Personal Injury and Protection, or PIP, will also cover:
- Your child and other household family members;
- Your child in a school bus;
- When you are a pedestrian or a bicyclist involved in a car accident;
- Any passengers in your vehicle who do not have PIP insurance and do not own a car.
If you are involved in a car accident, passengers in your vehicle who have PIP insurance will be covered by their policies. In turn, PIP will cover you when you are a passenger in another vehicle.
The attorneys at Shiner Law Group also represent insured motorists who choose to purchase higher levels of coverage beyond the required PIP minimums. Most car insurance companies will recommend that underinsured Florida motorists consider more comprehensive coverage.
These options may include:
- Comprehensive – Pays for damages or scratches to that are not the result of a car accident;
- Collision – Pays for accident-related damages to your car.
- Towing and labor;
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist – Pays for damages incurred by uninsured drivers;
- Rental car coverage.
No-fault requirements do not entirely protect Florida drivers from surrendering additional damages. If you are involved in a car accident in which the other driver is both at fault and underinsured, an attorney at Shiner Law Group can file a lawsuit that will enable you to claim additional damages, especially if your injuries are severe or fatal.
These cases might include:
- Permanent injury;
- Severe scarring;
- Disfigurement;
- Death.
FREE Personal Injury Consultation with Florida’s Leading Attorney David Shiner
Insurance law can be complex. However, the experienced attorneys at Shiner Law Group have a long history of pursuing Florida automobile accident claims against both underinsured and insured drivers in the Palm Beach County courts system.
Whether you carry the maximum coverage or the minimum Personal Injury and Protection insurance, you have the legal right in Florida to seek the reimbursement you deserve.
The car accident lawyers at Shiner Law Group can be trusted to listen to your claims, determine liability in the motor vehicle accident and craft a strategy to help put your life back in order.
