Do I Need to Have Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Florida?

Uninsured motorist coverage provides incredible peace of mind to any Florida motorist. If you are involved in an accident, then your no-fault benefits might be insufficient to cover all medical care or replace lost wages. You could end up with tens of thousands of dollars in losses and no easy way to get compensation. Although not legally required, uninsured motorist coverage is excellent insurance to have, as our Winter Haven car accident lawyer explains below.

Required Car Insurance in Florida

Florida requires that motorists have the following coverage:

• Personal injury protection insurance. PIP benefits are no-fault, and you use them regardless of fault. If you are hurt in an accident, you immediately turn to your PIP benefits to cover some of your medical bills and lost income. (Florida Statutes § 627.736.)
• Property damage liability insurance. This insurance pays to fix property that is damaged in a crash. It is liability insurance, so your insurance pays to fix someone else’s car if you are at fault for a crash. (Fla. Stat. § 324.022.)

That is the only mandatory insurance. However, motorists are free to buy optional coverage, depending on their needs. Uninsured motorist coverage is an attractive policy to buy.

Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Required in Florida?

No. It is not required coverage. You might choose to buy uninsured motorist insurance. This is insurance you pay for, but it will pay compensation if you are injured in an accident through the fault of another driver.

Suppose you are struck waiting at a red light by a distracted motorist who was looking at her phone and failed to hit the brakes. Because she is at fault, she should pay compensation for your damages. But she might not have bodily injury liability coverage, because it is not required in Florida.

In this scenario, you could turn to your Uninsured Motorist insurance, called UM coverage. Some drivers carry $50,000 or more in UM insurance, which provides peace of mind. Once you exhaust your PIP benefits, you can turn to UM coverage to pay for medical care, replace lost wages, or compensate for pain and suffering.

Do I Need Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Florida?

Probably. UM coverage can step in and pay compensation when you have exhausted your PIP benefits. It is a great help if you are struck by a driver who did not purchase optional bodily injury liability. You can also use UM coverage for a hit and run accident where the driver is never identified.

Accidents are more expensive than people realize. A minor fender bender could send you to the hospital for $10,000 in imaging tests to identify the source of your pain. There goes your entire PIP policy. You will have other expenses, including rehab, pain medication, doctor’s visits, and lost income if you are too injured to go to work. UM coverage is a big benefit.

Another option is to see if you can increase the limit for your Personal Injury Protection benefits. Florida only requires that motorists buy $10,000 in coverage, but you might be able to buy more.

However, PIP will not pay compensation for pain and suffering. It only covers economic losses like lost wages and medical bills. A benefit of UM coverage is that it can pay for pain and suffering.

Every person’s needs are different. It’s hard to answer whether you “need” UM coverage. It’s terrific coverage, but only if you can afford it. You should look at your budget and buy as much insurance as possible to protect your finances in the event of an accident.

Are Insurers Required to Offer Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

They must offer it if you purchase bodily injury liability coverage, which is optional in Florida. Most other states require liability coverage for bodily injuries, but Florida operates a no-fault system, so the state requires that you buy PIP coverage.

Bodily injury liability protects insureds in a couple of ways. If you are at fault for a crash, then you might be sued. Having liability insurance means you have some money to pay a settlement. Your insurer might also pay for a lawyer to defend you if your case goes to court. Often, injured victims agree to settle for an amount under the policy limit. Otherwise, they might sue you personally and try to seize bank accounts or property.

If you purchase bodily injury liability, then an insurance company should offer UM coverage. You can decline it in writing, but we don’t recommend declining it. The amount you pay in premiums will be negligible compared to how much money you would lose in an accident.

What Other Insurance Do I Need?

You should look into purchasing Underinsured Motorist Coverage, called UIM. This policy can step in if the at-fault driver does have liability coverage but not enough. In certain situations, UIM insurance can increase the amount you take home for your accident.

You might also consider keeping your collision coverage. Most lenders require that you have this insurance, but drivers often cancel once they pay off their car loan. This no-fault insurance will pay to repair your vehicle after an accident.

As with other insurance, shop around for policies and compare premiums. With the state of the economy, more drivers than ever are not carrying liability insurance in Florida. You want to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Contact a Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Car accident claims are unnecessarily complicated, and painful injuries leave many people sidelined. You need experienced legal help to gather evidence to show fault and then negotiate a settlement. Florida’s insurance laws add another layer of complexity. Although designed to simplify injury claims, our state’s no-fault system leaves many people confused about how to submit claims. They do not receive as much compensation as they should.

Contact us today to speak with an experienced Winter Haven car accident lawyer at JustCallMoe Injury and Accident Attorneys. In a free consultation, we can discuss your accident and the odds of bringing a wrongful injury claim. We serve the 32810, 33606, 33040, 33403, 32955, and 33880 zip codes.