Personal Injury Protection Insurance Florida in a Nutshell
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage: Florida requires every insured driver have exactly $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection insurance florida coverage.
Personal Injury Protection insurance covers about 80% of necessary and reasonable medical costs, hospital costs and funeral expenses, 60% of lost wages, and several other accident-related expenses of the insured, passengers in the insured’s automobile and any people struck by the insured, up to, but not to exceed that $10,000 threshold, regardless of who was at fault. This is rarely sufficient enough to cover the cost of injuries sustained in a car accident. Read about Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage
PIP Insurance Florida Details
All Florida Drivers are required to carry no-fault auto insurance, also known as Personal-Injury Protection (or PIP), except for bus drivers, taxis and motorcycles. As previously explained, PIP pays 80% of certain medical bills and 60% lost-wage benefits up to $10,000. The concept surrounding this law is that one should not have to wait to receive immediate medical care.
This is why it is called “no fault” your PIP insurance will pay doctors regardless of whether or not you or someone else caused the accident who else has car insurance. An injured person must report any car accident to their own insurance carrier and utilize their own Personal Injury Protection insurance benefits first (regardless if they were driving, not driving, at fault, not-at-fault, in their own car, in a stranger’s car).If the injured person does not own a car, their personal injury lawyer will look for any auto insurance that may cover resident relatives in the injured person’s household.
If the insured person does not own a car and does not live with anyone who owns a car, your car accident attorney will apply with the insurance carrier that covers the car in which he/she was in when the accident occurred. But If the injured person owns a car but does not have the required Personal Injury Protection insurance, they will not be entitled to utilize anyone else’s PIP insurance and the at-fault party will not have to pay for medical and lost wage-benefits that the injured party would have been entitled to if they were abiding by the PIP law (up to $10,000). Driving without car insurance is illegal and the law will not allow those people who break the law to benefit.
Do Motorcyclists Need PIP Coverage In Florida?
In the world where the more insurance coverage you carry, the fewer laws you break, it would make sense if motorcycle PIP insurance was required in Florida. But is it? Well, technically, you are not required to purchase motorcycle PIP insurance coverage if you own a bike in Florida, but it is not that simple. It is highly advised that you carry motorcycle insurance coverage because, in the event of a motorcycle accident, you could be left with no coverage whatsoever if you get injured. Today, we invited our motorcycle accident attorney from the Neufeld & Kleinberg, PA, to tell you more about the importance of carrying motorcycle insurance in Florida.
PIP Insurance Florida For Motorcycle Accident
Under Florida law, owners of motor vehicles are legally required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. However, this requirement does not apply to motorcyclists in Florida. Sadly but true, many motorcycle owners in Aventura, Hollywood, Hallandale and elsewhere in Florida wrongly believe that carrying the PIP coverage for their car will also provide them with coverage in the event of a motorcycle accident. This misconception can be very dangerous, as it can leave you with no insurance to cover your damages and losses after a motorcycle accident, explains our experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Aventura
Insurance Coverage for Motorcyclists in Florida
Motorcycle riders are not required to purchase PIP coverage, in no way does it mean that there is no insurance coverage available for motorcyclists in Florida. If this was the case, it would not make any sense considering how costly motorcycle accidents tend to be large because of the severe injuries to the motorcyclist. Even though you are not required to purchase PIP coverage as a motorcyclist in Florida, many insurance companies in Florida offer a variety of other policies that cover motorcycle riders in motor vehicle accidents.
If you do choose to purchase PIP coverage for your motorcycle, the insurance company will typically cover up to 80 percent of your medical expenses and up to 60 percent of the loss of income. To be eligible to receive Personal Injury Protection insurance benefits after a motorcycle accident, you are legally required to seek medical attention within 14 days of the date of the motorcycle accident in Aventura or elsewhere in Florida.
PIP Insurance Florida Coverage
In the category of insurance coverage designed to protect you (rather than just 3rd parties), the state of Florida is one of 10 states that requires something called Personal Injury Protection (or no fault) auto insurance. The idea is that drivers injured in an accident would have a way to receive quicker compensation than if they had to go through the court system. These benefits are only eligible for those who are need of immediate medical treatment (within 14 days of the accident).
Here’s an approximate breakdown of what Personal Injury Protection insurance covers:
Covers about 80% necessary and reasonable medical expenses
- Medical bills
- Hospital costs
- Funeral expenses
- $5,000 worth of death benefits
- Covers 60% of lost wages
- Covers other accident-related expenses
eg. Mileage reimbursement to and from your doctor
Regardless of who’s at fault, here’s the breakdown of who Personal Injury Protection insurance covers:
- Covers you, the driver
- Covers the passengers in your insured vehicle
- Covers anyone struck by your vehicle
How much does Personal Injury Protection insurance cover? Personal Injury Protection insurance covers up to, but not to exceed $10,000 (the required amount). If a person has a non-emergency medical condition, they would receive less than $2500. An emergency medical condition would warrant further compensation.
Personal Injury Attorneys
If you or anyone you love has been injured in a car accident, get in touch with an experienced personal injury lawyer at Neufeld & Kleinberg, PA as soon as possible and fight for the compensation that you need and deserve.
Note: This article is intended for informational purposes only. Our dedicated team compiles accident news reports using a variety of trusted external sources, such as local news outlets, official police reports, social media updates, and eyewitness statements regarding incidents in Florida. While we strive for accuracy, the facts in this post have not been independently verified by our writers. If you identify any inaccuracies, please contact Neufeld & Kleinfeld, PA, immediately, and we will promptly address any corrections. Posts can also be removed upon request.
Disclaimer: This post is not intended as a business solicitation. The information provided should not be interpreted as medical or legal advice. Additionally, the photo accompanying this post does not depict the accident scene described in this post.