Florida is one of several states that require Personal Injury Protection, also called PIP insurance. Florida is a no-fault state, and Personal Injury Protection provides people with coverage if they are in an automobile crash. This medical coverage is in place of establishing fault through what is called the tort remedy. The goal of Personal Injury Protection is to reduce delays in receiving payment for injuries. It also limits the utilization of the court system in Florida for determining fault in automobile crashes.
In the state, owners of registered vehicles that have four wheels are required to purchase PIP insurance coverage. By purchasing this coverage, people will file claims with their own auto insurance company and go to their own car insurance plan to collect for their own injuries. This is regardless of whether they caused the accident or not. This is the essence behind Personal Injury Protection insurance and being a no-fault state.
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PIP insurance plans cover members of your household, children, and passengers of certain types that lack PIP insurance so long as they do not own a motor vehicle. Not as well-known is that PIP covers children if they suffer an injury while riding a school bus as well. Personal Injury Protection covers people while riding in someone else’s vehicle, protects them if they are pedestrian, protects them as a bicyclist, and other protections are given as well.
In Florida, Personal Injury Protection will pay for 80% of reasonable medical bills, including surgical, dental, ambulance, medical, eyeglasses, hearing aids, prosthetic devices, and rehabilitative services. It can also cover up to 60% of the lost income or earning capacity of a person who is not able to work because of the accident they were in. Other services like lawn care, cleaning services, and death benefits can also be part of a PIP plan. Keep in mind that the maximum payable under Personal Injury Protection is $10,000 unless a person purchases a higher amount of coverage.
There are a few different types of PIP coverage options, including full PIP, and PIP that does not include work loss coverage. Depending on a person’s deductible amount, the premium for PIP in a person’s policy can range from $280-$400 or more. People who purchase a higher deductible will have lower premiums, but it is essential to have a premium that you can afford to pay in case you are in an accident and need to use the coverage.
Like most other states, there are strict rules when filing a claim if you are in a car crash. Florida rules that treatment for injuries must happen within two weeks of the accident to be eligible for reimbursement from PIP. Your claim for PIP will not be accepted after this two-week period. In addition, due to high levels of fraud in the state of Florida, insurance companies have up to 60 days to investigate a person’s insurance claim for any falsehoods. Your damage must be paid, however, within 30 days, regardless of whether there is suspicion or not. Some people do choose to get personal injury lawyers to ensure they get their payment, particularly if a company is giving issues or if the case they are involved in is not straightforward.
Those who have coverage for lost wages will need to submit a verification form filled out by an employer. This form will document a person’s wages in the three months before an accident. Some people choose to have a lawyer look over these forms, and others use lawyers to help make sure that their employer fills out the verification in a timely manner. In some cases, you may need to have a note from your physician detailing why you are not able to fulfill your work requirements.
One of the purposes of Personal Injury Protection laws is to minimize the number of people who are suing each other over damages. In Florida, only drivers that have significant injuries, like severe disfigurement and/or significant permanent injuries or death are allowed to sue. As long as medical costs exceed $10,000, drivers can sue even if the damage is not severe, however. If a person has $20,000 worth of hospital bills as a result of an accident, they will be able to sue the other driver for the amount not covered by PIP insurance. It can also be possible to sue a person for emotional and mental suffering in these cases.
Another type of coverage that can be of assistance if a person is in an accident is called Medical Payments coverage. Also called Medpay, this policy does not include benefits for lost wages and other economic benefits. On average, the limits are quite low for PIP insurance, and Medical Payments coverage can add an additional $5,000 worth of coverage. This can be helpful because people will be less likely to have to sue another driver to recoup costs that go above $10,000.
FloridaDiscountInsurance gives free quotes for Florida car insurance, including PIP insurance and Medpay insurance. Use the tools here to find the best prices for car insurance available in your area.
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