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The Need For Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Many Drivers Don't Have Auto Insurance
A recent study by the Insurance Research Council says that almost one in four drivers in Florida do not have car insurance. This statistic underscores the need to have uninsured motorist insurance coverage in Florida.
The study tracked car accident statistics in Florida and throughout the United States over a three year period. Car accidents with uninsured motorists in Florida occur at a higher rate than all but four other states. Only New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma had more car accidents involving uninsured drivers. The study estimates that 23% of drivers in Florida do not carry the minimum insurance required in Florida.
Uninsured motorist coverage is not mandatory in Florida. In fact, the only two types of car insurance that are required in Florida are Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage (PD). PIP coverage covers 80% of a person�s medical bills in a auto accident, and/or 60% of lost wages that result from a Florida car accident, up to the limits of coverage, and usually subject to a deductible. PIP coverage will not cover a person injured in a Florida car accident for medical bills or lost wages once the PIP coverage is exhausted. Although you can purchase higher PIP limits, most people only have $10,000 in PIP coverage.
Why Get Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Purchasing uninsured motorist coverage can protect a person in a Florida car accident by ensuring the person is covered for injuries and lost wages above and beyond any coverage afforded by PIP. Uninsured motorist coverage can cover additional medical bills, lost wages, and even allow recovery for pain and suffering resulting from injuries suffered in a Florida car accident. Attorney Joseph M. Maus, a South Florida accident injury lawyer, says that many drivers in Florida believe they have �full coverage� when in reality, they only have PIP and PD coverages.
Maus says he is often contacted by people that have been injured in Florida car accidents caused by uninsured drivers, or underinsured drivers. He says that unless the injured person has uninsured motorist coverage they are often left without a recovery for their injuries, lost wages and pain and suffering. Maus says that unless the person that caused the accident has significant assets, there is not much that can be done to help the injured party. And, there is usually a reason drivers choose to drive a car without insurance. The Insurance Research Council study found a �strong correlation� between the number of uninsured motorists and the unemployment rate. When the unemployment rate increased, so did the number of uninsured motorists.
While the State of Florida does not require uninsured motorist coverage, it does require an insurance agent to explain that uninsured motorist coverage is available, and have a person purchasing car insurance sign a waiver that they have elected to not purchase uninsured motorist coverage. The pre-printed form has a box to check that says the driver either elects to purchase uninsured motorist coverage, or elects not to purchase it. The form is required to have the following statement on it:
�You are electing not to purchase certain valuable coverage which protects you and your family or you are purchasing uninsured motorist limits less than your bodily injury liability limits when you sign this form. Please read carefully."
If you are not provided with this form when purchasing car insurance, the insurance company may be required to provide you with the coverage anyways if you are injured in car accident while the policy is still in effect. You should always check with an experienced Florida car accident injury lawyer to determine whether you may be entitled to uninsured motorist insurance coverage for your car accident injuries.
How We Can Help
When dealing with an uninsured motorist accident you need an attorney. Contact me, Joseph M. Maus at 1-855-999-5297 or email me today. Remember that prior to making a claim under Florida�s Uninsured Motorist Law certain procedural steps are needed. If you don�t, you can lose the right to pursue a claim under the uninsured motorist law.
Call our office today TOLL FREE (855) 999-5297 to speak with an accident claims lawyer about your rights under Florida's uninsured motorist law. We have a local office to serve people in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Boca Raton.
