WHAT IS NO-FAULT INSURANCE IN FLORIDA AND DO I NEED IT?

No-Fault Insurance in Florida, also known as Personal Injury Protection is auto coverage each Florida driver must have on his/her vehicle to legally operate on Florida roads. No-Fault insurance pays for your medical bills when an auto crash has occurred, regardless of whether you or someone else was at fault. The reason this is important is that you can go to any doctor or medical facility that accepts No-Fault insurance, and you do not have to ask a health insurer whether the provider is in or out of network. You can go immediately to a doctor of your choosing. A second benefit to Florida No-Fault Insurance is that the insurer has to pay your medical bills quickly that arise out of treatment in a motor vehicle crash in Florida. What this means is that when you have No-Fault Insurance in Florida you do not have to wait around for months while someone else determines who was actually at fault for a motor vehicle crash, you can go to a doctor of your choosing as soon as you want—using your Florida No-Fault coverage.

Florida insurers typically sell $10,000 in No-Fault coverage. To lower the premium amount, some budget insurers allow the purchase of a policy with a $1000 deductible to No-Fault Insurance.

WHAT FLORIDA NO-FAULT INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER IN FLORIDA

Here is what No-Fault insurance does not cover: It will not cover the injuries of another person located in another vehicle if you are found at fault for a motor vehicle crash. Therefore, it does not cover you if the other driver makes a claim against you or sues you for a neck or back injury, for instance. Florida No-Fault insurance also does not cover property damage caused to another vehicle by your vehicle. Nor does No-Fault cover property damage to your own vehicle.

CAUTION—If you only have No-Fault and Property Damage Coverage on your vehicle that is not enough if you cause injury to another person with your vehicle. You can be sued for bodily injury of another person, and neither No-Fault Insurance nor Property Damage covers those injuries to someone in another vehicle.

CAUTION 2—You must seek medical attention and be evaluated within 14 days of a motor vehicle crash or you lose the right to use your No Fault insurance even if your payments are up to date.

SUMMARY: While Florida No-Fault Insurance has its downsides, it allows you to get medical treatment where you want to go, and without delay. The downside is that it is limited to $10,000 in medical coverage (or $9000 if you chose a $1000 deductible). You must have this coverage (and $10,000 in Property Damage coverage) to drive legally in the State of Florida. No-Fault insurance does not cover anyone else that may be injured if you are found at fault for a motor vehicle crash which causes injuries to another person. That other coverage is known as Bodily Injury insurance. You should carry at least $10,000 in Bodily Injury coverage because while you are legal to drive without Bodily Injury but if you cause injury in a crash your driver’s license can be suspended for not carrying at least $10,000 in Bodily Injury insurance.

Auto insurance in Florida is somewhat complex. If you have questions after a motor vehicle crash you can contact us at www.FightingForFamilies.com, a law firm helping people for 25 years in Florida. If you have been in an automobile crash we would be glad to talk with you at no charge.

At www.FightingForFamilies.com we do not want to be the busiest law firm, we are a law firm that fights for our clients and believe in maximizing the recovery for each client. You can trust our 25 years of successfully representing deserving clients.

WE ARE READY RIGHT NOW

TAMPA BAY AREA 727-399-2222

SUN CITY CENTER  813-999-2221

THE VILLAGES        352-633-6900

ALL OF FLORIDA    800-253-2531