When purchasing auto insurance, drivers are led to believe they have “Full Coverage,” but what does that really mean? When an auto accident happens sometimes people find out “Full Coverage” is not what they thought it meant, and they aren’t fully protected. This is why it is important to talk to an Auto Accident Attorney in Port St. Lucie or Fort Pierce, Florida.
People who have been in Florida for at least 90 of the last 365 days, are required by law to have a minimum amount of automobile coverage. Some insurance agents will have you believe this minimum is “full coverage.” The minimum, by Florida law, are two types of coverage: Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage. These both must have at the lowest $10,000 in protection.
Florida is considered a No-Fault state for the first $10,000.00 of your medical bills. This means that if injured in a car crash, no matter who is at fault, you go through your own insurance company and your Personal Injury Protection or PIP coverage for the first $10,000.00 of your medical bills. PIP pays 80% of your reasonable and necessary medical bills up to that limit. The other minimum requirement is Property Damage coverage. Property Damage refers to damage if you are held liable for damaging another’s property in the course of an accident. This will include vehicles, land or property.
No matter where you live in Florida, whether it is Port St. Lucie , Fort Pierce, Palm Beach Gardens, or anywhere else, if you are in a car accident, you could unhappily learn that not all drivers purchase Bodily Injury coverage. That’s because Bodily injury coverage is optional in Florida. Bodily injury coverage is coverage to ensure that people take the responsibility financially, for any damage they cause due to an auto crash or accident.
If an at-fault driver doesn’t have bodily injury coverage, you can protect yourself by purchasing uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM.) This allows a victim to receive money for medical expenses or damages caused by a person with too little insurance, or none at all. This amount would be paid to them through their own insurance policy.
There are other optional coverages that are also available, such as coverage for medical payments and comprehensive coverage, also referred to as collision. Collision coverage will pay for repairs that will need to be done on your vehicle if it is in an accident. Also available for policy holders is optional coverage of a rental vehicle and towing charges if needed. Motorcycle coverage is another option.
You don’t want to wait until you are the victim of an auto crash to find out you are not really “fully covered.” Consult a Port St. Lucie or Fort Pierce Auto Accident Attorney to work for you.