How Does Personal Injury Protection Work In Florida?

Personal injury protection (PIP) is a type of insurance coverage that helps pay for your medical expenses and lost wages if you’re injured in a car accident, regardless of who is at fault. If you are ever in a car accident, you’ll be glad to know that PIP coverage is required by law. But how does personal injury protection work in Florida?

This article will go over how PIP coverage works in Florida and what you can expect if you need to file a claim with your own insurance company after a car accident. To help you process a personal injury protection insurance claim, it is recommended to hire the Florida law firm of Jared Spingarn, Accident Attorney. Schedule a free consultation with Jared today to know how to recover compensation for your medical costs and lost wages.

Personal Injury Protection in the Sunshine State

PIP insurance is no-fault insurance coverage. This means that your insurance company will pay your medical bills and lost wages, up to the limit of your policy, regardless of who caused the motor vehicle accident. In Florida, all drivers are required to have at least $10,000 in PIP coverage attached to their auto insurance policy.

Is it mandatory to carry personal injury protection insurance in Florida?

PIP insurance is integrated into the car insurance policies of Florida car owners. Thus, all people who own cars in the state must carry their PIP insurance at all times.

PIP coverage in Florida falls under the state’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law. This law states that each driver’s PIP insurance will be their primary coverage after a car accident – this is true even if the other driver was at fault for the accident. Additionally, any other policies such as health insurance will only kick in after you have exhausted your PIP coverage. Thus, after a car accident, you are required to file a claim under your car insurance policy to avail yourself of your PIP insurance coverage.

What types of expenses are covered by PIP insurance in Florida?

Often, a car accident results in serious injuries that need various medical treatments and may put accident victims out of work for a few weeks or more. But with the Florida PIP law, regardless of who was the at-fault driver, your own personal injury protection insurance can help you cover medical costs and get you back on your feet.

Note that this no-fault insurance does not include bodily injury liability coverage of the vehicle owner. However, Florida law also requires property damage liability up to $10,000 that will pay for the repairs of the other driver’s vehicle if you’re found at fault for an accident.

Medical Coverage

Florida PIP coverage will pay for immediate medical coverage following the accident. This may include the following medical expenses, as long as they are deemed necessary by a professional for immediate medical care.

• Ambulance rides
• Emergency room visits
• X-rays and lab tests
• Diagnostic imaging such as MRIs and CT scans
• Surgical procedures

The medical costs that will be covered by the PIP auto insurance are equivalent to 80% of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses related to the accident, up to $10,000.

Lost Wages and Disability Payments

Aside from covering your medical bills, Florida PIP will also reimburse up to 60% of your lost wages if you’re not able to work because of an accident. Additionally, it will cover disability payments and other household expenses while you are recovering from your injuries.

In order for you to avail of this benefit, you will need to provide documentation from your employer that verifies the days you missed from work and how much income you lost as a result.

Death Benefits

In the unfortunate event that an accident victim dies as a result of their injuries, Florida PIP will cover up to $5,000 in death benefits. These benefits will go to the deceased victim’s surviving spouse, children, or other dependents.

To qualify for these death benefits, the surviving family members must file a notice of claim with the victim’s car insurance company. The notice must be accompanied by a copy of the death certificate.

Is there a time limit for filing a PIP insurance claim in Florida?

It is important to note that there is a 14-day deadline for seeking initial medical treatment after a car accident. If you do not receive treatment within this time frame, your PIP insurance company may deny your claim.

Again, this is in line with the Florida PIP policy that your car insurance will only cover the medical costs of immediate care after the accident. This law is in place to ensure that accident victims won’t commit insurance fraud by falsely representing injuries that were not actually caused by the accident.

Additionally, according to the statute of limitations on personal injury in Florida, you only have up to four years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. This time period also includes filing a personal injury lawsuit. For Florida residents who are considering filing a lawsuit against the other driver, be sure to get in touch with Jared Spingarn, P.A. for a free consultation immediately after the accident. Jared can best advise you on the proper course of action that will help you receive the fair compensation you deserve.

Why do people need personal injury protection in Florida?

PIP insurance is mandatory in no-fault states such as Florida. The state created the PIP law to ensure that all drivers have some financial protection following an accident, regardless of who is found at fault.

At the same time, PIP insurance is geared toward helping people in auto accident situations pay for their medical expenses and preventing them from filing a lawsuit in a state court. This is especially important in Florida because medical costs can quickly add up, and being out of work for even a few days can result in a significant loss of income. PIP insurance can help you cover these costs so that you can focus on your recovery.

If you have been in a car accident, be sure to reach out to Jared Spingarn, P.A. for a free consultation. Jared has handled thousands of personal injury cases in Florida and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

Benefits of Personal Injury Protection

PIP offers a number of advantages for Florida drivers. First and foremost, it provides financial protection in the event of an accident. It also helps to keep costs down by limiting the number of lawsuits that are filed in Florida courts. Finally, PIP insurance can help you get back on your feet after an accident by covering your medical bills and lost wages. For those who had a loved one die in a fatal motor vehicle accident, PIP can also help cover funeral expenses, lessening the burden on the deceased’s dependents.

Where to Get Personal Injury Protection Coverage in Florida

Personal injury protection is included as part of every auto insurance policy in Florida. If you are involved in an accident, your PIP coverage will kick in regardless of who is found at fault. Therefore, all car owners who update their vehicle’s registration will also need to update their insurance policy which includes personal injury protection.

Filing a PIP claim in Florida

Florida follows strict guidelines when preparing PIP claims. Aside from ensuring that you receive medical care and file your claim within the statute of limitations, you will also need to have a few key pieces of information ready when you file your claim, including:

• Your car insurance policy number;
• The name and contact information of the other driver involved in the accident (if applicable);
• The names and contact information of any witnesses to the accident;
• A police report or incident report detailing the accident (if applicable); and,
• Your medical bills and/or records related to the accident.

If you have any questions about filing a PIP claim in Florida, be sure to reach out to Jared Spingarn’s law firm for a free consultation. As an experienced personal injury attorney, Jared can help you navigate the claims process and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.

How Can Jared Spingarn Help You With Your PIP Claim?

The sections above outline how personal injury protection works in Florida. PIP insurance is a vital part of every Florida driver’s car insurance policy. This no-fault insurance coverage will pay for your medical bills and lost wages in the event of an accident, regardless of who was at fault.

If you have been injured in a car accident, remember that the first thing you must do is seek and receive medical treatment. Once a doctor has seen you, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney from Jared’s firm to discuss your case.

At the Hallandale Beach law offices of Jared Spingarn, all lawyers have extensive experience handling PIP insurance claims. They are ready to work with you to gather the necessary documentation to support your claim and help you get the full amount of compensation that you deserve – be it to recover your medical bills, lost wages, or for the funeral and burial expenses of a loved one. Begin your attorney-client relationship with Jared and schedule a free consultation today.

>> If you sustained personal injuries in an accident in Florida, don’t hesitate to reach out to Jared Spingarn, Accident Attorney at 1-954-781-2316 for a Free Case Review or drop a message on their Contact Us page.