Understanding Florida's No-Fault Car Insurance Laws
Brian O Sutter
Insurance Laws
Being in a car accident is already a stressful experience. The injuries you sustain from the accident alone can make it difficult to carry on normally. The last thing you want to deal with insurance companies. Many companies will go out of their way to avoid paying you the compensation you need or simply make the process overly complicated. However, they might not be the only reason why things get complicated after an accident. In 2013, Florida put in new insurance laws that change the way insurance works after a car accident. So before you hop into your car, there are a few things you might want to know about Florida's insurance laws.
A No-Fault State
Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to the payment of auto insurance claims after a car accident. This means that drivers are required to carry auto insurance that pays for personal injury protection benefits also known as PIP. This protects the policyholder after an accident and helps pay for any medical expenses and some non-medical-related costs that occur because of the accident.
Minimum Personal Injury Protection
As stated before, all Florida drivers are required to carry the minimum PIP benefits within their policies. This means your insurance needs to carry at least $10, 000 in personal injury protection benefits and $10,000 in property damage liability benefits. The benefits kick in regardless of who was at fault during the accident to ensure both parties receive medical attention they need with little cost to them.
Time Limits For Medical Care
One of the most important aspects of the PIP laws are the time restrictions placed on seeking medical care. After an accident, an injured driver will only have 14 days to seek medical attention if they wish to be financially compensated for their injuries. Though you should always seek out medical treatment immediately after an accident, it isn't always easy to achieve.
Those who wish to see their current doctor or dentist may not be able to within the time frame and will instead be forced to seek out other medical professionals if they wish to be compensated. For those who do not have obvious injuries, they may end up not getting medical attention only to find out that something is seriously wrong weeks later. Now that they have hesitated, they can no longer get the help they may desperately need.
Exceptions
However, there is one way a Florida driver can step outside of the state's no-fault system and pursue a claim against the at-fault driver directly. If the injuries that result from the accident are considered permanent then you may pursue your claim. This includes significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement or the significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function.
At All Injuries Law Firm, we want to help you understand PIP laws and get you the legal assistant you may need after an accident. Our team has over 30 years of experience in insurance law and know how to get you the financial compenstation you require. If you have been in an accident or want to know more about these policies, contact All Injury Law Firm today!