According to some of the latest data completed under police reports in the United States, 13% of drivers in the United States do not have some form of insurance. Car insurance remains a fundamental requirement for registering a vehicle but the percentage of uninsured drivers is particularly high in Florida. According to uninsured motorist statistics of 2019, with uninsured drivers reaching a rate of 26.7%, Florida is one of the most dangerous states for driving and getting into an accident because of this risk. In contrast to this, only 4.5% of drivers in Maine are uninsured.
Nationwide many drivers carry the minimum amount of coverage with around 32 million drivers in the United States taking on the road without any type of coverage. Florida insurance companies are working to combat this issue and protect people by offering new auto insurance coverage that can protect families and give them access to the funds that they need quickly when they’re involved in accidents with uninsured or underinsured drivers.
The Basic Coverage Is Not Enough
Auto insurance requirements in Florida are very limited, in order to operate a vehicle under Florida law drivers are only required to maintain $10,000 in personal injury protection benefits on their insurance. PIP benefits will work in a similar way to health insurance and they will payout to the policy in the form of liability coverage but they will not pay out to third parties. This means that if you’ve become the victim of an accident or someone is at fault, you will be covered up to $10,000 on your own personal injury protection coverage but you will not be compensated for any other injuries.
Getting hit by a driver with basic coverage could mean that you will have extremely minimal compensation for your injuries, vehicle repairs, lost wages, and more. Driving while underinsured is completely legal and your chance to recoup extra costs gets even smaller if the driver chooses to drive without insurance completely.
By letting a policy lapse, there are a series of consequences that a driver may face. The consequences of being an uninsured driver can often weigh heavy and uninsured drivers could face the potential of losing their license or paying a series of penalties or fines. Being caught in an accident without insurance will make sure that the driver is taught a lesson but it still will not provide compensation to any individuals that were injured during the event. Accident victims do have the right to sue uninsured motorists in court for personal injury but these types of cases usually drag on for a while and most of the drivers that can’t afford to purchase ongoing insurance policies will often face difficulty providing any type of financial resource to someone injured in an accident.
You Have The Power To Protect Yourself
You can purchase insurance coverage to ensure that your family can be protected in the event that you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. This type of insurance coverage ensures that you can deal with your own insurance company. Even if you won’t be able to recoup funds from the at-fault driver, your own insurance company will be able to compensate you for damages and injuries that would be typically owed to you by the at-fault parties insurance. With the high cost of medicine, lost wages, and damages that are associated with an accident today, it can be crucial for you to purchase one of these additional options for you and your family’s protection.
Most experts recommend increasing your own personal insurance up to $100,000 so that you can access up to $100,000 in UM UIM coverage. This can help to make sure that you can have access to everything that you need during a claim and that your quality of life does not have to be adversely affected.
If you are pursuing an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim it’s extremely important that you contact the right legal representative to assist you through the process. From the moment that you are involved in an accident, seeking an insurance lawyer could be an excellent way that you can make sure you know all of your options for the case. Whether it’s opening of a personal injury suit or working at negotiating with your insurance company for UM or UIM coverage, working with a legal professional can make sure that you can be paid out on your claim and that you have access to the funds that you need to sustain your quality of life.
If you need legal assistance after being involved in an accident with someone that did not have insurance or that was underinsured, contact us today to learn more.