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Have you ever been in a car accident , and had the other driver tell you not to worry because they were “ fully insured ”, only to find out that your damages , such as medical bills , lost wages , and pain and suffering are not covered . You ask yourself how could this happen , when the driver said he was “ fully insured ”? How could lawmakers in Tallahassee allow this to happen ? You ask who will pay for the damage to my car , pay my medical bills or lost wages ?
These are valid questions , and to make things worse , effective October 1 , 2007 *, drivers are no longer required to carry insurance to drive a car in the State of Florida , unless the legislature addresses the issue in its upcoming special session . In order to understand what has happened , you need to understand car insurance in Florida . Only two types of insurance are required for car owners to have ; personal injury protection benefits , and property damage . Valuable coverage such as bodily injury coverage and uninsured motorist coverage are optional . As a result , if the at fault driver carries the required mandatory insurance and is therefore “ fully insured ”, he or she may still be without enough insurance to pay for all of the damages caused .
Florida law requires every owner of a car registered in Florida to carry Personal Injury Protection benefits . Personal Injury Protection “ PIP ” benefits covers you , and any relatives residing in your household for injuries sustained in an automobile accident regardless of who is at fault . This coverage pays 80 % of reasonable and necessary medical bills , 60 % of lost wages , and 100 % of household services , up to a limit of $ 10,000 .
Florida law does not require the registered owner or driver of the car to carry bodily injury liability coverage to pay for your damages . Bodily Injury coverage covers bodily injuries or death for which a driver is responsible . Claims for bodily injury may be for such things as medical bills , loss of income or pain and suffering . In the event of a serious accident , you want enough insurance to cover a judgment against you in a lawsuit , without jeopardizing your personal assets .
By r d & Go n z á l e z , P . A . 217 N Lois Ave . Tampa , FL 33609 Tel : 813-281-8801 anthony @ askanabogado . com www . byrdandgonzalezlaw . com ¡ Hablamos Español !
Mr . González is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer , and is rated AV by Martindale Hubble the highest rating available to attorneys nationally .
Have a legal question ? Ask Anthony González at : Anthony @ askanabogado . com
Anthony J . González , Jr ., Esq .*
Your chances of recovering your losses against an uninsured driver are slim , unless that person has substantial assets or you carry the uninsured motorist coverage . Uninsured / Underinsured coverage is available to you in the event that you sustain injuries caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver . If you carry uninsured motorist insurance , you can make a claim with your own company who would act as though they insure the party who caused the accident . Many people drive without any bodily injury liability insurance . Therefore , uninsured motorist coverage is an important protection for you and your family , should you ever become involved in an accident with an uninsured driver .
With the change or elimination of the Florida No Fault law , now is the right time to contact your insurance agent , and review your insurance policy to ensure you are “ fully covered ”.
*( 1 ) Effective October 1 , 2007 , sections 627.730 , 627.731 , 627.732 , 627.733 , 627.734 , 627.736 , 627.737 , 627.739 , 627.7401 , 627.7403 , and 627.7405 , Florida Statutes , constituting the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law , are repealed , unless reenacted by the Legislature during the 2006 Regular Session and such reenactment becomes law to take effect for policies issued or renewed on or after October 1 , 2006 .
14 LATIN TIMES MAGAZINE | October - December 2007