One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give you as an attorney who represents car accident victims, is to purchase uninsured motorist coverage on your existing auto insurance policy. In Florida, this is not required but it is extremely important considering the fact that nearly one in four Florida drivers are driving without car insurance. A study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) reported that approximately 23 percent of Florida drivers are uninsured, the fifth highest percentage of uninsured drivers in the nation.
Underinsured and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage protects you when the other driver either does not have car insurance or too little to cover the cost of damages in the accident. This coverage pays for you, your passenger or family member if injured by an ‘at-fault’ driver who does not have bodily liability insurance, not enough liability insurance to cover the total damages sustained in the accident or is driving without car insurance. This coverage applies whether you are riding in your car, someone else’s car or are struck by a car as a pedestrian or bicyclist.
Nearly half of Florida car insurance policies have coverage limits of $25,000 per person or lower. If involved in a serious car accident, these coverage limits will be exceeded quickly leaving you on the hook for medical bills and additional expenses related to the accident.
If you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your policy, once the negligent driver’s insurance coverage limits have been maxed out or they have none, uninsured motorist coverage will step in and pay for your medical expenses, long-term nursing care, if the injuries are particularly severe. This will serve as the primary protection for your injuries and damages sustained in the accident.
The coverage will also pay for lost wages, future loss of income, disability, even pain and suffering. Many drivers falsely assume that their medical insurance policies will cover their expenses, but medical insurance will not pay for many of the damages that result from a serious car accident.
A Bonus for Florida Drivers: In Florida, you have the option to “stack” your uninsured motorist coverage. This means that the limits of your UM coverage can be multiplied by the number of vehicles you have insured under the policy. For example, if the driver has several different cars insured under the same insurance policy, he or she can stack the different coverage from whatever uninsured limit is on each car. That means, if the driver has $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage on each car and has two cars, if he or she is hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver, the policyholder can use the full $50,000 of coverage from both policies.
The Benenati Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for its injury clients and accident victims. In Orlando and throughout Central Florida victims injured in accidents or through negligence need only hit the 7s to reach the personal injury offices of the Benenati Law Firm. Our oath to you is handling your case from start to finish effectively, competently, and aggressively. Allow us the opportunity to give you the personal attention you deserve in your case. You pay us nothing unless we win your case. Please do not hesitate to call our office today at 407-777-7777 for a free legal consultation. Abogado Hispano con experiencia en juicios sirviendo las necesidades legales de la comunidad de la Florida.