What Is Considered Full Coverage Auto Insurance in Florida?

Plenty of drivers in Florida carry nothing beyond the state minimum, and some carry nothing at all. What you buy is what will be there after a crash.

Thinking about the possibility of an accident totaling your vehicle or severe injuries is unpleasant. We assume that a devastating car accident will not happen to us.

Making an informed decision about your auto insurance policy is important. It can give you peace of mind knowing that you have adequate coverage to protect yourself, your family, and your car.

The traffic in Florida already makes driving stressful enough, but our guide to full auto coverage in the state will educate you on how to make sure that you have adequate coverage that gives you some protection against the many uninsured and underinsured motorists on Florida's roadways.

At Weinstein Legal Team, we litigate insurance claims, including uninsured and underinsured motorist claims against your own carrier. We understand how challenging it can be to understand your auto insurance policy, and we want to inform Floridians about their policy coverage so that they can identify limitations and acquire additional coverage if needed. Weinstein Legal Team offers free auto insurance coverage consultations that include a review of your policy along with recommendations for additional coverage.

What Is Required for Full Coverage Auto Insurance in Florida?

"Full coverage" in Florida usually means nothing more than the two coverages the law requires:

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) of no less than $10,000
• Property Damage Liability (PDL) of no less than $10,000

Personal Injury Protection

Florida Statute 627.736 requires every Florida driver to carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection. PIP is called "no fault" coverage because it pays accident-related costs regardless of who caused the crash. It covers medical expenses, lost wages and a few other limited expenses after an auto accident.

There are percentage limits on how much of these expenses your insurance will pay. Under Florida Statute 627.736(1)(a), PIP pays 80 percent of reasonable and medically necessary medical bills and 60 percent of lost income. Medical payments coverage is sold separately and picks up the remaining 20 percent of the medical bills. Two limits catch people out. You must receive initial services and care within 14 days of the crash under Florida Statute 627.736(1)(a)1., or PIP pays nothing. And under Florida Statute 627.736(1)(a)4., if the provider finds no emergency medical condition, your PIP medical benefit is capped at $2,500 instead of $10,000.

Your children or other members of your household can take advantage of personal injury protection even if they are not riding in your car. Other passengers in your car may be eligible in certain circumstances.

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability covers damage your car does to someone else's property. Unlike PIP, it turns on who was at fault. Florida Statute 324.022 requires every driver to carry at least $10,000 of it. Note what the state minimum leaves out: Florida does not require most drivers to carry bodily injury liability at all, so the driver who injures you may have no coverage for your injuries.

Drivers most commonly need this coverage when their vehicle strikes objects like trees, buildings, homes, fences, streetlights, poles, or other property.

What Is Full Coverage Insurance in Florida?

Do not assume that full coverage means that you are "fully covered" if you get in an auto accident. True full coverage, meaning that you have sufficient insurance coverage for your needs, goes beyond the state-mandated minimum coverage detailed above.

You do not want to wait until an accident occurs to figure out that the minimum coverage does not cover all the damages you incur. Getting a more extensive policy is a smart decision that lets you rest assured that you are protected from a catastrophic car accident.

What No-Fault Insurance Covers

No-fault, also known as personal injury protection ("PIP") coverage also addresses some additional liabilities.

If you are injured by a vehicle as a pedestrian or cyclist, PIP will cover it.

Your family members who do not have policies of their own are covered by no-fault insurance. For example, if a family member is injured while riding in another person's car, you are covered.

In the event of a bad car accident, the costs can add up quickly, so the $10,000 for both PIP and PDL may not go far. Speak to an experienced personal injury attorney today to find out what other coverages may be available to you.

Full Coverage Insurance Limitations

Why is full coverage auto insurance not truly "full coverage"?

The costs of vehicle damage and medical bills are high. If you have ever had to pay medical expenses or collision repair bills, you know how expensive they can be.

If you are a safe driver, you may think that you have nothing to worry about, but even if you do not cause a collision, you could end up with a pile of bills that are financially devastating.

There are limitations to this coverage, which could have serious implications for your future. Knowing those limitations can help you make an informed decision about your auto insurance coverage.

It Does Not Pay for Your Car Repairs.

Drivers may be surprised to learn that the minimum state-mandated coverage will not pay for the policy holder's car repairs after a crash. In limited circumstances, it will pay for damages to other drivers' vehicles.

It Does Not Pay to Replace a Stolen Car.

Another surprising limitation of this coverage is that it will not replace your car in the event it is stolen. The cost of purchasing a replacement car will fall entirely to the policyholder.

These are just a few of the exclusions that you may not be aware of.

Additional Coverage

You may be thinking that the minimum coverage required by law is inadequate for the needs of you and your family. Purchasing additional coverage is a good way to protect your car and family from the worst. Additional coverage includes:

• Bodily Injury Liability
• Comprehensive
• Collision
• Towing and labor
• Rental car coverage
• Medical Payments coverage

Going through each type of coverage and considering your auto insurance needs is a good idea. We recommend that you consider adding coverage for the following:

Collision

The majority of crashes and accidents are covered by this insurance policy. It covers crashes with stationary objects as well as vehicle collisions. An accident is included under this policy if:

• You collide with another car or another car hits your parked car
• You hit a stationary object (street sign, mailbox, etc.)
• You crash into a ditch
• You flip your car
• Another driver hits your car and flees the scene, provided it is not already covered by your uninsured motorist coverage

Bodily Injury Liability

If you or a member of your household injure someone else in a crash, this policy will cover the victim's medical expenses. It will also cover any bodily injuries caused to others by drivers you permit to use your car. The policy will set limits on the coverage. Additionally, they will provide you with legal representation in the event that you are sued after an accident.

Uninsured/Underinsured

In the event of an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, this policy will help with any losses you, members of your household, or permitted drivers of your car incur.

This coverage is helpful if you get in an accident that is the fault of the uninsured/underinsured driver and will help make up for their insufficient coverage. It also can provide coverage if you are injured as a pedestrian due to an uninsured/underinsured driver.

What If I Have Already Been the Victim of An Accident in Florida?

If you were injured in an accident caused by another driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your expenses like medical bills, repairs to damaged property, and other auto accident expenses. You can estimate your potential compensation with our personal injury settlement calculator.

It is in your best interest to pursue an injury claim right away. Under Florida Statute 95.11(5)(a) you have two years from the crash to sue the at-fault driver in negligence, not the four years that applied to crashes before March 24, 2023. A claim on your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage is a claim on a written contract and still gets five years under Florida Statute 95.11(2)(b).

The longer you wait, the harder it gets to find the witnesses and the camera footage a case turns on. You do not want to miss out on the compensation you are entitled to because you delayed contacting an auto accident attorney.

At Weinstein Legal Team we handle accident and injury claims, and we press them hard so your attention can stay on treatment. Contact our experienced personal injury lawyer in Florida as soon as possible to get the legal protection you deserve.