What Happens When You Get Involved in an Accident With an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver?

Florida law requires motorists to show proof of a minimum of $10,000 Personal Injury Protection coverage before registering their vehicles. Motorists who have PIP coverage are expected to seek compensation from their insurance companies after an accident because Florida is a no-fault state. However, when losses incurred exceed your PIP coverage, or you have incurred a severe injury such as the loss of a bodily function or a permanent injury, you can seek compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company. But, what if the at-fault party has no insurance or is underinsured?

The unfortunate reality is that Florida has the highest number of uninsured motorists in the U.S.A. Almost 27% of motorists in Florida operate their vehicles with no insurance. Therefore, you have a one in four chance of being involved in an accident with such a driver.

When involved in a Florida accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, even if you qualify to receive compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company, you will not be able to obtain the compensation you deserve from such a driver. Fortunately, an option exists to help Florida motorists receive compensation after being involved in accidents with such motorists. This option is not mandatory but is highly beneficial and should be considered.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UM and UIM)

Bodily injury liability coverage pays others when you cause an accident that leads to injuries or death. In Florida, drivers can get bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage, although this is not a requirement. It is only often a requirement in cases of drivers convicted of DUI.

However, if you want to be protected when involved in an accident with an insured or underinsured motorist, it would be a good idea to purchase bodily injury liability coverage. This is because insurance companies might not include underinsured (UIM) or uninsured (UM) motorist coverage options as part of your insurance if you do not have bodily injury liability coverage. UM coverage protects you when you encounter an uninsured driver, whereas UIM coverage protects you when you encounter an underinsured motorist. If you purchase the bodily injury liability coverage, your insurance company will allow you to purchase underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage.

When involved in an accident with a negligent uninsured or underinsured driver, you can seek compensation from your PIP coverage and the UM/UIM coverage.

The process of seeking compensation will depend on whether you are dealing with an uninsured or underinsured driver.

Reach Out To Us for Help

Being involved in an auto accident with either an uninsured or underinsured driver can frustrate you. Because of this, you must understand your legal options. Seeking legal advice from experts will provide you with an opportunity to understand these options. Additionally, even when you have the option of turning to your underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage, you need to prove negligence on the side of the other driver. Therefore, reach out to the experienced Tampa personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm if you need legal counsel or help with your personal injury claim. Contact us today to schedule a free and no-obligation consultation.

The Firm also represents clients in the Orlando, Ocala, Daytona Beach, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Miami, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale areas.

Resource:

iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists