When $10,000 Isn’t Enough: What Happens After Florida PIP Runs Out
Every driver in Florida is required to carry Personal Injury Protection coverage, commonly known as PIP. It sounds reassuring until you actually need it after a serious crash. The $10,000 limit may cover a routine visit to urgent care, but what happens when your injuries require surgery, months of physical therapy, or time away from work that stretches into weeks? Many accident victims are shocked to learn how quickly that coverage disappears.
How Florida’s No-Fault System Actually Works
Florida operates under a no-fault insurance system, meaning your own PIP policy pays your initial medical bills and lost wages regardless of who caused the crash. Under Florida Statute 627.736, PIP covers 80 percent of reasonable medical expenses and 60 percent of lost wages, up to the $10,000 limit. That means you are already responsible for a share of the cost, and once the limit is reached, PIP stops paying entirely. To even qualify for coverage, you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of the accident.
Why the $10,000 Limit Often Falls Short
A single emergency room visit with imaging and lab work can consume a significant portion of that limit before any follow-up care begins. Add in an ambulance ride, a hospital stay, or a referral to a specialist, and the coverage can be exhausted within days. Chronic pain, herniated discs, and injuries requiring ongoing physical therapy routinely produce medical bills far beyond what PIP was ever designed to handle.
Options When PIP Coverage Is Exhausted
Once PIP benefits run out, accident victims are not necessarily out of options. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, additional avenues for compensation may include:
- A bodily injury claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage under your own policy
- Health insurance to cover remaining treatment costs
- MedPay coverage if it was included on your auto policy
- A lawsuit against the at-fault party if injuries meet Florida’s serious injury threshold
Determining which of these options applies to a specific case requires a close look at the policies involved, the severity of the injuries, and how the accident happened.
Talk to Our Team Before Your Bills Pile Up
Watching medical bills accumulate while your PIP coverage disappears is stressful, especially when you are also trying to recover physically. Our Orlando personal injury protection lawyers regularly help clients understand what coverage remains available once that initial $10,000 is gone and how to pursue the rest of what they are owed. The Pendas Law Firm serves accident victims throughout Orlando, West Palm Beach, Ocala, Tampa, Bradenton, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, and Daytona Beach. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you understand your options.
Source:
flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/627.736