Florida Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Lawyer

Located in Orlando, Ocala, Daytona, Melbourne, Tampa, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Naples, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale & West Palm Beach

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist is usually referred to as “UM” coverage. It is one of the most important coverages you can buy, because it pays you for your injury if the person who is at fault doesn’t have any or enough liability coverage. It’s like buying liability insurance for everyone else on the street, in case they injure you or someone in your family under the same policy. With all of the people driving that have no liability coverage at all, a good UM policy can make all the difference. Contact our Florida uninsured & underinsured motorist lawyers for more information. We have offices in Orlando, Fort Myers, Tampa, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale & Miami.

Why Should I Purchase Extra Coverage in Florida?

Uninsured and underinsured drivers are a big problem in our state, partially due to very lenient regulations regarding liability insurance. The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) estimates that one in seven Florida drivers is uninsured. That means that millions of Florida drivers are uninsured. Millions more only have the bare minimum $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage and $10,000 in Property Damage Liability (PDL). PIP only applies to the driver that purchased the coverage, so even if the other party was negligent and caused the crash, that coverage will not apply to you. Additionally, PDL only applies only to property damage that the negligent party causes. If you were seriously hurt, it is likely that A) your car will be totalled and the $10,000 PDL will be maxed out and likely not even pay for a new vehicle, and B) the severe injuries will incur medical costs well into the five or six digits. The DMV may require drivers with poor driving records to also purchase Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) insurance coverage. BIL coverage can be as small as $10,000 per person and $30,000 per accident, meaning that it still may not come even close to covering your hospital bills, let alone your pain and suffering damages.

Split Limit Uninsured Motorist Coverage Versus Combined Single Limit Uninsured Motorist Coverage

There are two types of UM coverage: split limit and combined single limit. Most people end up with a split limit. A split limit policy will allot differing amounts if there is just one versus multiple people injured in the collision. A split policy would give $15,000 for a single injury or death and $30,000 for a collision in which multiple people were injured or killed, for example A combined single limit policy of the same maximum coverage would give $30,000, if needed, for a collision regardless of how many victims were in your vehicle.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage Applies in a Wide Number of Circumstances

Uninsured motorist coverage does not only apply to you, or to only you when you are in your vehicle. UM coverage can be used for family members whether they were in your vehicle for the collision or not (it covers family members, and you, if they or you were riding with someone else, or driving another person’s vehicle as well). Additionally, UM coverage applies to passengers of your vehicle. It covers hit and runs, phantom vehicle collisions, and when you or family members were hit as pedestrians or cyclists. UM coverage pays for lost wages, sickness, bodily injury, medical expenses, and diseases resulting from the motor vehicle collision, according to the Florida Bar.

Contact an Experienced Florida Uninsured Motorist Lawyer Today for Help Purchasing UM Coverage

Uninsured Motorist coverage is not as simple as standard liability coverage or health insurance. UM coverage can be complicated. If you need any help understanding your policy, give us a call. We highly recommend spending the time discussing your options and finding the plan that best suits you and your family’s specific needs. One of our Florida insurance coverage lawyers or paralegals will gladly go over it with you and help you select the coverage that suits you best, free of charge.