It is essentially impossible to predict when a vehicle collision will occur. Some drivers go their entire lives without ever experiencing a wreck, while others have the misfortune of getting into multiple crashes over the course of their lifetime.
Since no one knows if they will get into a crash or when a wreck might happen, every driver carries insurance to protect them from the possibility of a car crash. Florida state law requires that all drivers purchase a combination of no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and liability insurance.
After a crash with another driver, what will insurance cover?
When you are at fault
When you are the one who causes a crash, your insurance will have to pay for most of the expenses that result. Your PIP coverage is no-fault insurance. Regardless of who caused the crash, you can make a claim for up to 80% of your injury-related crash costs. Most policies provide $10,000 worth of PIP coverage.
Your property liability insurance will pay for any damage to the other vehicle. Florida requires that you carry $10,000 worth of this coverage. If you have supplemental bodily injury liability coverage, that will help pay for any injuries to the occupants of the other vehicle.
When the other driver is at fault
If someone else is clearly responsible for the crash, their policy will cover some of your expenses. Your PIP coverage will still applies to the first $10,000 of injury-related expenses.
You may be able to claim the remaining 20% of costs and any additional expenses from the other driver’s coverage. However, that is only an option if they paid for bodily injury liability coverage. You can also claim at least $10,000 worth of property damage coverage from the other driver’s policy to help you repair your vehicle.
In cases involving serious injuries, you may need to make a claim against additional coverage on your own policy even when you are not at fault. Drivers with underinsured motorist protection and collision protection can use their own policy to increase to make it for the wreck.
Understanding the basics of how Florida car insurance works after a car crash will help you file a claim or negotiate a settlement.