Insufficient Coverage After a Car Crash
I have met with thousands of car accident victims over the last 28 years, and one of the most common and unfortunate scenarios is when someone is injured – through no fault of their own – but there is insufficient coverage to cover the person’s losses. I have written about this in the past, and it is never easy to tell the victim of a car crash that there is no coverage available to cover his or her losses.
As I have written, the issue of inadequate insurance coverage following a car crash is especially problematic in the State of Florida, and thus applies to New Port Richey and all of Pasco County. Surprisingly, there is no legal requirement that the vast majority of Florida’s drivers carry bodily injury liability coverage. What is “Bodily Injury Liability Coverage?” It is that coverage that, when carried by an at-fault motorist (or owner of a an at-fault car), will be made available to compensate the non-negligent injured victim of a car wreck. Unfortunately, the Florida Legislature has seen fit to make certain that a great number of motorists injured in Florida will be left without available insurance coverage to cover their personal injury claims (e.g., medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc.). The legislature nearly changed the laws to create mandatory bodily injury coverage, but it was no passed into law.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
What is Uninsured (or Underinsured) Motorist Coverage? It is that coverage on a motorists’ own automobile insurance policy that can be used to cover the losses sustained by another motorist’s negligence. Essentially, if you are injured by the negligence of one of many Florida motorists who do not have liability coverage, then your uninsured motorist will “stand in the shoes” of the at-fault motorist, just as though he did have coverage. Why is it so important in Florida to have uninsured motorist coverage? Because as just discussed, Florida does not require most negligent motorists to even have coverage that will compensate the innocent injured motorist.
Another way of Looking at Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Why do so many motorists not have sufficient bodily injury coverage and/or uninsured motorist coverage following a Florida car crash with injuries? There are two primary reasons. The first, as discussed, is that it is not legally required to carry it, unlike most other states. The second reason is that nearly no one understands how important it is to carry this coverage until it’s too late. I cannot tell you the number of people that believe they have “full coverage” for injuries caused by a car crash, only to learn after the fact that they either rejected or did not purchase uninsured motorist coverage. The best legal advice I can give you is this: NEVER reject uninsured motorist coverage and purchase as much of it as you can.
Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys in Florida Today
Get in touch with our Florida personal injury lawyers today to discuss your case and explore your legal options. McPherson & Thomas, P.A are here to provide expert guidance and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us now or give us a call at 727-848-8892 for a free consultation.
