PIP Coverage in Florida
You’re probably wondering – how does Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage in Florida work when you’ve been injured in a car accident? Does your insurance policy cover your injuries? Or does the at-fault driver cover your injuries? What if you don’t have an auto insurance policy? Read on for answers to those questions and much more about this liability coverage as we clear up all the confusion surrounding Florida PIP.
Florida Is A No-Fault State
What does no-fault mean when it comes to PIP Coverage in the state of Florida? Here’s the breakdown: If you own a car in Florida, you are required to have the minimum requirement of $10,000 in PIP coverage. This portion of your insurance policy will be to cover medical bills and lost wages you could experience in an accident, no matter who caused the accident. In other words – it doesn’t matter who is at fault for the accident – PIP coverage covers each individual – hence, the term “no fault.”
What is PIP?
The term Personal Injury Protection is exactly what it says: it is personal. It covers you and anyone else on YOUR policy and on YOUR policy alone. Think of it as an umbrella that follows you no matter where you go. It is your coverage, and it follows you in the event of an accident involving a vehicle whether you are driving or not.
What Is Household PIP?
You don’t have your own personal injury protection if you don’t have a car, but you may be covered under someone else’s policy in your household. For this to happen, that person must have disclosed to their insurance company that you are a member of their household and thus, should be listed (and not excluded) on their policy. They did NOT disclose that you are a member of their household, you do NOT have access to their PIP coverage.
What Is Passenger PIP?
If you do NOT own a car and live alone, then you do not have PIP coverage. However, if you are injured in a car accident, the driver of the vehicle you were a passenger in should have PIP coverage that would be used to cover the cost of your injuries.
What is Defendant PIP?
If you are a pedestrian and are struck by a vehicle, and you do not have Household PIP or your own PIP, you then will use what is called Defendant PIP. This would come from the driver of the vehicle that hit you. However, this would only be used if you don’t have your own PIP or Household PIP because – remember – Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to PIP.
Even if the driver who hit you is at fault, your own PIP will be used to cover the cost of your injuries, and the other driver will use his/her PIP to cover your injuries ONLY if you don’t have your own PIP or Household PIP coverage.
Physical Therapy for Car Accident Injuries in Miami
If you need physical therapy in Miami for any car accident injuries, call us at Physical Therapy Now. We work in tandem with your medical doctor and the insurance companies to make sure the PIP coverage is fully utilized, so you have to pay as little out of pocket as possible – if anything at all. You can reach us at one of our many locations throughout Miami-Dade and the state of Florida by calling (800) 481-4582.
