Do Not Drive Without Uninsured Motorist Coverage by Martin Zevin, PA

Do Not Drive Without Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Most people who own a car believe they have “full coverage” for their car insurance; however, as a lawyer who handles personal injury claims, “full coverage” means something very different to me than it may mean to you. In Florida, only two types of coverage are required: personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability. It is estimated that one out of three drivers in Florida only have the minimum required coverage. It is important that you be fully protected in the event one of those drivers injures you due to a rear-end collision or other accident which is not your fault.

Therefore, it is extremely important that you properly protect yourself by carrying a maximum amount of uninsured motorist coverage. I recommend at least $100,000 per person/$300,000 per occurrence for each vehicle in your household. If you have more than one vehicle, I strongly recommend “stacking”, which allows you to combine your coverage on each of your cars. Stacking is well worth the small additional premium.

Your U.M. coverage also stands for underinsured motorist coverage. This means that you can make a claim against the other driver’s insurance and get the total amount available under that policy and still make an additional claim under your U.M. coverage if your injury justifies it.

During my thirty-seven years of handling personal injury cases, I have often had to turn people away who were seriously injured through no fault of their own but did not have U.M. coverage and where the negligent party did not have bodily injury liability coverage. Trying to go after an individual driver in Florida is an exercise in futility since it will be virtually impossible to collect even if you go to trial and get a judgment against that person. If you do make an uninsured motorist claim with your own company, this should not affect your premium since you were not at fault.

Your uninsured motorist coverage follows you wherever you go. You can make an uninsured motorist claim if you are driving a rental car, driving someone else’s car, a passenger, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or insured in another state. This coverage provides you the maximum protection to insure that you will be compensated fully for your injuries if someone else is at fault.

Please feel free to call me for a free personal or phone consultation regarding any issues pertaining to personal injury claims or car insurance coverage. I am also available for free consultation regarding Wills, Trusts, Estates and Probate.