Personal Auto Insurance Coverage in Florida
Personal Auto Coverage covers sums an “insured” legally must pay as damages because of “bodily injury” or “property damage” to which the auto coverage applies; caused by an “accident” and resulting from the ownership, maintenance or use of a covered automobile or truck. The coverage may also pay for damage to the covered vehicle by collision or other perils such as fire, theft, vandalism and flood.
Liability to Others Bodily Injury – This is the limit available to medically treat individuals and pay for permanent injuries in an automobile accident for which you are at fault. The limits are per person and per vehicle.
Property Damage – This is the limit available to replace or repair a vehicle or other property that you damaged in an automobile accident.
Uninsured Motorists – Provides insured’s coverage for bodily injury caused by at fault uninsured or underinsured drivers. This coverage is to protect YOU. A study recently released by the Insurance Research Council, in 2007 advises that Florida was one of the five states with the highest uninsured driver estimates. The study finds that 23% of drivers on the road in Florida were uninsured drivers. This coverage can also protect you if you were a pedestrian or riding a bicycle and were hit by a driver that was uninsured or underinsured or left the scene of the accident.
Medical payments coverage in an auto insurance policy pays for medical expenses (and sometimes funeral expenses) for you and others riding in your car resulting from an accident.
Personal Injury Protection – Florida is a no-fault state, each person’s respective PIP (Personal Injury Protection) insurance will pay for their individual medical bills and lost time from work up to $10,000 or whatever limits is selected.
Comprehensive Coverage – Pays for damage to automobiles from perils other than collision. Some usual covered perils are fire, theft, vandalism and flood. A deductible applies.
Collision – Pays for damage to covered automobiles from overturn or collision with an object (other than a bird or animal) and a deductible applies.
Rental Reimbursement – Pays a daily maximum dollar limit for the cost of a temporary rental car and your vehicle is in the shop for a period of time for repairs. Rental Reimbursement coverage is necessary if you are at fault in the accident.
Roadside Assistance – This coverage provides towing re-imbursement to the nearest qualified repair facility and covers a specified dollar amount for the necessary labor at the place of breakdown if your automobile is disabled due to any of the following: Mechanical or electrical breakdown, Dead battery, Flat tire, Lockout, Insufficient supply of fuel, oil, water or other fluids, Entrapment in snow, mud, water or sand within 100 feet of the roadway.
What to do in the Event of an Accident:
Get medical help if anyone is injured
Phone the police so that they may help with situation and document details of the accident
Allow medical professionals and or police to control the accident scene
Take photos – document vehicle damage, the location where the accident occurred, skid-marks, and any other notable features relating to the accident
Discuss the accident only with the police
Gather information – Get names, addresses, phone numbers, and auto insurance information of all parties involved. Be sure to get contact information from witnesses as well.
Personal Auto Customer Claims Examples
Women had been drinking hit a 15 year old boy on a Scooter. The young boy was taken to a hospital where he was treated extensively. The carrier paid $100,000 which was the limit on the policy.
Insured was DUI. Insured hit SUV injured the mother driving the SUV and killed the 8 month old baby passenger in vehicle. Policy limit of $125,000 was paid.
Insured hit a women crossing the street – the women was killed and policy limits were paid $25,000.
Insured rear ended lady slow to make a right turn and the resulting spinal injuries that required two surgeries. The claim was closed at $365,000.
Insured let her 16 year old son drive car through residential neighborhood and the son hit a 12 year old child that was playing in the street. The pay out was policy limits $50,000.