Mandatory Car Insurance for South Florida Drivers

Florida’s three most populous counties—Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach—are located at the state’s southeastern tip. That’s why South Florida is home to some of the state’s largest road networks, along with millions of drivers. Accident risks are high in the area, even for drivers who try to stay safe. All motorists must have auto insurance that will protect them against such hazards.

In Florida, auto insurance is not just a recommendation. By law, drivers must carry coverage. It is essential to understand how the minimum mandatory coverage will provide aid following accidents.

Florida’s Mandatory Auto Insurance Coverage

All Florida drivers are required to carry auto insurance with at least the following coverage included:

$10,000 personal injury protection (PIP)
$10,000 property damage liability (PDL) insurance

Policyholders can increase these mandatory limits to levels of their choice, however. They can also augment their PIP/PDL coverage with other protection like:

Bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance
Collision insurance

Comprehensive insurance
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) insurance

How Does PIP Coverage Work?
Car going fast with blur

A driver’s PIP coverage can cover their medical bills and those of their passengers. It can also cover an injured person’s lost wages and provide death benefits if someone dies in the accident.

Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, which means that you must cover your injury costs using your own auto insurance, regardless of whether you or someone else caused the accident. PIP coverage provides the money for these costs first. Only after you reach certain thresholds can you sue another driver to cover your injury costs.

Because of Florida’s no-fault laws, drivers do not have to buy bodily injury liability insurance. Typically, this coverage helps at-fault drivers compensate others (e.g., other drivers) who got hurt in the accident. However, because there are still cases where someone could sue you over their injuries, it is still a good idea to add BIL coverage to your policy.

How Does PDL Coverage Work?

Florida authorities still assign fault when determining who pays for property damage following accidents. So, if you cause a wreck, you will have to pay for the vehicle damage of other drivers, and they will not have to turn to their policy for coverage first. The required PDL coverage will provide these parties with compensation.

Drivers should carry more than just the minimum $10,000 PDL limit. It is easy for liability claims against your policy to skyrocket, so it is vital to have enough coverage to pay for the damage someone else sustains. Otherwise, you might have to pay out of pocket.

To get your mandatory Florida auto insurance and other essential coverage affordably, contact Automatic Insurance at 954-421-9953. We are here to help you get the policy that is perfect for you.

Mandatory Car Insurance for South Florida Drivers

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