COVERAGE / AUTO
Auto insurance in Florida, explained
What Florida Law Actually Requires
Florida is a no-fault state, which means the mandatory minimums are narrower than most people expect: $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which covers medical expenses and lost wages after an accident regardless of who caused it, and $10,000 in Property Damage, which covers damage you cause to someone else's vehicle or property. That's the full legal minimum to register a vehicle, and it leaves real gaps.
Meeting the state minimum keeps your registration legal, but it doesn't protect much beyond that. Here's what each additional coverage actually does and why most drivers carry it.
BODILY INJURY
Not required by Florida law, but it's the coverage most likely to protect your savings, your home, and your future wages if you're found at fault in an accident that injures someone else. It covers the other driver's and passengers' medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and your legal defense costs.
UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED MOTORIST
Roughly one in five Florida drivers carries no insurance at all. UM pays your and your passengers' medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering when the at-fault driver has no Bodily Injury Liability coverage. UIM pays when the at-fault party has some coverage but not enough to cover your damages.
MEDICAL PAYMENTS
An optional coverage that pays medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of fault.
COMPREHENSIVE AND COLLISION
Together, these make up what's often called “full coverage.” Collision pays to repair or replace your car if it hits another vehicle or object, regardless of who's at fault. Comprehensive covers damage from nearly everything else: theft, vandalism, fire, flooding, hitting an animal, hail, or a fallen tree branch.
RENTAL REIMBURSEMENT AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
Inexpensive add-ons that cover a rental car while yours is in the shop and help if you're stranded by a breakdown or flat tire, so a bad day doesn't turn into a bad week.
What goes into your rate?
WE DO THE SHOPPING
We write auto through Allstate and match limits and deductibles to what you actually need.
BUNDLE
Auto with home or renters usually discounts both.
DRIVING RECORD
Clean record, lower premium, over time.
DEDUCTIBLE
Increasing the deductible can decrease your rate.
DISCOUNTS
Good student, defensive driving, anti-theft.
CONTINUOUS COVERAGE
A lapse in coverage, even a short one, can raise your rate when you buy your next policy.
ANNUAL REVIEW
Your needs change. The policy should too.
Claims cost more in Florida than in other states due to uninsured drivers, unusually expensive injury claims, more litigation, more fraud and inflated claims, cars that are more expensive to repair (sensors, cameras, electronics), and a lot of expensive vehicles and dense traffic.
Excess medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc. Uninsured Motorist coverage helps protect you when someone else hurts you and doesn't have enough insurance to make you whole.
There isn't one answer that fits everyone. Uninsured Motorist coverage can be especially important if an injury could significantly affect your income, family finances, independence or quality of life. If your family depends on your income, lost wages become very important. It is worth talking through rather than guessing.
It depends on fault, how much was paid, and your claim history by severity and frequency. Some policies include accident or claim forgiveness. If you were not at fault and the amount is close to your deductible, filing may not be worth it. Worth knowing: even calling the claims department with a question can be recorded as an occurrence. Ask your agent before you file.
Instead of lapsing, ask about suspending coverage on a vehicle you are not driving. You keep continuous coverage and your rating tier.
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561-416-9370