Insurance is complicated. There are many different types of coverage, many different limits, and even different situations where one type of insurance will apply but others will not. Some types cover property damage, where others cover medical bills. While all policies and coverage types vary, these are generally the types of insurance coverages that will come into play in a car accident where one or more drivers or passengers are injured
Different Types of Coverage for Car Accidents:
- Property Damage Liability (PDL)
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
- Bodily Injury Liability (BIL)
- Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist (UM)
- Collision versus Comprehensive
Property Damage Liability insurance (PDL) will cover damage you cause to another driver's vehicle. This is property damage only, not bodily injury coverage, for the other driver's property. A minimum amount of $10,000 in PDL coverage is required by Florida law.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage is mandatory for all Florida drivers, but it does not cover much. It will cover a portion of your medical bills and lost wages from a car accident, even if the accident was your fault. However, PIP only pays 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages usually up to $10,000. If you suffered any type of soft tissue injury (very common in car accidents) or worse, a significant injury, $10,000 is not much at all.
Learn more about Florida’s motor vehicle insurance laws here
Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) coverage is optional in Florida, but it provides insurance coverage for injuries you may cause to others as a result of the accident. When you are in a car accident, your BI coverage will pay for injuries you cause to the other driver. If the other driver was at fault, his or her BI coverage will pay for your personal injury claim damages caused by the car accident. If you do not have BI coverage and you injure another driver in an accident that was your fault, the other driver could seek to recover from you personally for his or her injuries.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist (UM) coverage is optional, but it protects you when the other driver does not have any or does not have enough insurance. It stands for “uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.” When people drive without bodily injury insurance or do not carry enough coverage to pay all of the expenses and damage they cause, UM will pay the cost of your injuries. You can also “stack” your coverage, which multiplies your coverage amount by the number of vehicles you own.
Collision Versus Comprehensive: Comprehensive coverage is optional in Florida and it covers damage to your car that is not caused by an accident, i.e., if a tree falls on your car, it is damaged by vandals, it is damaged from a fire, etc. Collision coverage is also optional and it covers damage to your car from an accident. This includes single car accidents if you, for example, run into a tree or back into a street sign.
Have Questions About Your Coverage?
How all of these different types of insurance work together to provide coverage from all of the many types of damages that can arise from a single car accident is often complicated and requires someone with experience in handling car accident insurance claims to navigate through the various insurance policies to make sure you recover the full amount you are entitled to from every insurance company responsible for your damages. Bringing a car accident attorney on board as soon as possible after a car accident is the best way to ensure you protect your right to recover and recover as much as possible. If you have been injured in a car accident, please do not hesitate to contact us. We never charge any fee or cost for an initial consultation to sit down with you, review your policies, and explain your coverage and rights.