Florida Minimum Car Insurance Requirements

Florida drivers are generally required to carry at least $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and $10,000 in Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage.

What surprises many Florida drivers is what the minimum requirements do not necessarily include. For most drivers, Florida does not require a standard auto policy to include bodily injury liability coverage that would pay another person for injuries you cause in a crash.

That means a driver can comply with Florida's basic insurance requirements and still have relatively little insurance available after a serious accident.

What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Required in Florida?

For most Florida drivers, the basic minimum auto insurance requirements are:

• $10,000 Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

• $10,000 Property Damage Liability (PDL)

Florida's PIP requirements are addressed in Florida Statute § 627.736, while property-damage financial responsibility is addressed in Florida Statute § 324.022. Online Sunshine

These two types of coverage serve very different purposes.

What Is Personal Injury Protection (PIP)?

Personal Injury Protection is often called PIP or no-fault insurance.

Generally, your own PIP coverage applies to qualifying injuries from a motor vehicle accident regardless of who caused the crash.

Florida's PIP statute provides up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits, subject to the requirements and limitations of the statute. Online Sunshine

Does PIP Pay 100% of My Medical Bills?

No.

For covered medical expenses, Florida PIP generally pays 80% of reasonable expenses for medically necessary covered treatment, subject to the policy limits and statutory requirements. Online Sunshine

For example, if you have a qualifying $1,000 medical bill, PIP may pay $800, leaving the remaining $200 unpaid by PIP.

That is a simplified example. Actual PIP payments can depend on the type of treatment, available benefits, applicable deductibles, fee schedules and other provisions of Florida law and the insurance policy.

Do I Have to See a Doctor Within 14 Days After a Florida Car Accident?

To receive PIP medical benefits, Florida law generally requires an injured person to receive initial services and care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident. Online Sunshine

This is an important deadline for anyone injured in a Florida car accident.

Waiting more than 14 days can affect your ability to obtain PIP medical benefits.

Is PIP Always Worth $10,000?

Not necessarily.

Although Florida policies generally provide up to $10,000 in PIP medical and disability benefits, the amount of medical benefits available can be limited to $2,500 when the statutory requirements for an emergency medical condition are not satisfied. Online Sunshine

Because the rules governing PIP benefits can become complicated quickly, injured drivers should not assume that simply having "$10,000 in PIP" means $10,000 will automatically be available to pay every medical bill.

What Is Property Damage Liability Coverage?

Property Damage Liability, or PDL, pays for damage you are legally responsible for causing to someone else's property in a crash.

Florida law generally requires at least $10,000 in property-damage liability coverage. Online Sunshine

For example, imagine you cause an accident and the other driver's vehicle sustains $18,000 in damage.

If your applicable property-damage liability limit is only $10,000, that policy limit may not be enough to cover the entire loss.

This is one reason Florida's minimum insurance requirements can provide relatively little protection after a significant crash.

Does Florida Require Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?

For many ordinary Florida drivers, bodily injury liability coverage is not part of the basic PIP-and-PDL minimum insurance requirement.

There are circumstances in which Florida law imposes additional financial-responsibility requirements, however. For example, substantially higher requirements apply following certain DUI convictions. Online Sunshine

Bodily injury liability coverage is important because it can provide insurance coverage when an insured driver is legally responsible for injuring another person.

This distinction becomes particularly important after a serious Florida car accident: a driver can have an insured vehicle and still have little or no bodily injury liability insurance available to compensate an injured person.

What Happens If the Driver Who Hit Me Doesn't Have Bodily Injury Coverage?

This is a problem I encounter in Florida personal injury cases.

A person may suffer significant injuries in a crash only to discover that the at-fault driver has little or no bodily injury liability coverage available.

Depending on the circumstances, other potential sources of recovery may need to be investigated, including:

• Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage

• Other applicable insurance policies

• Coverage applicable to the vehicle's owner

• Coverage applicable to an employer or business

• Other legally responsible parties

The available sources of recovery depend on the facts of the individual accident.

What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) can provide important protection when you are injured by a driver who has no bodily injury liability insurance or does not have enough coverage to compensate you for your injuries.

Unlike property-damage liability coverage, UM coverage is designed to protect you and other insured persons from certain losses caused by uninsured or underinsured motorists.

For Florida drivers concerned about protecting themselves and their families after a serious accident, this is coverage worth understanding before an accident occurs. Find out more about Uninsured Motorist Coverage here.

Is Florida's Minimum Auto Insurance Enough?

Meeting Florida's minimum legal requirements and having enough insurance to protect yourself financially are two different things.

A policy containing only the basic required coverages can leave substantial gaps after a serious crash.

When reviewing an auto policy, I recommend understanding not just whether the vehicle is "fully insured," but exactly which coverages and limits the policy contains.

Important coverages to discuss with a licensed insurance professional can include:

Bodily injury liability coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, higher property-damage limits, Medical Payments coverage, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage.

The appropriate coverage and limits depend on the individual driver's circumstances.

What Should I Do After a Florida Car Accident?

If you have been injured in an accident, obtaining appropriate medical care should come first.

You should also understand that insurance issues can become complicated quickly. There may be PIP deadlines, multiple insurance policies, disputes about fault, questions concerning available bodily injury coverage, and potential uninsured/underinsured motorist claims.

Preserve photographs, insurance information, crash reports, medical records and communications from insurance companies.

If you have questions about your rights after a Florida car accident, speaking with a Florida personal injury attorney can help you understand what insurance coverage may be available and what steps should be taken next.

Florida Car Accident Insurance FAQs

How much PIP insurance is required in Florida?

Florida generally requires $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection coverage for vehicles subject to the state's PIP requirements. PIP benefits are subject to statutory conditions and limitations. Online Sunshine

How much property damage insurance is required in Florida?

Florida generally requires at least $10,000 in property-damage liability coverage for covered motor vehicles. Online Sunshine

Does Florida PIP pay all of my medical bills?

No. PIP generally pays 80% of qualifying reasonable and medically necessary covered medical expenses, subject to statutory requirements, limitations and available benefits. Online Sunshine

How long do I have to seek medical treatment for PIP?

Florida's PIP statute generally requires initial services and care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident for medical benefits. Online Sunshine

Can my PIP benefits be limited to $2,500?

Yes. Under Florida's PIP statute, medical benefits can be limited to $2,500 when the statutory requirements concerning an emergency medical condition are not met. Online Sunshine

What if the driver who caused my accident doesn't have enough insurance?

Depending on the circumstances, an injured person may need to investigate other sources of insurance or recovery, including uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage and other potentially applicable policies or responsible parties.

About the Author

Logan T. Lawrence, Esq. is a Florida personal injury attorney and founder of The Law Office of Logan T. Lawrence. He represents people injured in car accidents and other personal injury matters throughout Florida. His practice focuses on providing clients with direct access to the attorney handling their case.

Injured in a Florida car accident?
The Law Office of Logan T. Lawrence offers free consultations. Call (352) 222-4460 to speak with an attorney.

This article provides general information about Florida law and is not legal advice. Insurance requirements and coverage depend on the facts, policy terms and applicable law.