What Happens When Your PIP Coverage is Not Enough After a Car Accident?
The no-fault laws in Florida allow accident victims to receive compensation fairly quickly after a car accident. Still, personal injury protection (PIP) benefits will only pay up to $10,000 for your medical bills and lost wages. It will also only pay a portion of each. If your injury does not qualify as an Emergency Medical Condition, you are also only eligible to receive up to $2,500 in PIP benefits. PIP benefits are also not available for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
While convenient, PIP benefits do have their own drawbacks and can create issues when you are trying to recover from serious injuries. Our Tampa car accident attorney explains in greater detail below.
Why is PIP Not Always Enough After an Accident?
PIP benefits in Florida are meant to help accident victims get the help they need right away, and to keep the courts from becoming backlogged with lawsuits. Unfortunately, the limits are often not enough to fully cover the personal and financial impact of a crash.
- Medical treatment is expensive: Even a short hospital stay can cost $20,000 or more and if you need extensive treatment such as surgery, the costs only increase. PIP will not always cover these costs, leaving you to pay potentially thousands of dollars out-of-pocket.
- No compensation for the personal toll: A lawsuit allows you to recover compensation for not only your physical injuries, but also the personal toll the accident placed on you.
- Only partial income coverage: PIP only covers 60 percent of your lost wages. This is less than two-thirds, which means you may struggle to pay your remaining medical bills and other daily expenses if you cannot return to work.
While the above can make recovering full compensation difficult after a car accident, it does not mean it is impossible.
When Can You Step Outside of the PIP System?
Fortunately, Florida does have laws that allow accident victims to step outside of the PIP system in certain cases. These include the following:
- Threshold injuries: If your injuries are severe, such as disfigurement, permanent loss of function, or permanent injury, you may have the option to step outside of the no-fault system and sue the liable driver directly for damages that extend beyond your own benefits.
- Uninsured motorist (UM)/Underinsured motorists (UIM) coverage: UM and UIM insurance is not legally required for drivers in Florida. However, insurance companies are required to offer it and it is strongly recommended that all motorists purchase it. This provides you with another option to go through your own insurance instead of another driver’s after a crash.
- Other optional insurance: You can choose to purchase more coverage, either in PIP benefits or in Medical Payments (MedPay) to help fully cover your costs.
Our Car Accident Attorney in Tampa Can Help You Claim the Damages You Deserve
Filing is a claim for PIP benefits after a crash is a good start, but it may not be sufficient for your injuries. At Moore Law, our Tampa car accident attorney can advise you of your legal options and guide you through the appropriate process to help you obtain the compensation you need. Call us today at 813-510-5400 or contact us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help.
Source:
flhsmv.gov/insurance/
