Florida Car Insurance Recommendations from an Orlando Injury Lawyer
People ask me all the time what car insurance I recommend. There’s a big difference between what minimum auto insurance the State of Florida requires you to have, and what will better protect you.
After representing injured people for decades, I can tell you this: most drivers do not understand their own policy until after the wreck. That is a bad time to learn what you skipped. I’d like you to buy coverage for the crash you hope never happens, instead of a policy with the lowest monthly payments.
Here is what I recommend.
1. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) with a zero deductible
Florida drivers are required to carry Personal Injury Protection, usually called PIP. It’s also known as “No Fault.” It helps pay medical bills at 80% and 60% of lost wages after a crash. You probably want to buy PIP with a zero deductible rather than a $500 or $1,000 deductible.
Why? Because if you are hurt, the last thing you need is to find out your “coverage” starts only after you have already paid a chunk of the bill yourself.
2. Med Pay – at least a $5k policy
PIP does not pay everything. That is one reason I recommend Medical Payments coverage, or Med Pay. My standard advice is to carry at least $5,000 of it.
Med Pay helps close the gap when PIP leaves part of the bill behind. Medical bills come fast after a crash, and a cheap policy can’t help much. After PIP has paid out, Med Pay closes the gap and will pay up to 100% of your bills up to the limit of your Med Pay policy.
3. Bodily Injury (BI) Coverage – “Settlement Insurance Part 1” at least a $25k policy
If you cause a crash and someone gets hurt, Bodily Injury coverage is what helps pay for the damage you caused in a settlement. If you cause a crash and do not have Bodily Injury coverage, you can end up with a suspended or canceled driver’s license. The greatest risk is that the other party may go after your assets in a lawsuit if your coverage isn’t sufficient, or your assets are unprotected.
4. Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage – “Settlement Insurance Part 2” at least a $25k policy
If I had to pick one optional coverage that people should stop rejecting, this would be it.
I recommend at least $25,000 in Uninsured Motorist coverage, often called UM. In a hit-and-run case, your UM coverage will pay your settlement if the at-fault driver fled. Without UM, too many Florida drivers are one uninsured idiot away from a very bad outcome.
How many drivers in Orlando (Orange County) are driving around without insurance?
5. Buy rental reimbursement coverage
People forget this one until they are standing in a body shop parking lot asking how they are supposed to get to work tomorrow. It is not expensive, and it can save you a lot of stress – and car rental fees - after a crash.
Most Importantly - Use your coverage within 14 days
Buying the right policy is only half the job. Using it within 14 days before benefits disappear is crucial!
If you do not get treatment within 14 days, your PIP benefits can disappear. See my FAQ section for more about this rule.
For more about Florida auto insurance, visit the Florida Department of Financial Services Consumer page:
Florida Department of Financial Services consumer page on auto insurance
Final thought
If you are not sure what your policy actually says, pull out the declarations page and review it now, while nothing is on fire. If you have questions, ask your agent – that’s what they are there for!