An uninsured motorist is a driver who is legally able to drive on the roads of Florida but does not have insurance that covers bodily injuries if an accident occurs. The term can also be used to identify what is known as a phantom driver. If a hit-and-run occurs, that person could be identified as an uninsured motorist as well.
In the State of Florida, everyone is required to have property damage insurance. For instance, if an accident occurs, they are required to have insurance to cover the property damage to their vehicle. However, the state does not require drivers to have bodily injury insurance, meaning that there will not be an insurance payout if they injure somebody else in the course of driving.
Accidents happen all the time, and may of them lead to severe injuries. In cases where the responsible driver does not have comprehensive insurance to financially handle a crash victim’s injuries, those bills may be a burden to those victims. Many drivers wonder, what is uninsured motorist coverage in Clearwater? To find out what this extra coverage could do for you, speak with an experienced car accident attorney.
What is Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
An underinsured motorist is someone who does have bodily injury insurance on their policy, but not enough. For example, if a driver hits someone and they cause $75,000 worth of injuries, but they have only $10,000 in bodily injury coverage, that means that they are uninsured or underinsured for the remainder of their medical expenses and for their personal injuries. Just as in the cases where a responsible driver has no bodily injury coverage at all, by choosing to pay for the extra level of insurance, drivers could protect themselves from potential extra medical costs.
Underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage is required to be sold or offered by every insurance company that sells motor vehicle insurance in the State of Florida. It is not hard to purchase underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage.
The Impact on Full Coverage
Many times, insurance companies and drivers define full coverage differently. For instance, from a legal perspective in the State of Florida, full coverage really only means that they have to have PIP insurance and property damage insurance on their vehicle, and a lot of insurers will tell them that they have full coverage. That really means they only have enough coverage to legally drive a vehicle on the roadways in the State of Florida.
All of those factors would be things that they are entitled to compensation for if they have been in an accident caused by the negligence of another. They would not receive if that driver does not have bodily injury insurance. While many people in are not sure what uninsured motorist coverage is, but it is an essential element to financial protection.
Let an Attorney Help You Find the Right Amount of Coverage
It is important for someone to consult a knowledgeable attorney when they have been involved in a car accident. It is also very important to have an attorney or investigator interview potential witnesses to the accident so that the story can be gathered as to what happened before the accident occurred and what vehicle was doing what to determine who was at fault for the accident.
Car crashes are serious incidents that could leave many parties severely injured, leading to significant medical bills. In many cases, the insurance of the responsible party will be able to cover a victim’s injuries. Unfortunately, if that driver does not have an adequately comprehensive insurance policy, the victim may be on the hook for the costs. To learn more about what uninsured motorist coverage is, speak with an experienced Clearwater attorney.
