Why can I honestly say this doesn’t surprise me?! If you hadn’t noticed there are a lot of “suspect” vehicles traveling along side you and I on I95 or Florida’s Turnpike! A recent study performed by WalletHub compared the population of uninsured drivers in all 50 states. Their study found that Florida has the 3rd highest rate of uninsured drivers on the road in the entire United States. Florida came in with a staggering uninsured rate of approximately 16.5%. Florida is only outdone by Alaska, which sits at around 17.2% and Texas is at a whopping 19.1%. Wallethub’s study also found that in South Florida, specifically, the rate of uninsured drivers is closer to 19%.
So What Does This Mean For Florida Residents?
Simply put, Florida residents are a greater risk, as there are a greater number of commuters on the roadways that don’t have auto insurance. Should you get in a collision with one of these uninsured motorists, you’ll have to count on your own insurance alone to pay for any damages caused as a result of the accident. This is where making sure you have the appropriate amount of underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage included in your auto insurance policy/policies becomes crucial. Many people overlook this important area of their car insurance. It’s easy to do as it’s not a requirement to hold this type of coverage in Florida and when you’re purchasing a policy online. However, not purchasing this important coverage can lead to unfortunate outcomes and losses.
What You Need To Know!
Your auto policy’s uninsured motorists coverage kicks in when, and if, you or your passengers are injured as a result of a collision caused by a driver who’s not carrying bodily injury liability insurance coverage, or has an insufficient amount of bodily injury liability coverage. Without uninsured motorist coverage you may wind up personally responsible for hospital bills and other expenses.
Uninsured motorists coverage covers the following expenses:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages Not Covered
- Future Medical Expenses
- Future Wage Losses
- Disability
- Pain
- Suffering
In Florida, your uninsured motorist coverage moves with you, meaning it even provides insurance protection for losses even when you’re not in your own vehicle.
Florida insurance companies are required to offer uninsured motorists coverage when quoting auto insurance, but this coverage is not required and may be declined. An important note is that should you choose to have uninsured motorists coverage and require it for multiple autos, you’re required to have the same limit for each vehicle. Another important tidbit is the coverage limits for your uninsured motorists coverage are not allowed to exceed the limits of your bodily injury liability coverage.
What You Need To Do!
Don’t procrastinate and say you’ll do this tomorrow, next week or next month. If I can make one point very clear in this article it’s to reiterate that you should to take a look at your current auto insurance policy or have it reviewed by an insurance professional! You need to ensure you have enough uninsured motorist coverage to protect you and your family.
How much is enough uninsured motorist coverage for you?
Everyone’s individual situation is different and requires different amounts of coverage. For example, if you are single, married or married with children will impact how much uninsured motorist coverage is appropriate and enough to protect yourself.
The typical uninsured motorists coverage limits are as follows:
- $10,000/$20,000
- $25,000/$50,000
- $100,000/$300,000
- $300,000/$500,000
So to explain the limits listed above I’ll use the first listed as an example. So if your Florida uninsured motorist coverage limits are the states minimum of $10,000/$20,000 means that your auto policy will cover a maximum of $10,000 per person and $20,000 per accident for both parties involved. What We Do That’s Different! When client’s come to me for assistance with their auto insurance needs, I always take a consultative approach by getting to know them. By knowing my clients and having a good understanding of their needs, I’m able to provide the best insurance advice and policies to match those needs. Many times I’m able to secure them with lower insurance premiums and better coverage limits. Again, everyone’s situation is unique and there are never any guarantees, but I can assure you there’s no one that will work harder to get you the coverage you need!
The Brightway, Cole Family Agency Way
At my Brightway Agencies, I guarantee you will have a great experience and come out with a better understanding of your auto policy! I also guarantee there’s not another insurance team that will worker harder to secure you better insurance coverage at a better price! We have a different mindset than other insurance agencies in Palm Beach, we build relationships with our clients because we genuinely care and want to keep your business for life. Oh, and we also have access to more than 100 insurance carriers. To get a complimentary auto insurance quote and make sure you have enough uninsured motorist coverage, please call us today or complete our quick n’ easy insurance quote form and we’ll contact you!
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