Boca Raton Personal Injury Lawyers Blog | Ellis, Ged & Bodden P.A.

By C. Glen Ged, Esquire

These days, lots of folks are looking for ways to trim the budget. Skipping that afternoon latte, sitting down for dinner at home instead of at a restaurant or adjusting the temperature on the thermostat by a few degrees are all good ideas. But, if you’ve thought about cutting back on your auto insurance coverage, you should think again.

A frightening number of drivers in South Florida are uninsured or underinsured; estimates range from approximately 60 percent to as high as 80 percent. With surging healthcare costs and staggering repair expenses, it’s easy to understand why uninsured motorist coverage may be the single most important type of auto insurance coverage you can get.

Currently, Florida law only requires residents to carry PIP and property damage coverage. PIP, which refers to the personal injury protection benefits provided under Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law, commonly covers up to $10,000 of damages. The term no-fault generally refers to any auto insurance program that allows policyholders to recover financial losses from their own insurance company, regardless of who was at fault in the accident.

If an underinsured driver causes an accident, with injuries to you, you could be extremely vulnerable. Uninsured motorist coverage, which can allow you to collect damages in excess of the at-fault driver’s coverage from your own insurance company, will help you protect your physical and financial health. The ideal auto insurance policy should include coverage of at least $300,000 in combined single limit uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage; of course you should consult your attorney and buy more coverage if you can afford it.

You can purchase additional coverage for medical payments and funeral expenses not covered by PIP.

Other important parts of your auto insurance policy include your liability/bodily injury coverage, which applies if you or a covered member of your family cause bodily injury or damage; collision coverage, which insures you in the event someone else damages your car; and comprehensive coverage, which refers to accidental damage to your car caused by any means other than a motor vehicle accident. Personal Liability Umbrella Protection (PLUP), which offers additional excess insurance coverage to others when you are at fault, may also be appropriate. PLUP also protects your family by providing millions of dollars of coverage in exchange for relatively low premiums – which is why many insurance companies will not voluntarily offer to sell this coverage on your PLUP policy.

Make sure your family and your rights are adequately protected. Review your auto insurance policy with a reputable insurance agent and, in the unfortunate event that you need to file an uninsured motorists claim, consider consulting an attorney who will make sure the claim is decided based on your interests rather than the insurance company’s.

About the author: Charles Glen Ged is the Founding Partner in the Law Firm of Ellis, Ged & Bodden, P.A., where he specializes in all aspects of civil litigation with a strong emphasis on Personal Injury, Wrongful Death and PIP litigation. Ellis, Ged & Bodden offers a free review of your insurance policies so that you make sure your family and legal rights are protected. Please call to protect your rights before it is too late.