Don’t Forget About Florida’s 14-Day PIP Car Accident Rule

If you drive in Florida you probably know that our state adheres to a no-fault auto insurance system. Basically, this means that car accident victims can’t file lawsuits against individuals straight out of the gate after being involved in a crash. Instead, all drivers are required to purchase Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, which covers all auto accident injuries regardless of fault. There are, however, limits to the protections offered by these policies, including the 14-day rule.

What is PIP Insurance? 

All drivers in Florida are required to purchase PIP insurance, which covers a policyholder’s accident-related injuries even if he or she was at fault for a crash. This is known as no-fault insurance and Florida is one of only a few states that still uses this system. The benefit of these policies is that they don’t require an in-depth investigation into the cause of a crash before a person can start receiving coverage. The downside is that they only cover 80 percent of a victim’s reasonable medical bills and 60 percent of his or her lost wages up to $10,000. In fact, an injured party could actually be limited to recovering only $2,500 if he or she isn’t deemed to be suffering from an emergency medical condition.

Unfortunately, even treating relatively minor injuries can quickly exceed these limits, which can leave policyholders struggling to cover the rest of their losses. This is not the only limit to PIP coverage, which also only applies when claimants comply with certain deadlines.

What is the 14-Day Accident Rule? 

It’s extremely important for Florida drivers to be well-versed in the 14-day accident rule, which states that accident victims must receive medical care for their injuries within 14 days of their crash to be eligible for their PIP benefits. Someone who waits more than two weeks to obtain care will have his or her request for reimbursement denied. Accident victims in this scenario could find themselves on the hook for all of their medical bills, which can seem particularly unfair to those who complied with state law and purchased PIP coverage. To avoid this result, accident victims should be sure to seek medical care as soon as possible after their crash. Even if they qualify and receive coverage under their PIP policy, an injured party may still need to file other insurance claims or even take the at-fault party to court to recover the remainder of his or her losses.

Experienced and Compassionate Tampa Auto Accident Lawyers 

For many car accident victims, dealing with insurers is the last thing on their minds, but the reality is that certain steps must be taken soon after a crash to avoid jeopardizing the right to compensation. At Anderson & Anderson, our experienced Tampa auto accident lawyers make sure that our clients don’t unintentionally miss these kinds of important deadlines, giving them the chance to focus on their physical recovery while we pursue compensation on their behalf. For help protecting your own legal interests after a crash, please call us at 813-251-0072 and set up a consultation today.

Sources:

 flhsmv.gov/insurance/

leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.736.html