An estimated 1 in 5 Florida drivers do not have auto insurance. That’s too many!
But with Uninsured Motorist coverage, you don’t have to pay the price for their mistakes.
A hidden danger awaits those who come to Florida. And no, it’s not hurricanes.
It’s underinsured drivers.
According to 2023 estimates, about 1 in 5 Florida drivers don’t carry any auto insurance. But it isn’t just uninsured drivers you need to worry about—many more are underinsured, carrying only the bare minimum of insurance coverage required by law.
An accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver can quickly leave you stuck paying medical expenses, property damages, and even lost wages out-of-pocket. Fortunately, there’s a reliable way to protect yourself: Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Florida.
In this guide, we’ll explain exactly what uninsured motorist coverage is, why it’s especially critical here in Florida, and help you determine if you really need it (spoiler alert: you probably do!).
Why Florida’s State Minimums Aren’t Enough
In Florida, you’re required by law to carry a minimum level of auto insurance coverage before you can register a motor vehicle. Specifically, two basic types of coverages:
- $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and
- $10,000 of Property Damage Liability (PDL).
At first glance, $10,000 may sound like plenty of money, but let’s look closer.
Property Damage Liability covers damages you cause to other people’s property. If you dent someone’s bicycle, sure, $10,000 is plenty. But what happens if you total a brand-new Audi or Tesla?
Once your policy limit is exhausted, you’re personally liable for every additional dollar. Your insurance will only cover up to your chosen limits, and that can lead to wage garnishment or other financial hardships.
Now let’s look at Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Florida’s mandatory PIP coverage pays your own medical expenses after an accident—regardless of who caused it—but it doesn’t cover injuries you cause to others. That’s right: you can legally drive with zero bodily injury liability insurance, leaving anyone you injure completely uncovered by your policy.
Drivers caught without the required insurance face penalties like fines or a suspended license. Unfortunately, those penalties do nothing to protect you or cover your medical expenses if you’re injured in an accident with an uninsured driver.
In other words, the law might punish them, but you’re still left paying the price.
Simply put, Florida’s auto insurance minimums are nowhere near adequate protection for yourself or others on the road. While many drivers choose these minimum limits to save money, the financial consequences of an accident can far exceed these basic coverages.
Fortunately, you have a better option.
What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM)?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (often abbreviated as “UM coverage”) protects you and your passengers when an accident involves an uninsured or underinsured driver. While Florida doesn’t currently require uninsured motorist coverage by law, it’s essential nonetheless.
The only type of UM coverage offered in Florida is Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI). It covers medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages for you and your passengers if you’re injured by a driver without sufficient liability insurance. This includes accidents involving a hit and run driver.
UM coverage ensures you’re financially protected if another driver’s lack of auto insurance leaves you holding medical bills. Without it, you may have limited options to file a claim to recover damages and expenses.
“But I Have Health Insurance!”
Many drivers mistakenly assume their personal health insurance will fully protect them after an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
While your health insurance might help pay some of your medical expenses, it falls short in several critical areas after a car accident:
- Lost wages: If injuries from your accident force you to miss work, health insurance provides no compensation for the income you lose (PIP does!)
- Deductibles and copays: Even with excellent health coverage, you’ll likely face significant out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, copays, or treatments not fully covered by your policy.
- Coverage gaps: Health insurance rarely covers certain essential accident-related treatments, such as extensive physical therapy, ongoing rehabilitation, or specialized care required for severe injuries.
- The “gory” stuff: Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury can cover things like loss of services, loss of limb, and other permanent injury or disability. While health insurance might cover some of the medical treatment necessary, UMC can value the injury or disability and pay you for it.
Only Uninsured Motorist Coverage fills these crucial gaps, compensating you directly for medical costs, lost income, and the pain and suffering caused by an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Your personal health plan is important, but it’s not enough to fully protect you on Florida’s roads.
Types of Uninsured Motorist Coverage: Stacked vs. Unstacked
In Florida, there are two ways you can purchase uninsured motorist coverage: stacked or unstacked.
Stacked Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Stacked UM coverage lets you combine—or “stack”—the coverage limits of multiple insured vehicles on your policy. For example, if you have two cars, each with a $100,000 UM coverage limit, stacking gives you access to up to $200,000 per accident.
Even if you own just one vehicle, stacked coverage can still be incredibly beneficial. For instance, when you’re driving a temporary replacement vehicle (like a rental car), your stacked coverage still applies, effectively giving you extra protection wherever you drive.
Unstacked Uninsured Motorist Coverage
With unstacked UM coverage, your coverage limits apply individually per vehicle and cannot be combined. If your policy has a limit of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident, these amounts are fixed per vehicle, regardless of how many vehicles you insure.
Your premiums will be slightly higher with stacked coverage, but it also provides broader protection, especially valuable when dealing with severe accidents or when multiple insured vehicles are involved.
It’s important to carefully consider your family’s needs, your number of vehicles, and your risk profile. An independent insurance agent from Harry Levine Insurance can help you choose the type of UM coverage that best fits your unique situation.
Don’t Pay For Someone Else’s Mistake
Still wondering if you need uninsured motorist coverage? In Florida, the answer is almost always yes. Yet, even in the midst of a hard insurance market, many Florida drivers are choosing to slash their auto insurance policies to save money.
Unfortunately, even the safest drivers can’t control the actions of others on the road. Intoxicated, reckless, inexperienced, and uninsured drivers are a reality on Central Florida roads—it’s only a matter of time before you encounter one.
Uninsured Motorist coverage in Florida is essential, but it’s just one part of comprehensive protection. At Harry Levine Insurance, we place coverage above all else, and we expressly caution every client against driving without UM coverage.
Our philosophy is simple: Don’t shop for insurance solely based on price. Choose policies that deliver the coverage you need and won’t leave you stranded financially after an auto accident.
Ready to ensure you’re fully protected? Get a personalized quote on our website or contact us today. We look forward to serving you!
