Know the Difference Between UM and Bodily Injury Insurance – and Why Each Is Important.
Florida’s only required forms of automobile insurance coverage is Personal Injury Protection (PIP), also known as no-fault insurance, and property damage liability (PDL).
If you are injured in a car crash, PIP covers 80% of your medical bills up to $10,000 and a $5,000 death benefit. In an auto accident involving serious or permanent injuries, PIP regularly falls short of adequately covering damages.
Because PIP and PDL insurance is all a person needs to be able to legally drive in Florida, many people wrongly assume that must be all they need. As Orlando auto accident lawyers, we see many drivers and injury victims suffer, because they do not have the protections they thought they had.
Speak with an experienced Florida attorney at our firm today.
Call 855-Kramer-Now (855-572-6376).
Further insurance coverage types are available to Florida drivers, and are purchased voluntarily. These important consumer protections include:
- Uninsured Motorist / Underinsured Motorist (UM)
- Bodily Injury Liability Insurance (BIL)
Uninsured Motorist / Underinsured Motorist (UM)
You buy Florida UM insurance coverage to protect yourself if you are injured.
If you are hurt in an accident where another driver is responsible for the accident but that driver either has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your damages – you can file a claim on your own UM insurance to pay for personal injury damages you have sustained.
Florida does not require drivers to carry uninsured/underinsured (UM) coverage.
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance
You buy bodily injury liability (aka BIL or BI) coverage to pay for serious injury or death to others in an accident where your vehicle is involved, and you are at fault to some extent for causing the accident.
Besides covering you (the policy holder) for liability, BIL insurance covers injuries that relatives who live with you, and people who drive your car with your permission, are liable for. BIL also pays to defend the insured against liability claims.
Damages to injured parties will be covered up to the limit stated in the policy.
Having BIL coverage protects you financially and protects your personal assets if you are sued for damages by an injured party.
On the other hand, if you are seriously injured by another driver and that driver has BIL coverage, you can file a claim under his or her policy.
Florida does not require drivers to carry Bodily Injury Liability coverage (BIL), with one exception: DUI offenders. If a person has been convicted of a DUI, Florida law requires that bodily injury liability is part of his or her policy for a three-year period after the person’s license has been reinstated.
The main difference between UM vs Bodily Injury Insurance is:
- UM insurance covers personal injury damages that you, the policy holder, suffer in an accident where someone else was liable;
- BI insurance covers personal injury damages to other injured parties, in an accident where you (the policy holder) were liable.
What if your personal injury damages exceed what an at-fault driver is able to pay?
Due to Florida’s no-fault laws, that is the exact reason it is a good idea to purchase UM insurance. If the at-fault driver’s insurance does not cover all damages, you can file a claim under your own uninsured / underinsured motor vehicle coverage.
You may also be able to sue the at-fault driver personally in this case. This decision depends on various factors, one being whether that person has any assets.
Understand Your Options for Florida Motor Vehicle Insurance
It is important to revisit the terms and coverage of your auto insurance policy. You also will benefit by speaking to an experienced Florida car accident lawyer to help you understand the role your insurance (or lack of it) will play in the event of a serious accident. Many factors play into each individual case.
A TK Law attorney will be glad to sit down with you and help you understand the crux of the matter, when it comes down to filing insurance claims, getting just compensation for injuries, as well as protecting yourself in a potential lawsuit.
Also, if you have been in an accident where an uninsured or underinsured driver has caused you injury, we can discuss with you any legal claims you might have against the negligent driver’s insurance as well as your own insurance policy, and other relevant options in your case.
Contact us today for effective representation in any matters relating to auto accidents and other legal issues you face: Call 855-Kramer-Now (855-572-6376)