Since 1972, Florida has required motorists to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. After a car accident, a driver covered by PIP insurance will have coverage available to pay limited medical bills and lost wages, even if the motorist caused the accident.
This longstanding law may soon change, though, due to the introduction of SB 371 by Tom Lee, a Republican Senator who represents the Hillsborough County area. SB 371 seeks to repeal the necessity of PIP coverage and replace it with mandatory bodily injury liability coverage, an insurance system that most other states use today.
The newly proposed insurance minimum requirements would include:
- $25,000 per person
- $50,000 per accident total
- $10,000 in coverage to pay for property damage caused to another party, such as vehicle destruction.
Will SB 371 Become Law?
It is still fairly early in its timeline, but SB 371 has a promising future. It recently won a 6-1 vote by the Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee. With the Committee’s “blessing,” the bill can continue forward for further review and votes.
The biggest opposition to the bill comes from parties who are worried that moving to a liability system from a PIP system will cause a clog in Florida’s court systems. Under the current PIP insurance system, recovering money damages is more difficult because of the “permanent injury” proof requirement to recover non-economic damages such as pain & suffering.
If Florida abolishes PIP, the at-fault party who causes a car accident would also be responsible for all economic damages caused—or, rather, their insurance companies will be. And, there will be no “permanent injury” requirement for non-economic damages.
Fighting for Your Rights, No Matter What
Whether Florida sticks with its PIP insurance system or shifts to bodily injury liability insurance due to SB 371, one thing remains the same: Floridians can count on Todd Miner Law®️ for confident, experienced legal representation after a car accident. From the law firm headquartered in Orlando, Attorney Todd Miner and his legal team take on insurance companies and liable parties on behalf of the wrongfully injured. Thanks to their extensive experience with insurance law, they are capable of successfully navigating any insurance claim, regardless of what type of insurance is at play.
Need help from a winning team led by a former insurance attorney? Call 407-214-4743 now.
