What Happens If An Uninsured Driver Hits Me In Florida
Car accidents are stressful and can cause severe damage to your car and body. And unfortunately, adding more stress to your situation, you find out the driver who hit your car does not have car insurance. How are the damages going to get paid? This is a question that arises more often than not. However, Florida state requires all drivers to hold personal injury protection insurance (PIP); many drivers opt-out for many reasons. If an uninsured driver hits you, your ability to recover financially will come down to the choices you made when you purchased your insurance coverage. Contact a personal injury attorney near you if you have been injured in an auto accident in West Palm Beach, Florida. For a free evaluation, call 1-800-872-4878.
What To Do If You Get Hit By An Uninsured Driver In West Palm Beach
Florida is a no-fault state; however, when the financial cost of damages exceeds your personal injury protection coverage, you typically can sue the driver liable for the accident. However, in cases where the negligent driver is uninsured, chances are there won’t be enough coverage for the damages that occurred. Uninsured motorists typically are in a bad financial situation, to begin with, and any claim you bring against them may be impossible to collect. Contact an accident attorney at Advocates USA to help prove negligence and other means to recover financially. Depending on the uninsured driver’s situation in West Palm Beach, there may be assets we can pursue to recover your damages from your uninsured motorist accident.
How Can My Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) Help Me?
As mentioned above, Florida is a state that requires all motorists to carry auto insurance. However, with the astonishing number of drivers who don’t even have the minimum coverage, your best option is to protect yourself and add uninsured motorist coverage to your policy. This coverage is to protect you from losses due to a negligent driver who does not have insurance. Insurance companies offer uninsured motorist coverage for bodily injury as part of the standard auto policy in Florida. But you can always add property damage for a higher premium if it is not already included in your collision coverage.
Penalties For Driving Without Insurance in Florida?
To get your car registered and retrieve license plates, under Florida law, it is required to carry the following minimum insurance:
$10,000 for property damage liability (PDL)
$10,000 for personal injury protection (PIP)
$10,000 in bodily injury (BI) coverage per person and $20,000 per accident
Suppose you drop your insurance for any reason; you will need to surrender your plates. If you don’t, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle can suspend your license, registration, and vehicle tags up to three years or until you take out another policy. Additionally, the state can fine the uninsured driver between $150-$500 for driving without insurance. People continue to drive without insurance. Below is a table outlining the fines and penalties for the offenses:
Fines for Driving uninsured:
- First Offense: $150 reinstatement fee
- Second Offense: $250 reinstatement fee if the laps occur within three years of the First Offense
- Third Offense: $500 reinstatement fee if the laps occur within three years of the First Offense
Driving Penalty For Uninsured
- First Offense: A three-year suspension of your license and registration until there is proof of alternative insurance
- Second Offense: A three-year suspension of your license and registration until there is proof of alternative insurance
- Third Offense: A three-year suspension of your license and registration until there is proof of alternative insurance
Penalties for Uninsured Drivers After An Accident In Florida
If you drive without insurance and get in an accident, the penalties can be significant, especially if you are the driver who caused the accident, the other driver is hurt, and their car is damaged. You can be held personally liable for the entire cost and lose any asset you have. Additionally, you could lose the privilege to drive until the full cost of the damage has been paid.
If you were uninsured, the at-fault driver, and involved in a bad accident, the ability to obtain insurance after might be difficult. You will be considered a high-risk driver. Your rates will be extensive, and you will be required to purchase bodily injury liability on top of the necessary coverage.
How Can an Uninsured motorist lawyer help me?
Find an experienced lawyer near you if you were a victim of an accident and the negligent driver was uninsured. Uninsured motorist claims are typically time consuming and take longer to develop. Insurance companies will want to see all medical records, police reports, witness depositions, and more. Our lawyers at Advocates USA will help you with the entire process, including investigating your case, file a claim, negotiating on your behalf, and speaking to the insurance companies.
Our personal injury attorneys in West Palm Beach have helped millions of people like you recover compensations caused by another’s negligence. If you have been injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident, work injury, slip and fall, dog bite, or any other type of accident, call us today at 1-800-872-4878 or fill out our contact form for a free evaluation.
