Car insurance: it’s very likely you own a policy for at least one car, and so does almost everyone you know. Insurers abound, and there are numerous options and limits and plans to choose from. Even if you have been buying insurance for your cars for decades though, there may be plenty you don’t understand, or like most of us—you may have always left figuring out what you needed to the insurance agent.

Many different types of insurance may be required or recommended in your lifetime, from health and life or disability, to homeowners, different types of commercial insurance, and even a variety of different policies like those meant for travel or other temporary measures. Automobile insurance is extremely common, but it may also be the most important form of protection you ever purchase.

Liability insurance is always recommended for your vehicle and required in some states (like Florida). If you are financing your car, it may be impossible to make a purchase without verification of both comprehensive and collision coverage. Other protection regarding payments for injuries is extremely important too, and especially when you consider the increase in traffic incidents in Florida due to careless drivers, leaving the unfortunate potential for serious injury or even fatalities wide open.

You may be in a hurry at the time you are purchasing car insurance. Perhaps you are just rolling off the dealer’s lot—or maybe it is just one more thing to check off your ‘to do’ list, but make sure you understand what you are purchasing in terms of medical payments (often referred to as medpay) and personal injury protection (often referred to as PIP). While medical payment coverage pays for the obvious in terms of any treatment necessary, PIP can even cover the injured party for lost wages and other expenses like funeral costs. This part of your insurance kicks in no matter who was at fault and covers you, your children, and other passengers who may be in the car but do not own personal injury protection on their own.

“People riding in your vehicle who carry PIP will receive coverage under their own PIP for their injuries, and certain licensed drivers who drive your vehicle with your permission. PIP also covers your child if he or she suffers an injury while riding on a school bus. PIP coverage protects you while in someone else's vehicle, as a pedestrian, or bicyclist if you suffer an injury in a crash involving a motor vehicle. The Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law, requires all owner/registrants of a motor vehicle with four wheels or more to carry a minimum of $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL) if you own a motor vehicle in Florida. Florida law requires you to maintain PIP/PDL insurance continuously throughout the licensing and registration period,” states the official Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.

It is important to note that while medical payment coverage can be purchased, PIP coverage is not available for motorcycles. If you own a scooter, PIP is usually not available either. While this type of insurance is excluded for the motorcycle, PIP insurance is simply not required for scooters or mopeds in most cases—and if they are over 50 cc (meaning cubic centimeters of engine displacement), they are considered a motorcycle anyway.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, pedestrian accident or car wreck due to the negligence of another driver, contact the attorneys at Heintz Law. We’ve helped victims from Bradenton, Sarasota, and all over Florida get compensation for their damages and medical expenses after accidents. Call us for a free consultation now at 941-748-2916 or contact us online. We are here to help!

All blogs are written on behalf of Heintz Law for informational purposes. These articles should not, however, be considered legal advice, or in any way responsible for creating an attorney/client relationship.