Dell and Schaefer advises their clients to purchase UM coverage
Author: Attorney Jason Macri
Is every driver in Florida fully insured?
Unfortunately, in the State of Florida there is not a requirement that a driver of an automobile purchase bodily injury coverage through their own insurance company. The only requirement in Florida is that a person who has a vehicle registered in their name or a person who drives a vehicle on the roadway must have personal injury protection. In other words, there is only a requirement to protect yourself in Florida. There is no requirement to protect others. So if a person is struck by another vehicle and becomes injured, it is perfectly acceptable that the person who caused the accident does not need to have any coverage to protect the injured person. While this sounds like there is no way it can be true and probably sounds like a cruel joke, it is the law in Florida. There is no requirement to protect a person that you injure.
Why should I but UM coverage?
Because there is no requirement to protect others in this state, it is extremely important to protect yourself. The only way to protect yourself from an uninsured or underinsured motorist is to purchase UM coverage on your own automobile insurance policy. UM coverage stands for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. UM coverage will protect you in the event you are injured by someone with no bodily injury coverage. Bodily injury coverage only provides protection for the person who causes the damage. It does not protect a person who is damaged by others. Your auto insurance provider is required to offer you UM coverage if you purchase bodily injury coverage on your policy. They will require a signed UM rejection form from you certifying that you are refusing to purchase UM coverage.
What should I do to ensure that I am covered?
The Law Office of Dell and Schaefer advises all of our clients not to reject UM coverage. We advise our clients to purchase the highest amount of UM coverage that they can afford. This will insure that there is never a situation where one of our clients is struck by an uninsured person and cannot get compensated for their damages. Though we cannot control whether we are unexpectedly struck by another, we can certainly control whether we are covered in the event of a tragedy. Purchasing UM coverage is a great way to ensure that you and your loved ones are protected in the event of an unexpected tragedy.
