If you own a vehicle, and it’s registered in Florida, you’re required to have car insurance. Part of that insurance coverage is known as personal injury protection (PIP). If you were injured in an accident, so long as you receive medical care and treatment within 14 days, your PIP coverage is triggered. PIP coverage even has a $5,000 death benefit.
PIP Coverage
When you’re injured in an accident in or around Tampa, your PIP insurance coverage in Tampa will pay up to $10,000 of medical bills and lost wages, regardless of fault. Medical bills are covered at 80%, and lost wages are covered at 60%. What comes to issue is that PIP coverage is limited to only $2,500 if there is a determination that there was no emergency condition. Who makes that determination? The injured person’s insurer makes it, and it’s in that insurer’s best interests to limit its PIP coverage to only $2,500 as opposed to $10,000. Whether you’re an injured claimant or a provider of health care services, allowing the insurance company to make that subjective determination certainly doesn’t operate in your best interests.
The Legislature’s Intent
Insurance companies are in the business of making money rather than giving it away. When Florida’s no-fault insurance law was passed, it was the intent of the legislature to alleviate the burden of auto accident litigation in the state’s courts. It appears that the legislature only created a bigger problem though. In order to obtain compensation for otherwise routine medical care after an accident, many injury victims must file personal injury lawsuits.
Here at Shuster & Saban LLC, our law firm can help both injured claimants and health care providers with PIP insurance coverage in Tampa. We’ll be pleased to discuss your PIP issue with you.
