Both bodily injury (BI) and uninsured motorist (UM) insurance coverage are not required by the state of Florida. Since they’re not required, you may be inclined to think you don’t really need them. However, both types of coverage are important to protect you if you’re ever involved in an accident.
Bodily Injury (BI Coverage)
BI pays for the serious injury or death in an accident where you’re at fault to some degree. If someone sues you for an accident, he or she will be going after your BI insurance instead of you and your personal assets.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM Coverage)
UM pays for your injuries when another driver is at fault and doesn’t have BI coverage or any insurance at all. If an at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your injuries, you can make a claim under your own UM policy to save you from paying out of pocket.
Why You Need Both as a Florida Driver
Basically, BI covers other people’s injuries, and UM covers your own injuries. Keep in mind that Florida has the highest rate of uninsured drivers in the nation.
If you’re involved in an accident, there is a 1 in 4 chance the other party won’t have insurance. That means there’s a 1 in 4 chance you will need to make a claim under your own UM policy to cover your injuries. With the average cost for a crash resulting in a non-incapacitating injury coming out to $22,000, you won’t want to be paying those costs out of pocket.
Make sure you have the right kind of coverage to protect yourself, regardless of who’s at fault in an accident. If you’ve been in a car crash, let us handle your personal injury claim. Contact us for a free case evaluation.
