Florida requires $10,000 of personal injury protection, or PIP coverage, for every car registered in the state or driven within the state for more than 90 days in a 365-day period. So even if you're a seasonal resident or long-term visitor to Florida, you may need to carry Florida's minimum PIP coverage. Florida PIP covers medical costs, lost wages and death benefits. It can also pay for at-home services like laundry, house cleaning and pet care, if they're necessary due to an accident. PIP not only protects you while you're driving, but also if you are injured in an auto accident while riding in someone else's car, walking, or riding a bike.
Florida PIP coverage is also called Florida no-fault insurance. It pays policyholders for their own medical expenses after an accident, regardless of fault. PIP offers injured parties up to $10,000 in immediate medical coverage, without going through the lengthy process of establishing fault through the courts.
Florida's no-fault regulation is limited, however. When an accident causes injuries that are serious (costing more than $10,000 in medical expenses and/or lost wages) or permanent, Florida acts like an at-fault state. The victim is then allowed to sue the at-fault driver for losses. The at-fault driver must compensate the victim through bodily injury liability insurance or personal assets.
In Florida, you can choose whether you want your PIP to cover just yourself or every resident in your household. In other states, like Michigan and New Jersey, PIP automatically covers all household members. Florida PIP is also different from other states because it covers only 80% of your medical expenses and 60% of your lost wages. For example, if your medical bills are $10,000, PIP will cover $8,000 of them.
If your injury is not considered an emergency, your benefits are limited to only $2,500. And if you don't receive medical treatment within 14 days of the accident, you'll receive nothing. If you die in a vehicle accident, Florida PIP will pay your family up to $5,000 for funeral expenses.