Florida · Insurance Claims
Uninsured motorist claims.
Florida does not require drivers to carry bodily injury coverage, so the person who hurt you may have nothing. Your own uninsured motorist coverage is often what makes a claim worth pursuing.
Kovar Law Group · St. Petersburg, Florida · 727-827-7777
What is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?
Uninsured motorist coverage, usually written as UM or UM/UIM, is coverage on your own policy that steps into the shoes of the at-fault driver. It applies when that driver has no liability insurance, not enough to cover your injuries, or cannot be identified, as in many hit-and-run crashes. Florida drivers are offered UM and can only decline it in writing.
Why does this come up so often in Florida?
Florida requires PIP and property damage coverage but not bodily injury liability coverage, and the state has one of the highest uninsured driver rates in the country. PIP covers a limited amount of medical care and lost wages, which serious injuries exhaust quickly. UM coverage is frequently the only meaningful source of recovery.
What is stacking, and do I have it?
Stacked coverage can apply across multiple vehicles or policies in a household, which multiplies the limits available. Non-stacked coverage does not. Which one you bought is stated in the policy and the declarations page, so a full copy of the policy is one of the first documents worth reviewing.
Can I settle with the at-fault driver first?
Be careful. Settling with or releasing the at-fault driver without your UM insurer's written consent can jeopardize or void the UM claim entirely. Your UM insurer is also, in practical terms, on the other side of your claim once a UM demand is made, even though it is your own company.
What are the deadlines?
UM claims involve both policy notice requirements and Florida's filing deadlines, and the contractual and negligence timelines are not the same. Late notice is a defense insurers do raise. Report the crash to your own insurer promptly and get the specific dates confirmed.
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