Yes, Florida PIP will cover certain passengers riding in your car at the time of an accident. According to Florida Statute 627.736, PIP will pay up to 80% of reasonable medical expenses up to a maximum of $10,000 per passenger. Florida PIP will also provide up to $5,000 in death benefits to surviving family members of your passengers.
In order to be eligible to use your PIP benefits, a passenger in your car must not own a vehicle that provides them with their own PIP coverage.
PIP Coverage Is Mandatory in Florida
Everyone who owns a car in Florida must obtain PIP coverage before the vehicle can be legally registered in the state, as required by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Certain non-residents must also obtain PIP coverage. Non-residents must have PIP coverage if they work in Florida or have children who attend school in Florida.
Failure to obtain and continually maintain PIP coverage could result in the suspension of your license, suspension of your license plates, and fines of up to $500.
PIP Covers Many People Involved in a Car Accident
Florida PIP covers certain passengers riding in your car when involved in a collision. PIP also covers the following car accident victims, according to the Florida Legislature website:
- The named insured person (you)
- Biological or adoptive family members who live in your home
- Anyone driving your vehicle
- Anyone hit by your vehicle
PIP will provide up to $10,000 in medical expenses and lost income. PIP will also provide up to $5,000 in death benefits. Each PIP amount is paid per person.
Let Florida PIP Cover Passengers Who Are Fatalities
Florida puts PIP insurance in place for a reason. When you or a family member are involved in a car accident, you might need the coverage PIP provides to receive the medical care you need. PIP will cover more than medical bills for your passengers.
If a passenger in your car is killed as a result of the accident, PIP will cover the cost of their funeral and burial.
Let Florida PIP Cover Passengers’ Accident-Related Disabilities
Florida PIP will cover passengers in your car if they are unable to return to work immediately following a car accident. If a car accident leaves your passengers with injuries that require significant time to heal – PIP may cover their injuries up to the maximum PIP coverage of $10,000.
How Can Passengers Recover Maximum Compensation?
Passengers have the same right to maximum compensation following a car accident that injured drivers do. In addition to filing a claim for PIP benefits, you have the right to be compensated for your emotional, financial, and physical losses as well. However, the PIP benefits you may be entitled to will most likely not be enough to cover your damages in full.
When this happens, you may need to be prepared to bring your case to civil court. By filing a personal injury lawsuit against a third party, you may not only recover the compensation the insurance company wouldn’t provide you, but you can also seek compensation for your non-economic damages. Those may include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and disability as a result of the car accident.
Compensation for Passenger Car Accident Victims in Florida
Filing a claim for PIP benefits is one of the best ways to get the most out of your claim. However, because the insurance company only covers up to a $10,000 policy limit, you may need to bring your case to court to recover the full amount of your damages.
To accurately calculate the value of your claim and ensure that no loss goes unaccounted for, your attorney will quantify your damages as being either economic or non-economic. Economic damages have fixed monetary values. They might include:
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Loss of household services
- Current and future medical bills
- Property damages
- Other out-of-pocket costs
Non-economic damages account for the physical and emotional damage you suffered as a result of the accident. Some of the more common types of non-economic damages that are awarded in passenger car accident claims include:
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Skin scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Inconvenience
- Reputational damage
- Physical pain and suffering
There Is a Deadline to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Florida
Whether you are the driver or passenger in an injury accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you have a limited time to file a civil lawsuit in court.
Personal injury case: Per Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a), you have four years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit.
Wrongful death case: Per Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(d), you have two years from the date of your loved one’s passing to file a lawsuit.
If you miss these deadlines, a court could dismiss your case, and you will miss your chance to seek the compensation you need to move forward. A lawyer can ensure your case is filed on time in the proper court, so that does not happen.
Get the Most Out of Your PIP Protection
Florida PIP covers passengers in your car and family members who are driving your car, even if you are not in the car at the time of the accident. If you need help assessing the benefits of your PIP policy, the attorneys at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help. Call 1-800-747-3733 to speak with a team member today.
Our attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront or out of pocket unless we win a settlement or court award for you.
