CarInsurance.com Get an Insurance Quote
> ZIP code:  Start Quote
CarInsurance.com Navigation
  About Car Insurance About Us
  Car Insurance Site Map Site Map

Get Free Quotes Now

Zip Code:
Save With CarInsurance.com!
Car Insurance Learning Center  Learning Center  Auto Insurance Questions & Answers   Questions & Answers  Professional Answers   Professional Answer
My girlfriend was selling her car and the person that test drove it got into an accident. She has PIP/PD as Florida requires. The company is telling her that her insurance doesn't cover the other person's injuries. She has the 10/10 coverage. What does this cover if not that?

Your girlfriend would need Bodily Injury (BI) Liability coverage for injuries of those in another vehicle to be covered. Florida is a no-fault state so usually those injured by the person test driving your girlfriend's car would be covered by their own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. If the injuries were severe though and exceed their PIP than BI Liability coverage would be needed by your girlfriend to cover their injuries.

Your girlfriend's 10/10 coverage is for what you said PIP coverage of $10,000, which covers her if she is injured in an accident and the other 10,000 pays for Property Damage (PD) Liability coverage. So the car that the person test driving the car damaged would be covered by this PD coverage up to $10,000 of damage.

In Florida vehicle owners or operators may be required to carry two types of insurance. The first type of auto insurance is detailed in the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law (sections of Ch. 627 of the Florida Statutes). Here it requires every person who registers a vehicle in Florida to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability insurance (PDL) on the vehicle.

The FL No Fault law states that any person who has a car in Florida for more than 90 days during the preceding 365 days, resides in Florida, is employed in Florida or has children in school in Florida must purchase Personal Injury Protection ($10,000) and Property Damage Liability coverage ($10,000), so the 10/10 coverage your girlfriend had.

These insurance coverages provide compensation for insured drivers’ physical injury regardless of who is at fault in an accident and for property damage to others when an insured driver is at fault.

The second type of auto insurance is listed under the Financial Responsibility Law (Ch. 324 of the Florida Statutes). Here Florida requires motorists to carry additional Liability insurance if they have caused accidents involving bodily injury or have been convicted of certain offenses, such as driving under the influence.

Thus in FL if the insured is involved in an accident, the Financial Responsibility Law, regulated by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV), also requires Bodily Injury Liability coverage ($10,000 Bodily Injury one person, $20,000 Bodily Injury one accident).

Florida insurance in this respect can be confusing. Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) is not required to register your car in Florida, only PIP and PDL are, however it is smart to also carry BIL since if you are in an accident where there are injuries you can then be required by the state to obtain and maintain Bodily Injury insurance on your policy. The minimal amount you can get of BIL is 10/20 or $30,000 combined. Some CarInsurance.com carriers do not sell a policy without Bodily Injury Liability coverage included.

So your girlfriend fulfilled the insurance requirements of the Florida No-Fault insurance law she did not have Bodily Injury Liability insurance which would have fulfilled the Financial Responsibility Law. If the other person was not severely injured than normally they would not need to place a claim against any BI coverage anyway, just use their own PIP coverages.

Share this on: Tweet this! Add to Facebook Add Google Bookmark Digg This Windows Live Favorites Add to Del.icio.us reddit this!
StumbleUpon Save to Ma.gnolia Save to Blinklist Technorati This Submit to Propeller Furl It Seed Newsvine
Related Questions
Car Insurance RelatedSomeone hit our parked car and told the police that they have insurance. We just found out that their insurance is inactive. What do we do now? what are our options?
Car Insurance RelatedWhat do policy limits of 200/300/100 on an auto insurance policy mean? What policy does Florida's financial responsibility law require? What are 4 ways I can reduce my automobile insurance premiums?
Car Insurance RelatedWhat is the minimum auto insurance coverage for the state of Florida?
Car Insurance RelatedWhat is the Florida Financial responsibility Law? When does it start?
Car Insurance RelatedWhat is the minimum Bodily Injury Liability coverage in Florida?
Car Insurance RelatedI was involved in a accident that I caused 10/31/07. The PIP law had sunset in Florida so I had only property damage insurance, and there was a bodily injury involved do I have to have SR-22? Did th...
Car Insurance RelatedWhat is the full coverage requirement in the state of Florida?
Tell us what you think about this answer.
What did you think of this question and answer?

poor 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

 excellent
Tell us why you rated this car insurance question and answer this way:
Visitor Comments
No visitors have commented on this answer.
Question Details
This car insurance question was asked on 5/28/2009
This auto insurance answer was last updated on 6/8/2009
Scott requested this car insurance solution.
Rated 0 out of 10 based on 0 votes.
Claims
Print Car Insurance Answers Print this car insurance question and answer
Email Car Insurance Answers Email this auto insurance answer
Disclaimer: Answers and comments provided are for information purposes. They are not intended to substitute informed professional advice. These responses should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any insurance product, or to provide financial or legal advice. Please refer to your insurance policy for specific coverage and exclusion information. Please read our Terms Of Use.
©2009 CarInsurance.com, Inc. - Online Insurance Marketplace™
safe and secure auto insurance   better business bureau car insurance   Tested, Safe, and Secure Car Insurance