Florida No Fault Auto Insurance - Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Required - Questions With Answers

What is PIP?
PIP is the common abbreviation for Personal Injury Protection. PIP is for benefits payable under the Florida auto insurance policy which is mandated by the Florida motor vehicle No Fault Auto Insurance law.

What is the name of the Florida law that requires PIP?
Florida Motor Vehicle No Fault Law is the name of the Florida statute that requires PIP coverage on all vehicles registered in the state of Florida.

Who is insured by PIP?
The named insured and all resident relatives are covered under the PIP coverage of your Florida auto insurance policy. Resident relatives are not required to be listed drivers on the policy for coverage to apply.

Which vehicles are covered by PIP?
All cars owned by you and listed on your Florida auto insurance policy is covered by the PIP portion of your policy. Also, any trailer designed for use with a private passenger vehicle and not used for business is considered a covered vehicle.

What does PIP cover?
Personal Injury Protection benefits include: Medical benefits, disability benefits, and death benefits.

What is the amounts payable when PIP coverage applies?
The amount of death benefit payable for an insured person is $5,000.
Medical benefits are payable at 80% of the amount incurred due to a covered injury. Disability benefits are payable at 60% of any lost wages incurred due to a covered injury. The total amount payable under PIP for any one accident is $10,000.

Is there a deductible under PIP coverage?
Florida Motor Vehicle Law allows a deductible of no more than $1,000 for PIP coverage. Choosing a deductible is optional and will lower the premium if you elect one. Also, work loss exclusion is allowed under the law and if elected your premium will be lower and you will not receive any benefit from lost wages due to a covered injury.

Is PIP an optional coverage?
PIP is not optional coverage for any vehicle registered in the state of Florida as mandated by the Florida Motor Vehicle No Fault Law.

Does someone else have to be at fault to collect payments under PIP?
No. Regardless of fault PIP coverage from your insurance policy provides benefits for a covered injury.

Do all insurance policies have PIP coverage?
Not all states require automobile insurance policies to have PIP coverage. All registered vehicles in Florida are required to carry PIP coverage.

When does coverage under PIP apply?
Coverage applies when the named insured or any resident relative is injured while occupying a motor vehicle. Also, coverage applies if an insured person is stuck by a motor vehicle as a pedestrian.

Do PIP benefits increase by the number of cars on my policy?
No. A premium is collected by your insurance company for each motor vehicle listed on the policy; however, this does not increase benefits.

If I have health insurance to cover my injuries does PIP still apply?
If an insured person sustains injury due to a covered event benefits are payable under PIP regardless of any health insurance the injured person carries.

Are an attorney and a law suit required to collect payments under PIP?
No. All top rated standard insurance companies will pay the PIP benefits to a covered person with out the need of an attorney or law suit.

What happens if I cancel my PIP policy and have a registered vehicle?
Your insurance company will notify the Florida Motor Vehicle Department of the cancelled policy. A notice will be sent to the registered vehicle owner inquiring about the status of any new policy which may have been purchased. Failure to respond to the notice or maintain required PIP coverage will result in the registered vehicle owner's driver's license being suspended.

I live in Florida part time of the year do I still require PIP coverage?
Any vehicle registered in the state of Florida is required to carry PIP coverage even if that vehicle is not in use or is in another state part of the year.

Am I covered by my PIP if I'm driving outside the state of Florida?
A Florida resident who is covered under the PIP portion of a Florida auto insurance policy is covered while driving that vehicle outside the state of Florida.

What is extended or additional Personal Injury Protection Coverage?
This is optional coverage not mandated by Florida Motor Vehicle Law which is offered by some companies. For an additional premium your insurance company may increase the total amount payable under PIP over the $10,000 mandated by law. Your company may also increase the percentages payable under the medical and disability portion of the PIP benefits. Typically the increase for medical would be from the 80% required by law to 100% and the disability benefit from the required 60% of lost wages to 80% of lost wages.

What happens if PIP coverage applies from more than one policy?
If there is other applicable Personal Injury Protection for the same injury the most that is collected is the maximum $10,000 amount required by law. Each company's policy will be responsible for their pro-rata share of benefits payable.

Does the insurance company decide which doctor or hospital I use?
No. Any doctor or hospital will be paid under the PIP benefit for medically necessary treatment due to a covered injury.

What exactly does resident relative mean?
Any relative by any degree of blood or marriage and usually resides at the home of the named insured. This includes a resident relative residing temporarily somewhere else, such as a student away at college.

What is excluded from benefits being paid under PIP?
If you own a car that is not insured under your auto insurance policy and are injured in that vehicle benefits will not apply. Any injury sustained by a person operating a covered auto without your express or implied permission. Any intentional bodily injury will not be covered. Any injury sustained in the commission of a felony will not be covered. A person other than you or a resident relative and has coverage under another Florida auto policy which has PIP benefits.

Author, Clifford J Schimek is President of Auto Plus Insurance, a family owned and operated Florida car insurance agency. For additional helpful Florida No Fault insurance policy information, or to receive a money saving quote for PIP auto insurance, please visit our website or call 1-877-WIZ-AUTO. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clifford_J_Schimek