Florida minimum insurance laws don’t require drivers to purchase uninsured motorist coverage, but it’s a good idea to buy it to financially protect yourself.

Written by Hillary Kobayashi

Edited by Amy Bobinger

Updated on Jun 7, 2024

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Do you need uninsured motorist coverage in Florida?
How Florida uninsured motorist coverage works
FAQ
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Uninsured motorist coverage isn’t a required coverage in

Florida

, but it’s usually a good idea to add it to your

car insurance

policy to protect yourself from uninsured and underinsured drivers.

Do you need uninsured motorist coverage in Florida?

Even though Florida law doesn’t require you to purchase

uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

, it’s still usually a good idea.

According to the

Insurance Information Institute (III)

, 15.9% of drivers in Florida don’t have insurance coverage, making it the state with the 15th-highest rate of uninsured drivers in the US. This means that if you get into an accident in Florida, there’s almost a one in six chance that the other driver doesn’t have insurance1.

For this reason, we highly recommend you invest in uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. This affordable insurance add-on will help cover the medical expenses you incur in a car accident.

Purchasing uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to your policy will cost you around $270 per year on average, but it will give you added financial protection and peace of mind—so you can enjoy your time at the beaches in Miami.

How Florida uninsured motorist coverage works

Adding uninsured motorist coverage can help you tackle the financial fallout that can occur after a run-in with someone who doesn’t have enough liability insurance coverage to pay for your lost wages, pain and suffering, medical costs, and more. This is especially true since Florida’s

liability coverage

requirements are scant to begin with.

Increasing your policy limits and adding additional types of coverage will boost your Florida insurance policy.

Florida’s minimum car insurance laws

do not include uninsured motorist insurance. The following liability limits are required to drive in Florida:

$10,000 for

property damage liability (PD)

, which covers the other driver’s vehicle damage and property in the event of a motor vehicle accident.

$10,000 for

personal injury protection (PIP)

, which covers medical bills, lost wages, funeral expenses, and more for policyholders, family members, and passengers in the event of an automobile accident. PIP coverage is required in Florida because it is a

no-fault state

Drivers who fail to carry the required coverage can have their driver’s license suspended. Reinstating your license can cost between $150 to $500.

What’s available

One type of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can be purchased in Florida:

Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI): This covers you and your passengers’ medical bills after an accident with an uninsured driver.

Florida doesn’t require uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, but there is a Florida statute that requires insurance companies to offer policyholders this type of insurance when they choose their policy.

According to

Florida statutes 2,

uninsured motorist policy limits cannot be less than the policyholder’s bodily injury liability limits (which is optional coverage in Florida).

What it covers

If your purchase uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI) in Florida, it will help cover the following expenses:

Current medical bills

Future medical bills

Loss of income

Rehabilitation costs

Pain and suffering

Funeral costs

Collision coverage

will also pay for damages to your vehicle in the event of an auto accident, so this is a good option for drivers in Florida. Collision coverage is sold together with

comprehensive coverage

full-coverage policies

Hit-and-runs

UM/UIM will protect you if you are involved in

a hit-and-run

accident in Florida, which unfortunately, is possible if you are stuck by someone without insurance. This is because they might flee the scene to avoid any consequences of

driving uninsured

If you are the victim of a hit-and-run, you can file a claim with UM/UIM. Without it, depending on your auto insurance policy details, you might be left uncovered.

How to make a claim

After you are

involved in an accident

, you will need the following information from the other driver to

make an insurance claim

Name

Contact information

License plate number

Car insurance provider

To file an uninsured motorist claim, make sure you have all the necessary paperwork ready to go. This might include a police report, medical records, and medical bills that you have received after the accident. This documentation will help you explain your experience to your insurance company.

Keep in mind that UM/UIM will only pay up to your coverage limit. If your medical bills surpass that limit, you will need to use your health insurance or private funds to cover the rest of your expenses.

Don’t overpay for a policy with UM/UIM

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FAQ

What is the difference between UM coverage and UIM coverage?

Uninsured motorist coverage (UM coverage) covers a policyholder who is struck by an at-fault driver who doesn’t have any insurance coverage. Underinsured motorist (UIM coverage) covers a policyholder who is struck by an at-fault driver whose liability limits are not enough to cover all of the costs incurred in an accident. Both coverages can be purchased in Florida.

Does UM insurance cover an injury attorney in Florida?

No, UM insurance doesn’t cover Florida car accident lawyers, personal injury lawyers, or wrongful death law firms. If you need legal assistance, you might want to contact a lawyer for a free consultation.

Meet our experts

Hillary Kobayashi

Hillary Kobayashi is an insurance writer and editor specializing in insurance and finance topics. Hillary’s mission is to use her knowledge and love of education to help car owners better understand how they can save time and money on car ownership. The articles Hillary has published for Jerry span topics from state-specific bill of sale requirements to SR-22 insurance information.

Prior to joining Jerry, Hillary spent over ten years in education at Pacific University and the University of Oregon.

Amy Bobinger

Licensed Insurance Agent — Expert Insurance Editor

Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars.

Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.

SOURCES

https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/STATUTES/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.727.html