Q: WHO WILL PAY MY MEDICAL BILLS AND LOST WAGES? 

A: In 1972, Florida passed a law requiring all persons who have insurance to purchase Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP coverage).   This ensures that people injured in an auto accident will have at least $10,000 in insurance coverage, whether or not they have health insurance.  PIP is classified as finite insurance. In other words, it ends after the $10,000 benefit is paid.  Additionally, PIP is primary over all other types of insurance, including private health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security or Worker’s Compensation.  What this means is that PIP must be used before any other type of health care benefit provider is obligated to pay a bill.

There are a limited number of facilities that accept PIP for the treatment of auto accident victims.  This is because most primary care doctors are not set up to bill PIP.  Therefore, it is crucial to find a provider that accepts PIP and, most importantly, can provide top-quality medical care.

Q: CAN I GET A RENTAL CAR?

A: In most cases, yes, since rental coverage is provided by the at-fault party’s insurance; however, the extent of that coverage will depend on the type and quality of that coverage.  Most insurance policies will allow you a rental car for 10 to 30 days depending on whether your car is totaled or has repairable damage.

Your own car insurance may also provide for rental car coverage but this depends on the policy and specific coverage purchased.  We will be happy to review your policy with you to determine if this is included in your coverage.

Q: SHOULD I MEET THE AT-FAULT PERSON’S INSURANCE ADJUSTER WHEN THEY EXAMINE MY CAR FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE? 

A: No.  Under no circumstances should you be with the property damage adjuster when they take pictures of your vehicle.  It is important to remember that these insurance adjusters work for the other side.  They are not there to help you. They are trying to pay as little as possible for both property damage and bodily injury.

It is not uncommon for them to play tricks, such as asking you to retrieve information from your car’s glove compartment in order to photograph you bending over into the car.  This can be used later against you during the injury case.

We strongly advise that you have a family friend or other relative there when the adjuster examines the vehicle.  It is also important that no one talk to the adjuster or reveal details about the accident or injuries sustained.

Q: WHAT CAN I DO IF MY CAR IS TOTALED? 

A: Most people whose cars are totaled will lose money.  Cars are depreciating assets, which means they lose value continuously from the moment of purchase until the time of the accident.

One of the things that you can do to maximize the value of your totaled vehicle is to research it online at www.kellybluebook.com to determine its true market value.  It is important for vehicle owners to input the vehicle information since you are the best person to assess the previous condition of the car, its mileage, the condition of the interior and any additions made to the vehicle to enhance its value.  Once this information has been entered, the site will provide a range estimating the value for your vehicle.

Q: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF AUTO INSURANCE  COVERAGE AND HOW DO THEY HELP ME?

A. Some of the most common types of auto insurance coverages are:

• Liability – This provides coverage for all sums the insured is legally obligated to pay due to an
accident.
• Bodily Injury (BI) – Bodily Injury provides coverage for death or serious and permanent injury to
others when you are legally liable for an accident involving your automobile.
• Medical Pay (Med Pay) – This covers medical treatment for the insured
or resident family member resulting from an auto accident, regardless of fault, as
well as any person occupying the covered auto.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – PIP provides coverage for medical benefits, lost
wages and funeral benefits for the insured or resident family member when injured in
his or her vehicle, in someone else’s vehicle, or as a pedestrian or bicyclist.
• Property Damage (PD) – This offers protection in the event that negligent acts or omissions of
an insured result in damage or destruction of another’s property.
• Uninsured Motorist (UM) – This is coverage provided to the insured, resident family
members and any other person occupying the covered automobile for bodily
injury resulting from an accident involving an uninsured or underinsured driver.