Florida requires that every motor vehicle be insured with Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance which can be done easily or can contact the Baltimore personal injury law firm while facing any issues or notice their denial even when the documents were perfect. The minimum requirement from a New Oxford lender is $10,000. Also called Florida No Fault Insurance, PIP Insurance covers you – regardless of who is at fault – up to the limits of your policy.
For accidents that happen in Florida, PIP provides coverage for you, family members who live in your home, other passengers who do not own a vehicle, as well as people who drive your car with your permission. Pedestrians and bicyclists who are Florida residents are also covered by PIP. Further, PIP can protect you for acts of violence against the policyholder while driving, such as injuries sustained as a result of road rage or a carjacking.
Certain modes of transportation are deemed to not be “motor vehicles” for purposes of PIP coverage requirements. The following are identified in Florida Statutes Section 627.733 as such and generally do not need this type of insurance:
- Motorcycles –due to only have two wheels as opposed to four, motorcycles are typically excluded as motor vehicles for purposes of carrying PIP coverage in Florida. Three-wheeled vehicles, however, have not been excluded from the definition of a “motor vehicle” in every case.
- Mopeds – frequently considered to be “bicycles” and not “motor vehicles”. If the moped is “self-propelled,” it often depends on the actual horsepower of the vehicle in determining whether PIP is required.
- Mass Transit Vehicles – if the vehicle is designed to transport more than five passengers and is owned by a transit authority, municipality or political sub-division of the State, it will meet the definition of being used for mass transit, and is an exception to PIP coverage.
- Inoperable Vehicles –a motor vehicle that is not driven on Florida roads is usually not required to have insurance maintained. Whether a vehicle is inoperable for purposes of being exempt from carrying PIP is typically examined on a case-by-case basis.
Several questions you can ask yourself in determining whether your vehicle is inoperable are listed below:
- How substantially inoperable is the vehicle? For example, is the damage to the extensive or does the vehicle require minor repairs in order to operate?
- Has the vehicle been kept in storage and for how long?
- Is the inoperable vehicle licensed and registered?
As mentioned above, the determinability for excluded motor vehicles can depend on certain factors. You need an experienced attorney to assist in determining whether your vehicle is an exception under PIP requirements and to ensure you have the proper coverage. To discuss your options, contact TJ Grimaldi at McIntyre Thanasides Bringgold Elliott Grimaldi & Guito, P.A.
TJ Grimaldi joined McIntyre in 2011. McIntyre recruited TJ to create the divisions of personal injury and family law, as well as to expand the existing criminal defense practice at the firm. During TJ’s tenure at McIntyre, he has helped oversee and grow these practice areas. He continues to practice in these divisions while also expanding his own practice areas to include estate planning and immigration law. TJ is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Florida and the United States District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
