If you ride a motorcycle in Florida and have an accident, bodily injury is just the beginning of your worries. If you’re not properly insured, you could also suffer revocation of your license, seizure of your license plates and steep fees for reinstatement. Then there are the medical bills and potential legal woes. Here are five important tips about Florida motorcycle insurance and accident law.
Fact No. 1
Any personal injury attorney in Tampa can tell you that Florida is a no-fault state. This means you’re only responsible for your medical claim after an accident, not the other driver’s medical claim, no matter whose fault it is. However, no-fault laws don’t apply to motorcycles in Florida, so speak to a personal injury attorney in Tampa for specific advice about how to properly file a claim against another driver.
Fact No. 2
Florida’s Financial Responsibility Law requires you to meet a minimum financial threshold or motorcycle insurance coverage in three key areas:
- $10,000 body injury liability for one person
- $20,000 body injury liability for two people, per incident
- $10,000 property damage liability per crash
Fact No. 3
As a motorist, you’re not required to get Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in Florida. However, some companies sell a kind of PIP for motorcyclists as part of the above insurance coverage types. This PIP isn’t regulated by Florida and may have some limitations. If you have an accident and need to use PIP, speak to a personal injury attorney in Tampa to see if your motorcycle PIP applies and how to use it.
Fact No. 4
You do not need insurance in Florida to register your motorcycle. However, you still need to fulfill your minimum coverage threshold under the Florida Financial Responsibility Law. Therefore, soon after registering your bike, you’ll need to fulfill coverage requirements by state law.
Fact No. 5
Meeting the minimum threshold is fine, but it often isn’t enough. Consider as much coverage and as many different types as you can afford. Helpful, additional insurance forms for motorcyclists include towing, labor and trip interruption. Make sure the insurance carrier is licensed to do business in Florida.
