Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Personal Injury Protection (PIP), is commonly known as “Florida No Fault Insurance” and covers drivers and certain other individuals covered under the policy for any personal injuries arising from a car accident up to the limits of their policy, regardless if they were liable, or at fault, for the accident or not.
If you have unlawfully been denied personal injury protection insurance or your legitimate personal injury liability claim has been denied in bad faith, it is important to hire an experienced automobile insurance lawyer in Tampa.
Tampa Personal Injury Protection Lawyer
Contact the Germain Law Group at (813) 835-8888 for a consultation about your car insurance claim in Tampa, Florida. Attorney Michael B. Germain is knowledgeable in all areas of Florida’s insurance laws and is experienced in all aspects of personal injury protection. Call the Germain Law Group today about your auto insurance claim or claim denial throughout the areas in Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Brevard County and Manatee County, Florida.
Personal Injury Protection in Florida
Florida requires every driver who has a car registered in their name to carry minimum amounts of insurance. Anyone whose car is registered in Florida is required to continuously maintain personal injury protection and property damage liability under Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault law (Fla. Stat. § 627.733). The minimum amount of coverage required under Fla. Stat. § 627.736 is $10,000 in personal injury protection.
Personal injury protection also covers a driver’s relatives, individuals lawfully operating the insured vehicle and certain other passengers who do not have PIP insurance and do not own a vehicle. The benefits covered by personal injury protection include medical benefits, death benefits and disability benefits under Fla. Stat. § 627.736.
Personal injury protection only covers injuries up to the policy’s limits, so if you sustain any injury that costs more than your policy’s coverage, you will have to pay the remainder of the expenses out of pocket. Additionally, you may be required to first pay a deductible before your insurance provider pays any benefits under the policy.
Tampa PIP Claim Filing Procedures
According to Fla. Stat. § 627.736, your car insurance company will likely require written notice of the motor vehicle accident as soon as reasonably possible after the accident occurs. Your insurance provider is then required to pay your benefits for any injuries sustained within 30 days after they are given written notice of a claim that is covered under the policy.
Certain claims are excluded from PIP coverage, including if the driver’s conduct was intentional and contributed to their injuries, they were injured in a car accident while committing a felony, or if the person operating the motor vehicle did not have permission to drive the car from the owner.
Denial of PIP Claims in Tampa
Often, insurance companies will find a reason to deny a driver’s claim under their personal injury protection provision of their car insurance policy. These reasons typically include the insurance premium was not timely paid, their injury was preexisting, the injury claim was the result of fraud, or the injury was excluded under a provision in the insurance policy.
If you are applying for personal injury protection coverage, but your application was denied because another insurer has previously denied you similar coverage or because you are considered a volunteer driver under Florida law. A refusal to issue an insurance policy for either of these reasons is a violation of Fla. Stat. § 627.7261, and not legally permitted.
After your application for personal injury protection insurance has been unlawfully denied, or your claim for injuries after a car accident under your personal injury protection coverage has been denied, the insurance carrier must provide you with notice of the coverage denial and the specific causes for the coverage denial.
It is important to hire an experienced personal injury protection attorney if your claim was unlawfully denied or your car insurance carrier acted in bad faith. Upon a denial, your attorney will proceed with any necessary legal action on your behalf.
Germain Law Group, P.A. | Personal Injury Protection Attorney in Tampa
Contact the Germain Law Group today for a consultation about your personal injury protection claim in Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Brevard County and Manatee County. Michael B. Germain is an experienced Tampa auto insurance attorney who will listen to the facts of your situation and help you determine the best recourse in pursuing your auto insurance claim. Contact the Germain Law Group at (813) 835-8888 for a consultation about your car insurance issues throughout Central Florida, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Titusville, Palm Bay, Melbourne, Bradenton, and Palmetto.