I’m confused, Uninsured motorist coverage?

State of Florida, looking at renewal of the fleet for the next year. 
 

We're required in Florida to have 10k in Personal Injury Protection (PIP).
 

Our agent said that the uninsured motorist portion of the policy only covers the additional medical costs after PIP, and after my own medical insurance pays further medical costs. 
 

She said that it doesn't apply to property, and we're finding that property coverage for uninsured motorists is not permitted in FL. 
 

Uninsured Motorist seems redundant with the whole family covered by my Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance. It probably would cover a passenger, however. 

If we decline it, the state law establishing this coverage requires us to decline it in writing. 
 

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

She said that it doesn't apply to property, and we're finding that property coverage for uninsured motorists is not permitted in FL. 

Here in California, the one time I've used UIM was for property -- it covered my deductible when I got rear-ended by a hit-and-run driver in a stolen car.  Rules vary a lot by state though.

How much do they want for it?  If it doesn't cover much, then it seems like it shouldn't be very expensive either.

We decided to get the coverage. While our family is well protected by our health insurance, the Uninsured Motorist policy will cover our passengers. It also covers loss of income.

Uninsured/Underinsured coverage is required to carry in Vermont. Apparently the law makers understand that too many Vermonters don't carry insurance. See we have to foot the bill ourselves for those who don't care.

In reply to vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) :

Florida doesn't require Bodily Injury coverage which is why they have to have PIP (personal injury protection)...so Vermont isn't the only screwy one lol. That's what is meant by Florida being a "no fault" state...regardless of who is at fault your insurance will pay for your injuries.

On that note, I would def have chosen the uninsured/underinsured coverage since you only have 10k PIP coverage for everyone in your car if you get in an accident. 

But wait, I was told my rates increased because of the amount of uninsured motorist in Florida in my area. Shouldn't that cover what Doc is asking about? Probably. I hate insurance and the scam that it is. /rant

In Texas, UIM covers property as well. 

And claims against it won't increase your rates.

Flying rocks kicked up by another vehicle that strike your vehicle, for instance.  Or hit-and-run & parking lot crunched.  Doesn't go against your collision coverage and often has a lower deductible.

TBH in this day and age you may as well just get an Altima with limo tint, no plates, no insurance OR a big ol hoopty truck with a 6" lift and steel bumpers, same story no insurance.  Throw it in the gutter and go get another.  

No one else has it, why should we be the responsible ones?

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

We're required in Florida to have 10k in Personal Injury Protection (PIP).
 

Our agent said that the uninsured motorist portion of the policy only covers the additional medical costs after PIP, and after my own medical insurance pays further medical costs. 

As you know, if you have to take an ambulance ride that $10k of PIP isn't going to go very far.

Be cautious about assuming health ins will cover an auto accident.  Used to be that way, but a lot of companies now perk up when they hear the med expenses are related to an accident, so there is another route for payment to keep them from covering it (either at-fault liability or UM).  Some health insurance will cover auto accidents, but you should check.

Andy Hollis said:

In Texas, UIM covers property as well. 

And claims against it won't increase your rates.

Flying rocks kicked up by another vehicle that strike your vehicle, for instance.  Or hit-and-run & parking lot crunched.  Doesn't go against your collision coverage and often has a lower deductible.

The flying rocks, or limbs, hail, theft, vandalism, etc, is comprehensive coverage not collision or UIM. Our comprehensive coverage has the same deductible as collision. 

OK is the same for UIM as OP in Florida, medical only. However, if you have multiple vehicles, you only have to have UIM on one and it rolls over to the other. But each state has their own insurance commissioner and different rules. 

Hoppps said:

In reply to vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) :

Florida doesn't require Bodily Injury coverage which is why they have to have PIP (personal injury protection)...so Vermont isn't the only screwy one lol. That's what is meant by Florida being a "no fault" state...regardless of who is at fault your insurance will pay for your injuries.

On that note, I would def have chosen the uninsured/underinsured coverage since you only have 10k PIP coverage for everyone in your car if you get in an accident. 

PIP and Bodily Injury are not the same thing.  BI is for injury you cause to others, PIP is for you and/or passengers in your vehicle.  So the lack of BI requirements really doesn't have a lot to do with why PIP is required (with limited exception).

As noted, many states don't recognize uninsured/underinsured property damage.  Florida does.  Many health insurance policies do not cover medical bills from an auto accident, hence where UM/UIM can kick in.  Laws vary by state.

Not that it's not useful to compare notes and hash out the definitions, but every time this comes up it seems like the only thing that's very clear is that it varies wildly by state. To the extent that guidance based on conclusions from someone living somewhere else are almost entirely not applicable.

This feels like the sort of thing that if the insurers actually wanted to be clear about it, it should be published as a table, with coverage types (collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, etc) on one axis, and covered scenarios on the other. Cell values being requirements, deductibles, coverage, whether it's required...

Let me try to clear this up for you (I'm a Florida attorney - note disclaimer I'm not YOUR attorney and I'm not giving legal advice )

Florida only requires 2 auto insurance coverages - (1) PIP/No fault protection which covers the first 10,000 of your own medical bills if you are in an accident regardless of who is at fault and (2) property damage (PD) coverage which covers the damage to someone else's car if you are at fault. 

If you get seriously hurt in a car accident and you want to recover for your injuries, you are SOL unless (a) the other driver carries bodily injury (BI) coverage and/or (b) you carry uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your own policy which covers your injuries if the guy who hit you either doesn't carry BI or doesn't carry enough BI

UM/UIM is the most important coverage you can carry in Florida. Because FL only requires PIP and PD, there are a ton of drivers with no BI who think they have "full coverage" - then they get hit, badly injured, and wonder why they cannot recover for their injuries. The one thing to note is that for you to carry UM/UIM you must carry BI - which logically makes sense - if you are trying to protect yourself against drivers who are not carrying BI, then you have to carry BI in the same amount as the UM coverage you choose.

Insurance agents regularly both explain UM/UIM incorrectly and steer their customers away from it - this is insurance malpractice in my opinion. If you drive a car in Florida and you can afford the UM insurance, get it - period. Hopefully you never have to use it, and if you do your own company will fight you on any claim you make, but get it anyway. And get as much coverage as you can afford. And consider "stacking" which allows you to take all of your coverage on all of your cars and "stack" them together for one injury claim (e.g., you have $100,000 in UM/UIM coverage, get hit by an uninsured driver and end up with catastrophic injuries - you have 5 cars - with stacking your potential recovery is up to $500,000 instead of $100,000 from your UM insurance).

UM/UIM has nothing to do with damage to your vehicle in Florida - for that you want collision and comprehensive. Often times the amount of PD that the guy who hit you carries is insufficient to fix your car, or you want to just got through your own insurance because it is easier. Note making a claim against your own policy even when you are not at fault is not supposed to affect your rates - but insurance companies will find any way to screw you and it doesn't matter who is at fault. I had three claims in my household in one year - none our fault - two hit and runs in parking lots and one accident where other driver was at fault and at the end of the policy year the insurance company dropped us. 

Hope this helps -- 

Adam

In reply to M3racer :

Thank you so much for sharing your perspective on this topic. We are getting the Uninsured Motorist coverage, and while my wife had said that we would be stacking it, I hadn't yet asked her what stacking was. 
 

M3racer said:

L

Hope this helps -- 

Adam

Adam does Florida allow for additional Umbrella policies. We have major issues out here in California so I carry 500K/500K collision with uninsured motorist and then a umbrella on top to cover my estate.  I could not fathom only having 10k that would not cover the ride to the hospital here. 

wearymicrobe said:

M3racer said:

L

Hope this helps -- 

Adam

Adam does Florida allow for additional Umbrella policies. We have major issues out here in California so I carry 500K/500K collision with uninsured motorist and then a umbrella on top to cover my estate.  I could not fathom only having 10k that would not cover the ride to the hospital here. 

Umbrella policies are typically liability only. Like if you slammed a cybertruck into a $1 million Ferrari the Umbrella would pick up where your vehicle liability stops. Or if someone is hurt on your property, etc, etc. 

wearymicrobe said:

M3racer said:

L

Hope this helps -- 

Adam

Adam does Florida allow for additional Umbrella policies. We have major issues out here in California so I carry 500K/500K collision with uninsured motorist and then a umbrella on top to cover my estate.  I could not fathom only having 10k that would not cover the ride to the hospital here. 

$10k is just the state minimum requirement, you can buy more 

In reply to wearymicrobe :

Yes - you can carry an umbrella that in addition to covering you for UM and other liabilities. I am actually shopping myself for that right now. Speak to a reputable and knowledgeable agent to get the best advice on this.