12 Mar Should I Have Motorcycle Insurance In Florida?
Florida is a prime destination for motorcycle riders due to its great weather and open roads. Sadly, accidents do happen when it comes to motorcycles for a variety of reasons. Therefore, you need to be sure to have the proper coverage in order to protect yourself and your assets. There may not be a requirement in Florida to have motorcycle insurance when registering a motorcycle, but you will be held financially responsible if you cause an accident as the driver.
Are Motorcycle Riders Required to Carry Personal Injury Protection Florida?
In Florida, unlike cars, motorcycles riders are not required to carry PIP coverage, also known as Personal Injury Protection coverage. PIP coverage is the $10,000 in no-fault benefits you may be eligible for if you treat within 14 days of the accident. However, to replace that coverage, you may purchase medical payments coverage which is similar to a health insurance-type coverage.
Can Motorcycle Riders Purchase Uninsured Motorist Coverage In Florida?
You do have the ability to purchase uninsured/ underinsured motorist coverage if you are a motorcycle rider in the state of Florid and it is highly recommended. Not only because there is a large percentage of uninsured/ underinsured motorists in Florida, but also because motorcycles do not have nearly the same safety features as vehicles do. It is highly recommended that you protect yourself and purchase uninsured coverage when purchasing motorcycle insurance in Florida, or any state for that matter.
Uninsured motorist coverage for motorcycle riders can be stacked upon the at-fault driver’s bodily injury protection. For example, if the at-fault driver has $10,000 in bodily injury coverage and you, the motorcycle rider, have $10,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, you now have $20,000 in total coverage you can potentially recover.
Should I Purchase Bodily Injury Coverage for my motorcycle?
There is never such a thing as too much insurance. It is highly recommended that you protect yourself and your assets by purchasing bodily injury coverage in order to cover another’s medical expenses should you cause an accident on your motorcycle. Now, you may be a skilled and safe motorcycle rider, however, they call them accidents for a reason. It is because they are unpredictable. Therefore, you must protect yourself should anything ever occur.
As a motorcycle owner, you are not required to have insurance, but as a rider you have to show you can take financial responsibility should you cause an accident which can be satisfied in multiple ways. The easiest way to satisfy that responsibility is to obtain bodily injury coverage. The minimum liability coverage required by the State of Florida for motorcycle drivers is:
– $10,000 for one person bodily injury
– $20,000 for two or more people bodily injury
– $10,000 per crash in property damage liability.
If you decide not to purchase bodily injury coverage, you have two other options:
– Obtain a Financial Responsibility Certificate. This requires that you post a surety bond with a state licensed company and deposit cash or securities with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).
– Get a Self-Insurance Certificate from the Bureau of Financial Responsibility. This requires that you provide evidence of a net encumbered capital.
What If I Do Not Have Motorcycle Insurance?
Motorcycle owners that cannot provide proof that they can take financial responsibility should accident occur may have to deal with a wide variety of penalties. These penalties could include but is not limited to fines, suspension of licenses, your motorcycle registration, your license plate to your motorcycle in addition to fees that can assessed when trying to regain motorcycle driving privileges. It is best to follow the requirements in the State of Florida to not only avoid having to deal with these issues, but also to protect yourself.
Motorcycle ACCIDENT IN Florida? I CAN HELP!
If you have any questions about your motorcycle accident claim, I am here for you. I understand that the process after an incident can be difficult and stressful. You probably have a lot of questions and very few answers. Allow me to be there for you every step of the way. I offer a FREE no-obligation consultation and will review your claim with you personally at one of the office locations in Tampa, Zephyrhills, or Saint Petersburg. Cannot make it to me? I will come to wherever is convenient to you at NO charge. You deserve to be compensated and I want to get justice for you!
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