Change May Be in Store for Florida's No-Fault Car Insurance System
With the support of Goverment, a group of Florida lawmakers is poised to overhaul the state's car insurance laws, changing or even eliminating no-fault coverage for injured car accident victims.
Under the current law, all Florida drivers are required to carry at least $10,000 in no-fault coverage, also known as Personal Injury Protection, or PIP. The proposed changes to the law would make that coverage optional rather than mandatory.
No-fault insurance was established in Florida in 1972 with the intent of streamlining the injury-claims process and reducing the number of car-accident lawsuits arising after insurance companies refused to pay victims' claims. By allowing injured accident victims to receive payments of up to $10,000 from their own insurance providers - regardless of who caused the underlying accident - lawmakers hoped the payment structure would reduce the need to litigate to recover adequate compensation for victims' injuries and medical expenses.
If Florida's no-fault car insurance system is eliminated, it will likely be replaced by a tort system similar to those used in most other states. Under a tort system, injured accident victims must prove fault before receiving compensation for their injuries, usually from the at-fault driver's insurance company.
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