Submitted by George Hunter on
Personal Injury Protection, or PIP coverage, is insurance required by law in Florida of every vehicle owner and driver on the road. The minimum amount of coverage required under Florida Statutes is $10,000.00 in medical and/or disability benefits, and $5,000 in death benefits.
PIP benefits are paid by your own insurance company on your behalf for injuries which you sustain in an accident, regardless of who is at fault or who caused the accident. Part of the premiums that you pay for your automobile insurance is for PIP coverage.
The standard PIP insurance policy provides each claimant entitled to coverage under the policy with $10,000 of coverage. The standard PIP policy will pay 80% of your medical bills and 60% of any gross income and loss of earning capacity per individual from inability to work proximately caused by the injury. There is usually a $2,000 deductible on each standard policy, meaning that the beneficiary of the coverage is responsible for paying the deductible out of pocket. These benefits are available until each claimant’s $10,000.00 coverage has been exhausted.
On May 4, 2012 a bill was signed into law designed to address fraud in PIP claims. Now, after an automobile accident, you must seek medical care from a legitimate medical provider within 14 days of the accident to qualify for PIP benefits. The treating doctor must certify that you are officially diagnosed with an “emergency medical condition” to receive the entire $10,000 in benefits available to you. If you miss the deadline, your benefits are limited to $2,500.00 – even though you have paid premiums for $10,000 in benefits.
Massage therapy and acupuncture are no longer covered under PIP as medical treatment for injuries sustained in an accident. Only treatment at licensed medical clinics and facilities will be eligible for payment under your PIP policy. Your PIP carrier has 30 days after submission of treating providers’ bills to make payments, with some exceptions.
To really protect yourself and your future after an automobile accident that is not your fault, you need to retain the services of a law firm that has represented injured clients and knows how to deal with insurance carriers and understands the rules regarding PIP coverage.
Consultations are FREE at George Hunter, P.A.. You do not pay any FEES or COSTS unless you receive a recovery. George Hunter, P.A. will work hard to get you the PIP coverage benefits available to you. We will also fight for you to receive the compensation that you deserve for your injuries, your pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages. We will protect you from insurance company for the at-fault party so that they do not have the opportunity to take advantage of you and settle your claim for a nominal amount which is likely significantly less than what your case is really worth.
If you are injured in an automobile accident, contact George Hunter, P.A. to represent you. And when the adverse insurance company calls you to settle with you for $500, you can tell them call my attorneys – George Hunter, P.A. at 813-853-0720.
