If you were hurt in a car accident, you might have questions about filing an insurance claim with your auto insurer and/or the insurer of the person who hit you. Insurance companies do not always make the process easy and sometimes try to give claimants the runaround.
One way to help protect your rights when dealing with insurance companies is to hire an accident lawyer. At the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato, we work with our clients to address all aspects of their motor vehicle accident, including negotiating with insurance companies on their behalf.
We offer a free consultation to discuss your situation. This allows you to ask questions about your legal rights, how to proceed with insurance companies, and whether the other driver may be liable for your damages. Call us today at (954) 633-8270 to discuss your case with a member of our team.
Florida Car Insurance Coverage Explained
There are many types of car insurance coverage, some of which are mandatory in Florida and some of which are optional.
Under Florida law, drivers are required to maintain certain policy limits of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage.
The minimum PIP policy will cover 80% of the compensation for necessary and medical expenses up to $10,000. This is applicable regardless of who is at fault for the accident.
The minimum PDL policy is designed to provide $10,000 in compensation for any property damage, such as vehicle repairs.
Florida drivers who do not have PIP or PDL insurance may face fines and a suspension of their driving privileges for up to three years.
Other Types of Car Insurance Coverage
In addition to PIP and PDL coverage, there may be a few other types of optional coverage that you have as part of your auto insurance policy or that the other driver maintains:
- Bodily Injury Liability: this covers injuries that you are responsible for inflicting on another road user.
- Collision Coverage: This coverage applies to property damage to your car due to another vehicle.
- Comprehensive Coverage: this covers damage to your car that does not occur in an accident with another driver, e.g., a car being stolen or damaged in a flood.
- Uninsured Motorist Coverage: this provides coverage in the event that the person who hit you does not have auto insurance.
- Underinsured Motorist Coverage: this provides additional coverage if the insurance policy of the person who hit you does not cover all of your damages.
A Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer from the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato can review your policy with you and help you figure out the amount of coverage that you are entitled to receive. We can also help you file a lawsuit, if necessary.
For a free consultation to learn more about whether we can assist you, call the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato at (954) 633-8270.
What To Expect When Dealing With Insurance Companies
If you were hurt in a car accident, you may be wondering when you should notify your insurance carrier and what you should tell them. For example, your insurer may request a copy of a police report for the crash and may ask you to make a recorded statement about what happened.
Some of the steps that an insurer may take include:
- Reviewing the police report
- Interviewing witnesses and other parties involved in the claim
- Visiting and investigating the scene of the accident
- Taking photographs of the vehicles that were involved in the crash
- Requesting that you sign a medical release so they can review your treatment records
- Contacting medical providers to learn more about the types of injuries that you received
- Investigating other sources of information such as your social media posts or accounts
- Obtaining a recorded statement from you regarding what happened
- Declaring who is at fault for the accident
The Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato Wants To Help You
At the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato, we strive to treat our clients like family and want to help you through this stressful time.
In addition to helping you pursue a civil claim for damages, an accident lawyer from our firm can make sure that the insurance companies respect your rights. In doing so, we can handle all of the communications and negotiations with the insurance companies on your behalf when we represent you.
You can speak to one of our staff members in a free consultation by calling (954) 633-8270. We can discuss what insurance coverage may apply to your car accident during this call.
