What are Personal Injury Protection Benefits (PIP)? Will it pay for my medical bills OR lost wages?

The answer is YES!

Every automobile insurance policy sold in Florida or intended to cover a motor vehicle operated within the state of Florida must provide personal injury protection (PIP) benefits to the (1) named insured, (2) relatives residing in the same household, (3) persons operating the insured motor vehicle, (4) passengers in the motor vehicle, and (5) other persons struck by the vehicle and suffering bodily injury while not an occupant of a self-propelled vehicle.

Each policy must carry no less than $10,000.00, which covers a loss sustained by any such person listed above as a result of bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle.

The $10,000.00 in PIP benefits can be used to pay for a portion of your medical bills or loss of your gross income.  If you have medical bills [ambulance bill, ER bill, x-ray bill, etc.], your PIP benefits will pay up to eighty (80%) percent of all reasonable expenses for medically necessary medical, surgical, X-ray, dental, and rehabilitative services, including prosthetic devices, and medically necessary ambulance, hospital, and nursing services.

If you are forced to miss work due to the injuries you sustained in an accident, you may also be entitled to compensation for your lost wages.  PIP benefits under your automobile insurance policy will pay up to sixty (60%) percent of any loss of gross income and loss of earning capacity per individual from inability to work caused by the injury(s) sustained.  The insurance company even has an obligation to pay disability benefits no less than every 2 weeks.  Please keep in mind that your insurance company will require that adequate proof of your disability and past earnings before any benefits are paid to you.

In the unfortunate event that you die or a loved one dies as a result of a motor vehicle accident, he/she may be entitled to a death benefit under the PIP provisions of your automobile insurance policy equal to $5,000.00 or the remainder of unused PIP benefits.  The lesser of the two amounts will be paid by the insurance company.   The benefits will more than likely be paid to the executor or administrator of the deceased; however, it can be paid to the deceased's relatives.