Do You Have Adequate Auto Insurance Coverages?

Review The Coverages In Your Policy Before A Car Accident Ruins Your Personal Finances

Read This Good Explainer on Florida Auto Insurance Coverages

So, with the state of the world these days, we know that out of the blue, bad things can happen. Unexpected disaster can strike. Viruses can suddenly penetrate our bodies. Vehicles can hit us. One day we are immersed in the rhythm of our daily routines, going about our business, then— BAM! — we’re suddenly catapulted into a crisis.

While we cannot anticipate every bad thing that might occur, we must proactively take steps to protect ourselves, when we can. Taking such steps before an unanticipated crisis occurs will help us weather it the best way possible.

A car accident is a kind of unanticipated event that nobody wants to have happen to him/her. At best, it’s an inconvenience. At worst, it can cause death or life-threatening injuries to any one of us or our loved ones.

We have all passed severe car crashes on the streets or highways, thinking to ourselves, with relief, “I’m so glad it’s not me.” We think it can’t happen to us. Until it does. I know it can happen. When you least expect it.  It happened to my brother.

I was driving to work one morning several years ago, and found myself in a terrible traffic snarl on a local road.  It was bumper- to- bumper traffic for miles. As I sat in my car, about a mile and a half from the accident scene, I thought to myself, “Wow, this must be a bad one. I’ve been sitting in solid gridlock for 45 minutes!” I felt relieved that it wasn’t me. More long stretches of time passed.  I groaned and began to ponder the busy day awaiting me at my office.

As my car inched towards the accident scene, I saw a white car smashed to smithereens. It was my brother’s.  My blood ran cold.

My brother, then 38 years old, was catastrophically injured in that accident. He was hit from behind by an inattentive truck-driver, which sent his car careening into the path of a box truck. The impact from the box truck crushed his spinal cord, rendering him a brain-injured paraplegic. It was the worst day of my life.

I never thought it could happen to me or someone I loved. After all, I am a lawyer who helps injured people in such situations. My beloved brother, who was so violently injured, wasn’t supposed to be in that situation. I wasn’t supposed to be in that situation. None of it was supposed to happen.

But why not? Why not my brother? Why not me? Why not you? Or your loved one? According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, in 2018, Florida had 403,626 traffic crashes, an average of 1,106 per day. In those crashes, 3,135 people were killed, 19,196 people suffered incapacitating injuries, and 236,157 people suffered other injuries. Don’t wait to review your coverages and increase them, if necessary, and if you are able, because life is uncertain.

Of course, these numbers from 2018, long post-date my brother’s accident. However, the point is that my brother joined the ranks of those awful statistics. Any one of us, any day, can join those ranks too.

Besides my obvious concerns for my brother’s personal well-being that horrific day, my lawyer brain kept wondering whether he was carrying adequate auto insurance coverages at the time of the accident. I was hoping and praying that he had. He was going to need it.

Months earlier I had urged him to add certain coverages to his auto insurance policy, and to increase his policy limits on some coverages he already had. I was sweating bullets, hoping he had done so.

Carrying adequate auto insurance is super important. That’s the purpose of this blog – to educate you about auto insurance coverages, so that you can evaluate whether you’re adequately covered.

Your Florida auto insurance policy has, within it, different types of insurance coverages.  Each type of coverage serves a different purpose. The types and limits of the insurance coverage you have in place at the time of the car accident is what you’re stuck with, in dealing with the fallout from that accident. After the accident, increasing your coverages and policy limits will not help you with your injuries and other losses from that accident.

Among other losses, car accidents can cause you serious economic loss and financial hardship. Even less severe accidents can saddle you with substantial out-of-pocket costs. Those costs can affect your life for a long time to come. That’s why it’s really important to know and understand—before the accident—what types of auto insurance coverages you have or don’t have. That way, if you realize you need additional coverage, you can buy it to protect yourself and your loved ones, if you are able.

It turns out that my brother did increase his auto insurance coverages, just as I had strongly suggested. That critical step enabled him to more readily and easily purchase the care, medical supplies, and equipment he needed, when he exited the hospital some eight months later.

So, after you read this explainer on the different types of Florida auto insurance coverages, find your auto insurance policy, and carefully examine the coverages in it. Ask yourself, “Do I have enough coverage?” If the answer is “no,” then take steps to buy additional coverages, and/or or increase your coverage limits, if you are able. If that accident ever happens to you or your loved one, you’ll be glad you did.

By the way, if you can’t find your auto insurance policy, take a look at your auto insurance card. Your coverages may be listed on there. Insurance policies come to you with one paper on top called a “Declarations Page,” often called a “Dec Sheet,” that lists the types and amounts of coverages you carry. Look for your dec sheet. Make sure it’s the current one. Carefully review your coverages listed there. You may also be able to pull up your coverages details online.

If you can’t find anything listing your coverages, call your insurance agent, or the customer service number on your insurance card, and request copies of what you need. Do whatever it takes to examine your coverages—before you need them.

Now, on to explaining Florida auto insurance coverages, what they mean, and how they protect you.

What Insurance Coverages Does the State of Florida Require, and Do They Adequately Protect You and our Family?

One might reasonably believe that the State of Florida would require vehicle owners to carry auto insurance sufficient to cover injuries and losses in just about any type of auto crash scenario. However that is not the case at all. Far, far from it.

You may be surprised to learn that the state of Florida only requires two types of auto insurance. Those are:

1. No-Fault Insurance, often called Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”)”; and
2. Property Damage Liability Insurance (“PDL”)

While PIP and PDL provide some protection to you, that protection is narrow and very limited in scope. These two coverages—by themselves—are woefully inadequate to protect you, your family, and others, in the event of a car accident. Please read on.

The “Full Coverage” Myth

It has happened many more times than I care to recount. A person injured in a car accident comes to me seeking legal help. The other driver was negligent, and that negligent driving caused this person permanent injuries. I listen sympathetically. Then I ask to about the injured person’s auto insurance. What types of coverage? How much?

I explain that while it’s important to know what types and amounts of coverages the negligent driver carried, it is equally important to investigate the injured person’s auto insurance coverages.  “Oh,” I often hear. “I have full coverage!”

At that point, I ask to see the injured person’s auto insurance card. Upon reviewing the coverages listed on it, a look of dismay crosses my face. I have to break the bad news: this seemingly adequate “full coverage,” is actually not so “full,” after all.  It is often no more than the PIP and PDL coverages required by the State of Florida, which are usually woefully inadequate. I tell the injured person that we can only hope that the negligent driver carried Bodily Injury Liability coverage–with limits sufficient to compensate the injured person for his/her injuries and other damages. If not, the injured victim is, likely, out of luck—no matter how injured he/she might be.

The truth of the matter is this: An insurance agent or representative will often assure a Florida auto insurance client that he/she has bought “full coverage,” when the only coverages purchased are PIP and PDL—coverages that often fail to adequately protect an injured car-accident victim. Yes,  a person can carry the types and amounts of auto insurance the State of Florida requires, and still be underinsured, and, therefore, underprotected.   Read on for descriptions on the different types of coverages, and you’ll understand what I mean.

An Overview of Personal Auto Insurance Coverages Available in Florida

PART I – THE ONLY TWO COVERAGES REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA

The First State-Required Coverage:  No-Fault Insurance, also called Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”)

PURPOSE:

Your PIP Coverage Pays Your Medical Bills or Lost Wages, Regardless of Who Caused The Accident

• PIP stands for “Personal Injury Protection,” and is often referred to as “No-Fault” insurance;
• Florida law requires all vehicle owners to carry minimum PIP coverage of $10,000 per accident;
• PIP will pay for 80% of your reasonable and necessary medical expenses, and 60% of your lost wages, arising from your injuries sustained in the “use, operation, or maintenance” of a motor vehicle, up to the amount of your policy limits;
• PIP will also pay a $5,000 death benefit to your family, if you die from your accident-related injuries, to cover funeral and burial expenses. The $5,000 death benefit is an additional amount of insurance;
• Florida law requires that your PIP be the first insurance coverage used to pay your healthcare bills, regardless of who was caused the accident, and despite other available insurance, including your health insurance;
• PIP allows you to immediately go to any doctor you choose, regardless of who was at fault in the accident;
• After you are in a car accident, you need to give your auto insurance card to each healthcare provider you see, so that the bills can be submitted to your auto insurance company for payment under your PIP coverage;
• Florida law requires your auto insurance company to use your PIP to pay your healthcare bills within 30 days after the company receives them from your healthcare provider;
• The reasonable and necessary medical expenses that PIP will pay 80% of,  includes expenses for:
  • ambulance;
  • hospital,
  • nursing services;
  • doctor visits;
  • surgery;
  • x-rays;
  • dental services;
  • rehabilitative services; and
  • prosthetic devices;
• PIP will not pay for acupuncture;
• PIP will only pay if you receive medical care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident. Even then, your PIP benefits will be limited to $2,500, unless a qualified healthcare provider diagnoses you with an “emergency medical condition.” If you are diagnosed with an “emergency medical condition,”  then you will be entitled to the entire $10,000 in coverage;
• The 60% of your lost wages that PIP will pay for, includes reimbursement for services you would normally do, but now cannot, because of your accident-related injuries. These services include daily chores, such as:
  • laundry;
  • housecleaning;
  • lawn maintenance; and
  • pet care
• PIP will also pay for attendant care that you need as a result of your accident-related injuries, even if a family member is the one providing care;
• You can purchase additional PIP coverage (“APIP”), also called “Extended PIP”). APIP will pay 100% of your medical expenses, and 80% of your lost wages. Insurance agents/representatives will not routinely offer you APIP on their own. You typically have to ask request this additional coverage;
• You can purchase PIP with a deductible of $250, $500, or $1,000, which will lower your insurance premium. However, I don’t recommend doing so, since you will be financially responsible for paying the amount of the deductible towards your medical bills. For example, if you have a $500 deductible, you will be responsible for paying the first $500 of your medical bills, incurred after the accident;
• Once the $10,000 PIP coverage limits (or APIP limits) are met, your auto insurance company has no more responsibility for any payments under that coverage;
• Your PIP coverage will follow you, even if you are not in your own vehicle at the time of the car accident. Your PIP benefits will apply if you are injured:
  • while driving your own vehicle;
  • while you are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle;
  • if you are injured while outside a motor vehicle, as long as you are injured by a motor vehicle ( g., if you are a pedestrian, cyclist or runner);

• Your PIP coverage also extends to certain other people. Your coverage provides benefits to:
  • you, the vehicle owner;
  • your relatives who reside in your household;
  • occupants of your vehicle who are not covered by their own auto policy;

• If your resident relative or vehicle occupant has a:
  • vehicle licensed in Florida; or
  • owns a motor vehicle required to be licensed in Florida

then he/she will not be covered by your PIP. Rather, he/she must purchase his/her own PIP, in order to have coverage.

• Your PIP will cover you and your resident relatives traveling in another state in the United States, or Canada, as long as the injury occurred while inside the insured vehicle;
• PIP is not available for a motorcycle accident.

The Second State-Required Coverage:  Property Damage Liability Insurance (“PDL” or “PD”)

PURPOSE:  

Your PDL Coverage Pays A Person or Entity For The Damage You Negligently Cause to That Person/Entity’s  Vehicle, Or Other Tangible Property   

• PDL stands for “Property Damage Liability” coverage;
• Florida law requires all Florida vehicle owners to carry a minimum of $10,000 in PDL coverage;
• PDL will pay a person or entity whose vehicle– or other tangible property– you have negligently damaged or destroyed with your vehicle. For example, PDL will pay a person/entity whose mailbox, a stop sign, or telephone pole, you negligently hit;
• PDL will also pay for the person/entity’s loss of use of the damaged or destroyed property. For example, it will pay for the person’s rental car expenses during car repairs;
• If you are sued for the property damage you caused, your insurance company will provide legal representation for you to defend the claim;
• The $10,000 in PDL coverage required by the state would be an inadequate amount of coverage in certain circumstances. For example, you could rear-end vehicle #1, which pushes that vehicle into vehicle #2, causing vehicle #2 to strike a telephone pole. In that instance, you would be responsible for:
  • the damage to both vehicles;
  • the reduction in value to both vehicles, as a result of the damage (diminution in value);
  • loss of use of vehicles #1 and #2 (payment for their rental cars during repairs);
  • the damage to the telephone pole
• Most importantly, you should note that if you cause property damage that exceeds the amount of your property damage liability limits, you can still be sued, personally, for the balance. With expensive vehicles on the road today, it is not uncommon to cause $50,000 of property damage in a simple accident. That’s why it is wise to carry more than the state-required $10,000 in PDL coverage, if you are able;
• You can purchase additional PDL coverage in varying limits. 

PART II – OTHER TYPES OF OPTIONAL AUTO INSURANCE COVERAGES YOU SHOULD CONSIDER HAVING, TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS

The First Optional Coverage You Should Have: Medical Payments Coverage (“Med Pay”)

PURPOSE:   

Your Med Pay Coverage Covers Reasonable Medical and Funeral Expenses Not Paid By Your Personal Injury Protection “PIP” Coverage 

• Med Pay covers reasonable medical and funeral expenses not covered by Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”). Some people purchase Med Pay coverage to pay the 20 percent of medical expenses not covered by PIP;
• Med Pay can also be used to pay:
  • deductibles, for example a PIP deductible, if you have one; or
  • any medical expenses that exceed your PIP limits;
• Like PIP, Med Pay will pay you, regardless of who is at fault for the accident;
• Med Pay only pays after your PIP benefits are exhausted (PIP benefits have been completely used, up to the policy limits);
• Your Med Pay coverage will follow you, even if you are not in your own vehicle at the time of the accident. Your Med Pay coverage will apply if you were injured:
  • while driving your own vehicle;
  • while you are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle;
  • if you are injured while outside a motor vehicle, as long as you are injured by a motor vehicle ( g., if you are a pedestrian, cyclist or runner);

• Your Med Pay coverage also extends to certain other people. Your coverage provides benefits to:
  • you, the vehicle owner;
  • your relatives who reside in your household;
  • occupants of your vehicle who are not covered by their own auto policy;
• Med Pay coverage is available for motorcycles;
• Med Pay coverage is relatively inexpensive and comes in a range of limits from $2000-$100,000, or so.

The Second Optional Coverage You Should Have: Bodily Injury Coverage (“BI”)

    PURPOSE:  

Your Bodily Injury Coverage Pays An Injured Person, or Dead Person’s Family Members, If You, Or Another Person Driving Your Car, Negligently Hurts or Kills That Person

• BI coverage pays an injured person, or dead person’s family members, if you or another person driving your car, negligently hurts or kills that person;
• BI coverage will pay for the injured person’s:
  • past and future medical expenses;
  • past and future lost wages;
  • pain and suffering;
• BI coverage will also pay for a lawyer to defend you, in the event you are sued for negligently causing the accident-related injuries;
• Although not required by the state, BI coverage is really important coverage to have. If you don’t have it, and you are in an accident that hurts or kills someone, you can be sued for negligence by a lawyer seeking to recover compensation for his/her client, from your personal assets;
• Not having BI coverage also means that if you are sued for negligence, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for a lawyer to defend you, which can be extremely costly;
• If the injured person’s own insurance company compensates him/her for his/her injuries out of that person’s insurance coverages, then that insurance company can also sue you for reimbursement of those expenses. And they do – often. There are law firms whose only job is to help insurance companies recover money they have paid out. They do this by suing people who cause accidents – whether those people have any insurance or not. The bottom line: you don’t want a sizable judgment against you, and you don’t want to have to pay for your own lawyer, in the event you, or someone else driving your car, causes a bad accident. The solution: purchase BI coverage to protect yourself;
• Your insurance company can sell you BI coverage in varying amounts. The lowest amount of protection you can purchase in Florida is $10,000 per person, $20,000 per accident. This is typically designated on your policy as “10/20.” For example, if you have 10/20 coverage and you injured two people in an accident, your insurance company will pay up to $10,000 per person, but no more than a total of $20,000 for that accident. If you injure five people, your insurance company will still pay no more than $10,000 to any one person, and no more than $20,000 for the entire accident. Other available coverage limits are 15/30, 25/50, 50/100, 100/300, 250/500, up into the millions. The amount of coverage you should get depends on what personal assets you are trying to protect, and what insurance premium you can afford;
• Although the State of Florida does not require that you carry BI coverage, a Florida statute gives the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) the authority to suspend a vehicle owner’s driver license and vehicle registration, if the vehicle injures someone and its owner cannot compensate him/her for bodily injuries. Typically, the DMV will not suspend these, unless a lawsuit is filed and a money judgment is obtained against the vehicle owner. Once suspended, the registration and license may be reinstated. Still…who wants to go undergo that nightmarish situation? Buy adequate BI insurance coverage, and you won’t have to;
• If you have substantial personal financial assets to protect in the event of a lawsuit, you may even want to consider an umbrella liability policy, which provide you with an additional layer of liability protection. (see below)

The Third Optional Coverage You May Want To Consider, If You Have Substantial Personal Financial Assets To Protect:  A Personal Umbrella Liability Policy

    PURPOSE:

Your Personal Umbrella Liability Policy Will Provide An Extra Layer of Liability Protection, If You Have Substantial Financial Assets To Protect  

• A personal umbrella liability policy provides you with an extra layer of liability protection, if you have substantial personal financial assets to protect, in the event of a lawsuit against you, for injuries or a death caused by your vehicle;
• An umbrella policy kicks in only after you reach the limits on your underlying Bodily Injury Liability Coverage. (As an aside, you should know that a personal umbrella liability will also protect you against other types of liability claims made against you, such as homeowners, renters, or condo or auto policies. It will also cover you for things such as libel and slander);
• For about $150 to $300 per year, you can buy a $1 million personal umbrella liability policy. The next million will cost about $75, and $50 for every million after that;

• Because a personal umbrella policy only comes into play after the underlying coverage is exhausted (finished), most insurers will require you to carry substantial underlying liability insurance before selling you an umbrella policy. For example, most insurers will want you to carry approximately $250,000 of Bodily Injury Liability insurance on your auto policy, before selling you an umbrella liability policy that provides you with $1 million of additional coverage.

The Fourth Optional Coverage You Should Have: Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage (“UM/UIM”)

PURPOSE:  

UM/UIM Coverage Pays You If An Uninsured/Underinsured Vehicle (With No/Insufficient Bodily Injury Coverage) Negligently Injures or Kills You in An Accident

• UM /UIM pays you if an uninsured/underinsured vehicle (with no/insufficient bodily injury coverage) negligently injures or kills you in an accident;
• UM/UIM will compensate you for your:
  • medical bills and income loss, beyond what PIP or med pay covered;
  • pain and suffering;
  • bodily injury, sickness, disease or death resulting from a car accident that you and/or your passengers and family members sustain;
• In addition to covering you, UM/UIM will also cover:
  • your spouse;
  • relatives residing with you;
  • passengers in your automobile at the time of the accident;
• UM/UIM follows the person, not the vehicle. This means UM covers all insureds, whether they are:
  • riding in your car;
  • riding in another person’s car;
  • pedestrians;
  • cyclists;
  • in a hit-and run accident.
• UM coverage is EXTREMELY valuable coverage to have. If an uninsured/underinsured vehicle (no/low BI coverage) negligently injures you, and YOU lack UM coverage when the accident occurs, then you will not be compensated for your injuries and other losses —unless— the vehicle owner/driver has personal assets that your lawyer is willing to pursue;
• There are thousands upon thousands of uninsured vehicles traversing Florida roads every day. They carry no BI insurance.  According to the Insurance Information Institute, in the year 2015, Florida had the highest percentage (26.7%) of uninsured motorists in the country. (Source: Insurance Resource Council). Other vehicles on Florida roads lack adequate BI insurance. If one of those underinsured vehicles injures you severely, there will be inadequate BI coverage to compensate you. For all these reasons, you should carry as much UM/UIM coverage as you can afford;
• UM /UIM will also compensate you in a hit-and-run crash, or other situation where the at-fault driver cannot be identified. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles statistics indicate that between the years 2015 and 2019 in Florida, there were 507,648 hit and run crashes, resulting in 1,037 deaths. Purchasing UM/UIM insurance is an important step to buffer yourself from the fallout of a hit-and-run crash;
• UM/UIM coverage is so important, that the State of Florida requires that you sign a special state-approved form (that your insurance agent or representative will give you to sign), if you intend to reject it. A word of caution: insurance companies do not like selling UM/UIM coverage, and will repeatedly and consistently try to get you to reject it. Typically, your agent or representative will stick the rejection form in front of you, and simply advise you to “sign here.” DON’T DO IT. Always pay careful attention to what you are signing. When you renew your auto insurance policy each yea, the same warning applies: pay attention. Be careful that you don’t sign that form rejecting valuable UM/UIM coverage;
• As with other coverages, you can purchase UM in a range of coverage limits. However, unlike other coverages, you can elect to purchase “stacked” UM coverage. “Stacked” means that if you have multiple vehicles in your household insured under the same UM policy, the policy limits available to you will be the limits for each vehicle stacked (added) together, should you have an accident and make a claim. For example, if two vehicles in your household carry UM coverage under the same policy, then you would be entitled to the coverage for each vehicle, added together. However, if you elect “non-stacked” UM coverage at the time you purchase the coverage, then you will be limited to the UM coverage for your vehicle. Consequently, a lot less money will be available to compensate you for your injuries and other accident-related losses. In summary, “stacked” UM coverage is, by far, better coverage, if your policy insures multiple vehicles in your household.

The Fifth Optional Coverages You Should Have:

Collision and Comprehensive Coverage (Two Coverages Typically Sold Together)

PURPOSE:

Collision Coverage Pays For Collision Damage To Your Vehicle, Regardless Of Fault

• Collision coverage pays to repair your vehicle, if, regardless of fault, it:
  • collides with another vehicle;
  • flips over, or crashes into an object (except animals);
• If you don’t carry collision coverage, and your vehicle is damaged in an accident that you cause, you will have to bear the out-of-pocket costs for vehicle repairs;
• In the event that your vehicle is declared a “total loss,” your insurance company will pay to replace it. Typically, your insurance company will only pay you the vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV), unless both you and your insurance company previously agreed to the specific value of the vehicle;
• If the accident is caused by another driver, your insurance company will pursue the other driver, or his/her insurance company, in order to be reimbursed, and to recover your deductible.

Comprehensive Coverage

PURPOSE:

Comprehensive Coverage Pays For Damage or Loss To Your Vehicle From Incidents Other Than A Collision

• Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from incidents other than a collision including:
  • fire;
  • theft;
  • windstorm;
  • vandalism;
  • flood;
  • falling objects;
  • hitting an animal

The Sixth Optional Coverage You Should Have:

Rental Car Coverage  

PURPOSE:

Rental Car Coverage Provides You With A Rental Car If Your Car Is Damaged or Stolen

• Rental car coverage provides you with a rental car, if your car is damaged or stolen, up to a specified time limit shown on your insurance policy;
• Rental car coverage applies if your vehicle has suffered a loss covered under your policy, and the vehicle is:
  • Inoperable; or
  • unsafe to operate
• Rental car coverage is very inexpensive, and saves you a lot of hassle, if your car is out of commission;
• If your car is damaged by another driver, his/her insurance company is liable to pay for your rental car. However, things are rarely so simple. Often, during the early days after an accident – the precise time when you need a rental car – there is a dispute as to who caused the accident. You may be totally innocent, but the other driver may tell his/her insurance company that the accident was your fault. Eventually, it will get sorted out, but maybe not at the time that you really need to rent a car;
• Also, many drivers don’t have the required insurance, or their property damage liability limits are paid out for physical damage caused to other cars, leaving nothing to be paid to you for your rental car. Therefore, you would be wise to purchase rental car coverage;

• Some insurance companies will pay the rental car company directly. Other insurance companies require that you first pay the rental costs out- of- pocket, and then submit receipts to the insurance company for reimbursement.

The Seventh Optional Coverage You May Need:

Guaranteed Asset Protection (“GAP”) Insurance   

PURPOSE: 

GAP Insurance Pays You The “Gap” or Difference Between The Market Value of Your Vehicle, And Your Loan Amount 

• GAP insurance is very important if you have:
  • a loan on your vehicle; or
  • if you lease your vehicle
• It is a misconception to think that if someone else causes an accident that totals your car, that person or his/her insurance company must pay off the remaining balance on your car loan. That is a certainly not true. If someone totals your car, then his/her insurance company owes you only the market value of your car at the time of the accident – not the loan amount. The loan balance on your vehicle may exceed the car value of the car. For example, you may owe your lender $15,000, but your car is worth only $12,000. GAP insurance will pay you the “gap” or difference between the market value of your vehicle and your loan amount;
• You should also consider GAP insurance if you lease your car. If your leased car is damaged, you will still owe the leasing company the difference between the market value of your car, and the full amount of the remaining lease payments;
• GAP insurance is available only at the time you sign your Retail Finance or Lease Contract with the dealership.

The Eighth Optional Coverage You May Need:

Towing And Labor Coverage  

PURPOSE:

Towing and Labor Coverage Will Provide You With Emergency Road Service at The Accident Scene and Towing

• Towing and Labor coverage will provide you with emergency road service (at the scene); and
• Towing up to the limits shown on the policy;
• American Automobile Association (“AAA”) membership, if you have it, may provide you similar benefits.

Review Your Auto Coverages Now

In summary, don’t wait to review your auto insurance coverages and increase them, if necessary, and if you are able…because…

Life is uncertain.

If you or your loved one suffered injuries in a Palm Beach County car accident, call the Law Offices of Andrea McMillan at (561) 612-5700. Andrea McMillan is a caring, experienced, car accident injury lawyer. She is the right combination of tough advocate when fighting for a client, and caring, empathetic, counselor, and friend to each client. She has personally dealt with many of the problems and complications that often flow from a car accident. She has lived through the stress that an injured person and his/her family members can suffer, and understands injuries—big, small, and in-between. She will give you the personal attention that you deserve–and won’t get–at most other law firms.

Your Consultation With Us Is Always Free.

You Can Hire Us To Help You, Without Paying Us Any Money Up Front.

If We Don’t Recover Money For You, You Owe Us Nothing

Contact Palm Beach County Car Accident Injury Lawyer Andrea McMillan, at the Law Offices of Andrea McMillan, for Help.

 Don’t delay.  We’ll be by your side, guiding you every step of the way. Call (561) 612-5700.