Florida's Law on Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

The Florida legislature’s changes in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) law due to take effect on January 1, 2013 were passed under the guise of preventing insurance fraud, but in reality hurt multiple non-insurance groups in Florida, including some medical providers and especially injured motorists. The Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is a program offered in only a few states of the US. The aim of this program is to make sure that the people injured in accidents have access to immediate money for their treatment. Even though this amount is set to be $10,000 in the start, the insured has a 14 day window to seek care from a medical professional to access the full $10,000 amount. If the insured does not seek treatment from a medical professional, they would only be able to use up to the $2,500 amount.

Let us go through some of the Personal Injury Protection laws implemented by the State of Florida.

A notification of the insured rights

 A form which will include the insured member’s right to their PIP benefits shall include information such as the benefits that the person receives from this program, the limitations on these benefits, and the due date of payments.

In addition to these, this form will also include any penalties over failure of payment including the rights that the involved parties have, in case there is any dispute regarding the benefits provided.

Application of No-Fault Law in Florida

According to the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law, an insurer must offer Personal Injury Protection as it is required by the law. In other words, this section is primarily concerned with the insured member’s coverage regarding the PIP law. It states that every motor vehicle insurer must provide the PIP benefits to each of its insured members.

The State also requires the policy holder to maintain the PIP insurance. In case a person fails to maintain it, then the State has full right to suspend that person’s driving license. Furthermore, the registration of that person’s vehicle will also be suspended.

Performance of another country or state

The PIP law of Florida states that certain information that is exempted from confidentiality can be disclosed to any other entity, be it a state, district, or a county. This will not require any request or even any copy of the crash report in case such information is needed by that particular entity in order to perform the duties that it holds.

Insurer’s right to reimburse

For instance, an insurer provides the Personal Injury Protection benefits on the private passenger vehicle of a person. Now if that person claims the PIP benefits as a result of an accident caused while he was inside a commercial motor vehicle, then the amount extended for the medical treatment (required as a result of that accident) can be reimbursed to the insurer.

The insurer also has the right to get the amount reimbursed if the accident is caused by a commercial motor vehicle while the insured member was not occupying a private motor vehicle.

Medical Benefits of PIP

According to the State of Florida, 80% of the expenses which include any surgical, chiropractic, rehabilitative, dental, nursing or X-ray services that are acquired within fourteen days of the accident will be paid by the insurer. These services also include an ambulance, in case it is necessarily required.

However, the insurer has the right to refuse coverage for the extended amount in case of any medical assistance that involves a physician, certain dentists, or a chiropractic physician in addition to several others.

If you have been injured in an accident learn your rights and call the Chiropractor Jacksonville FL residents trust for their injury needs (904) 644-7034.