Florida auto coverage terms, explained

GWR Insurance Group, a Gainesville, Florida insurance agency (License L136942), wrote these plain-English definitions using Florida DFS consumer materials and Florida Statutes.

Short answer: PIP and property damage liability are required. Bodily injury liability pays for injuries you cause others. Uninsured motorist pays you when the at-fault driver has too little coverage. Comprehensive covers non-crash damage like theft, fire, flood and hitting an animal. Collision covers crashes.

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What is bodily injury liability (BI)?

Bodily injury liability pays for death or serious and permanent injury to others when you are legally liable. If you are sued, the insurer provides legal representation until it has paid the policy limit, according to Florida DFS. It is optional to register most cars in Florida.

What is property damage liability (PDL)?

PDL pays for damage to other people's property, including loss of use, when you are legally liable. Florida requires at least $10,000.

What is personal injury protection (PIP)?

PIP pays 80 percent of reasonable medical expenses and 60 percent of lost income for covered injuries, up to $10,000, regardless of fault, plus a $5,000 death benefit. See Florida car insurance requirements.

What is uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage?

UM pays you for injuries when the at-fault driver has no bodily injury coverage or not enough. Under section 627.727, a Florida policy that includes bodily injury liability must include UM unless a named insured rejects it in writing on an approved form, and UM limits equal your bodily injury limits unless you choose lower limits. Florida DFS notes UM is stacked across vehicles unless you reject stacking in writing, and that UM benefits are typically paid as a lump sum.

What does comprehensive cover?

Comprehensive, also called other than collision, pays for damage to your vehicle from fire, theft, windstorm, vandalism or flood, falling objects, or hitting an animal.

What does collision cover?

Collision pays to repair your vehicle if it hits another vehicle, flips over or hits an object (other than an animal), regardless of fault. If the car is a total loss, payment is typically limited to its actual cash value unless you and the insurer agreed on a value in advance.

What are the common optional extras?

Medical payments: medical and funeral expenses from a crash, regardless of fault.
Towing and labor: emergency road service and towing up to the policy limit.
Rental reimbursement: a replacement vehicle up to a set limit after a covered loss.

What does full coverage mean?

There is no single definition. Florida DFS warns that what one person calls full coverage may differ from the next, so look at the actual coverages and limits on your declarations page. We will go through yours line by line.

How it works

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Common questions

Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Florida? A policy with bodily injury liability must include it unless a named insured rejects it in writing, under section 627.727, Florida Statutes.

Does comprehensive cover flood damage to my car? Yes. Florida DFS lists flood among the losses comprehensive coverage pays for.

Is bodily injury liability required in Florida? Not to register most private cars, but drivers who cause an injury crash without it can be required to carry it with an SR-22.

Sources: Florida DFS: Personal Automobile Insurance Overview · Florida Statutes §627.727 (uninsured motorist coverage) · Florida Statutes §627.736 (PIP benefits) · FLHSMV: Florida Insurance Requirements