Being involved in an auto accident in Fort Lauderdale is one of life’s most stressful experiences, doubly so if the person who hits you is an uninsured motorist. Without the proper coverage it is much harder to recoup damages, medical expenses and lost wages.

This is a particularly poignant scenario in the state of Florida, which requires drivers to possess only two forms of coverage on their automobile policy: personal injury protection and property damage coverage. Most drivers overlook another critical form of coverage called uninsured motorist coverage.

According to a recent study from Insurance Research Council (IRC), about one in six drivers are driving with no insurance whatsoever. In 2007, Florida was one of the five states with the highest uninsured driver estimates.

It is important to note that Florida is a partial ‘no-fault’ state when it comes to motor vehicle insurance and auto accidents.  Personal Injury Protection coverage comes into play to cover the costs of an individual who is injured in an auto accident — whether they are at fault for the crash or not. Unfortunately, PIP coverage in Florida is limited to $10,000. Because of this, there may be cases when benefits will not cover complete losses.

Personal health insurance only covers a portion of damages in a serious automobile accident.  Even if your medical expenses are covered by your health insurance, if you do not possess uninsured motorist coverage, you will be unable to recover fully on your auto accident settlement.

If you are involved in an auto accident in Fort Lauderdale with someone who is driving without insurance, with someone who has insurance that does not cover all of the medical expenses, or in a hit and run case, having uninsured motorist coverage will cover all medical expenses and future earnings. Also hiring a Florida personal injury attorney right away will help to prevent you from being taken advantage of by the insurance company.

The owner of the uninsured motorist policy must pay a monthly premium to the insurance company to obtain this coverage.  If an accident does occur, the insurance company would pay the difference between what the uninsured driver compensates and what the injured driver is entitled to.

If you need any information on uninsured motorist coverage or intend to claim under this coverage, you should contact an experienced Ft Lauderdale personal injury lawyer, to help you sift through the legalities and paperwork so you are properly compensated for damages.

The accident you were just in has caught you by surprise – don’t let its aftermath leave you dazed as well.