Founding Attorney · Former Licensed Claims Adjuster
Florida is a no-fault state, which surprises people in two directions: your own insurer pays first even when the crash wasn't your fault — and no, that doesn't mean nobody can be sued. Here's the system in plain language.
What PIP actually covers
Personal Injury Protection is the required coverage (a $10,000 minimum) that pays your initial medical bills and lost income regardless of fault — typically 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost wages, up to your limits. It follows you as a driver, passenger, and often as a pedestrian or cyclist struck by a car.
The 14-day rule that quietly kills claims
To use PIP benefits you must receive initial medical care within 14 days of the crash. Wait longer — because you felt 'mostly fine,' because you were busy — and the benefits you paid premiums for can evaporate. If you take one thing from this article: get evaluated promptly, every time.
When you can step outside no-fault and sue
PIP is the floor, not the ceiling. When injuries are serious — under Florida's threshold, generally permanent injury, significant scarring, or death — you can pursue the at-fault driver for full damages, including pain and suffering that PIP never touches. Whether your injuries clear that threshold is exactly the kind of judgment worth a professional's eyes.
- PIP generally does not cover motorcyclists — rider claims work differently.
- The insurer can require an examination; how you handle it matters.
- PIP has its own payment deadlines — carriers that miss them owe penalties and interest.
Adjusters love claimants who assume PIP is all there is. The serious-injury threshold is where the real money starts.
Hurt in a Florida crash and unsure what's beyond your PIP? That answer is worth a free consultation before you accept anything.
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