PIP Set To Expire October 1-Should We Let It?
Attorney
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Talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) that covers you in an auto accident regardless of who is at fault (no-fault) will expire October 1st unless the legislature holds an emergency special session to revisit it. The problem is that legislators don't understand what will really happen to the 13 million motorists in Florida and how the approximately 750,000 uninsured motorists will help or hurt our bank accounts.
Hospitals and doctors say PIP should stay in place so there can be funds to treat auto accident victims.
At the very least talk to your insurance agent. The following web sites have some intelligent questions you NEED to ask to see whether you are adequately covered.
Most reasonable of the discussions is from the states Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink who believes we still need mandatory medical benefits for owners and operators of motor vehicles but we should also institute cost containments similar to Medicare and Medicaid.
Sink has a web site that discusses PIP further.
Mike Thomas of the Orlando Sentinel believes we don't need PIP. He already has health insurance. What about the 20 percent of Floridians who don't? Who will pay for their expenses? You know the answer.
Another problem- when PIP is allowed to expire, insurance companies will no longer have to notify state if the driver decides to cancel their liability insurance. That will sunset too. And if you are pulled over, drivers will not have to have proof of property damage liability insurance in their car. No one had seen that coming.
We still will be required to carry property damage liability, but not the medical. Says a lot about our priorities doesn't it?
For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.