Is Motorcycle Insurance Required in Florida?
After purchasing a motorcycle, you may be wondering about the insurance laws in Florida. Florida's motorcycle insurance laws are unique and understanding all of the bike laws can be a bit confusing, especially with regards to insurance.
While most states have motorcycle insurance laws that are comparable to other motor vehicle laws, motorcycle insurance in Florida is different from most states.
In Florida, drivers of motor vehicles with four wheels or more must carry personal injury protection (PIP). It guarantees payment when you file a claim within 14 days o:
to $2,500 in medical bills
Up to $10,000 in emergencies
However, PIP coverage is not available to motorcycle owners – even if they already own another motorcycle Taking PIP for the vehicle.
Because the injuries in a motorcycle accident are more likely to be injurious, bikers are at greater risk of financial disaster after a serious collision.
Do You Need Insurance to Register a Motorcycle in Florida?
Florida motorcycle insurance companies base their requirements on the owner's financial responsibility against liability. Therefore, there is no need to have insurance to get your motorcycle registered, however, the driver is still financially responsible if charged in a bike accident.
A motorcycle owner has three financial liability options to choose from.
Secure a Certificate of Financial Responsibility: To obtain this certificate, you must post a surety bond with a state-licensed company and make a securities or cash deposit with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) .
Purchase liability insurance from a licensed Florida insurance carrier: This is the most common way to obtain coverage.
Obtain Self-Insurance Certificate : You can do this after providing proof of net weighted capital. In other words, if you are in an accident, you must prove that you have the money available to pay for your share of the damages.
Does Florida No-Fault Coverage Apply to Motorcycles?
Florida is a "no-fault" state, with personal injury protection for your vehicle with four wheels or more.
No-fault coverage ensures medical bills regardless of who was at fault in the accident. The no-fault law does not apply to motorcycles. There are
This means that a motorcyclist pain and sufferingmust seek reasonable compensationLike drivers of other personal vehicles, they do not need to meet any limits or prove the severity of their injuries.
Nearly 13% of drivers nationwide are roaming public roadways without insurance.
The number of uninsured motorists in Florida is often ranked among the highest in the nation.
It is potentially beneficial for a motorcycle owner to secure uninsured motorist coverage (UMC) in the event of a collision with an at-fault party who does not have liability insurance.
Injuries Motorcycle accidents are more likely to be injurious, meaning that riders are at greater risk of financial disaster after a serious collision. If one of these drivers seriously injures you, and insurance company will cover your damages, for
free legal advice, 866-481-5503
What Kind of Proof of Insurance Is Required When Driving a Motorcycle in Florida ?
Once you have a motorcycle license, purchased motorcycle insurance from an insurance provider, or obtained a certificate of self-insurance, the DMV will input this information into its computer system.
Despite his record, motorcycle insurance requirements still mandate that riders carry proof when operating a motorcycle on Florida roads.
This proof of motorcycle insurance policy makes it easier and less time consuming if you need to demonstrate to a law enforcement officer that you have no-fault insurance benefits.
If you need to exchange insurance details with an at-fault driver or prove that you have Florida bike insurance, the following forms of proof are generally accepted:
A physical insurance from an insurance carrier Card
A digital insurance card or picture of your insurance card
the Account Information screen on a web page
Self-Insurance Certificate from Bureau of Financial Responsibility
Is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Required in Florida?
While Florida allows motorcyclists to drive without insurance, they are not relieved of their financial responsibility if they get into an accident.
The state's minimum liability coverage requirements are guidelines that a motorcyclist can use to determine the amount of coverage needed. Can do to do. Minimum coverage includes:
$10,000 for one person with bodily injury
$20,000 for two or more persons with
in property damage liability per accident.
While bodily injury liability insurance is not required, it is recommended that you buy as much coverage as you can afford.
This is because motorcycle accidents usually result in serious injuries and high medical bills.
What are the penalties for not having motorcycle insurance in Florida?
Although motorcycle insurance coverage is not required to register a bike in Florida, there are penalties if you are involved in an accident and do not meet at least the minimum insurance requirements.
If you were charged with an accident, you are financially responsible for bodily and property damage coverage.
In other words, motorcycle coverage is not mandatory unless you are involved in an accident.
If no liability coverage was in effect at the time of the accident, you could face significant effects, including:
Your driving privileges are suspended
Your registration and tags are suspended
Bodily injury for three years And buying property damage liability coverage is necessary to
make a civil judgment. other
words, motorcycle coverage is not mandatory unless you have an accident.
Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
Despite the rules being different for motorcycles than for four-wheeled motor vehicles, motorcyclists can still pursue compensation for the cost of damages incurred as a result of a motorcycle accident.
According to state civil law, you can file a motorcycle accident claim and hold the parties liable for your injuries and accident-related damages if their negligence caused your accident.
However, not everyone is capable of taking such legal action.
To file a legal claim, you must have suffered serious damages—which are common in many motorcycle accidents due to their dangerous nature. A plaintiff must also be able to prove that the defendant's negligence caused the accident that caused their injury and must also show that the defendant was liable for their injuries.
In addition to these basic criteria, the legal process for seeking compensation for motorcycle accident injuries through civil law has several components.
Taking Legal Action on Motorcycle Accident Motorcycle Accident Lawyer. An experienced lawyer can provide the legal knowledge and resources you need to improve your chances of winning your claim for compensation.
Doleman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers Can Help After a
Motorcycle Accident Because a motorcycle accident lawsuit involves more complexity than the average vehicle accident claim under Florida law, an experienced attorney is on hand to help guide you through the process. Personal injury lawyer needed.
Dolman Law Group accident injury attorneys can help. We understand Florida motorcycle laws, personal injury laws, and how they interact to help you establish your right to compensation.
At Dolman Law Group accident injury attorneys, our team is committed to personalized service and accessibility.
We seek to maximize the damages in every personal injury claim and avoid settling for less than our clients are worth.
Insurance carriers often fail to offer you financial compensation after a Florida motorcycle accident.
At our motorcycle accident law firm, we help our clients pursue compensation through aggressive advocacy and unwavering support. We are not afraid to take insurance companies to trial when necessary to get you the compensation we feel you are owed. Let us do what we do best, so you can get back riding again.
Challenges Faced by Florida Motorcycle Riders
Often, Florida motorcycle riders wonder if they need insurance to help provide coverage after an accident – and how much insurance they need. However, hazards may be encountered , they may increase the risk for those riders and increase the need for insurance.
Many Florida drivers do not
carry insurance According to a 2021 publication, the Insurance Research Council found that 1 in 8 Florida do not have insurance.
As a result, if you do get into a motorcycle accident, you have a better than one in five chance of injury due to the negligence of a driver who didn't have insurance to protect you.
In many cases, you have to rely on your insurance to provide you cover for the damage done to your motorcycle or the catastrophic injuries you sustain.
Florida weather can prove to be unpredictable and can lead to
motorcycle accidents in Florida, especially during the summer months Weather can turn bad in an instant: The best time to hit the road on your motorcycle.
Afternoon showers generally occur throughout the state. Unfortunately, those showers can pose a potential hazard to motorcyclists.
Not only can rain tingle your skin as you try to navigate to a safe place, but it can also make previously dry roads slick and more challenging to navigate. You can't predict the weather. Insurance, however, can help protect against potential accidents and put you in a better position to handle your expenses if you do find yourself on the wrong end of a motorcycle accident.
Florida's heavy traffic
increases motorcycle accident risk. As an example, during Daytona Bike Week, the roads in and around Daytona can be filled with motorcycles. While heavy motorcycle traffic may provide some protection for motorcyclists, it can also pose unique hazards because they may be more likely to share a lane.
That heavy traffic can also prove more frustrating for other drivers who need to navigate around them, which can increase the risk of road rage incidents or other dangerous driving behavior that can prove disastrous for motorcyclists. Could
Every year, Florida sees massive amounts of traffic congestion, from the general tourist traffic headed to the Florida coast to the annual Daytona Bike Week.
This congestion can prove challenging for any driver, but it can be even more difficult to manage for motorcyclists, who may struggle to make their way through that traffic.
Florida law does not require helmet use for motorcyclists Florida law
does not require helmet use for drivers over the age of 21 who have an adequate insurance policy. However, the law states that riders on the roads must wear proper eye coverage.
Not wearing a helmet and other protective gear can significantly increase your risk of traumatic brain injury, so an insurance policy should not negate the benefits of helmet use.
You should note that even a lack of helmet use can significantly increase your need to carry adequate insurance.
This is because the lack of a helmet and other protective gear can result in permanent injuries, including:
Brain damage
Spinal injuries
Internal injuries
Nerve damage
Loss of limbs
Leg injuries
Damage to internal organs
Hand injuries
Road rash
Fatal injuries
Sharp Sunlight reduces motorcycle visibility On
bright, sunny days, which many see in Florida, sunlight can present an additional challenge: It reduces visibility.
This poses a challenge for motorcycle riders, who may have a more challenging time navigating in bright sunlight.
It can also mean that other drivers have difficulty seeing the motorcycle, especially if the sun sets directly behind the bike.
Motorcycles naturally fit a smaller visual profile than passenger vehicles, making them difficult for drivers of passenger vehicles to see at the best of times.
If the passenger vehicle driver fails to see a motorcycle rider, often in response to the bright glare of the sun, this can increase the risk of an injured rider.
accidents
According to Ride Smart Floridarepresent between approximately 2% and 4% of all traffic accidents in the state each year. They also represent a disproportionately high level of traffic deaths across the state.
Motorcycles provide very little protection from the road, so motorcyclists can suffer more serious injuries in a crash than drivers of passenger vehicles.
Motorcycle accident claims usually fall into one of two categories, product liability claims or personal injury negligence claims.
Vehicle claims represent claims that request compensation for vehicle damage claims to a motorcycle in an accident.
Many motorcycles are seriously damaged in accidents with passenger vehicles, especially if the passenger vehicle rammed the motorcycle in the accident.
On the other hand, a personal injury claim seeks compensation for the injuries sustained by the driver of the motorcycle or any passenger at the time of the accident.
A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you file a motorcycle accident claim with the at-fault party's insurance company and help you prove the at-fault party's liability and obtain compensation for the damages they caused Is.
Contact a Florida Motorcycle
Accident Attorney Motorcycle Accident Attorney, Matt Doleman
Contrary to public belief, a large percentage of motorcycle accidents are the fault of the other driver.
The sooner an experienced Florida motorcycle accident attorney can save you medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and may be entitled to compensation for the damage caused to your motorcycle.
The accident injury attorneys of Dolman Law Group, PA have successfully represented numerous personal injury victims involved in motorcycle accidents, recovering large cash settlements. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Don't wait, as time can have an adverse effect on your case. Call for a free consultation today at 727-451-6900 or fill out the online contact form.