Articles Tagged with Naples auto accidents

Florida no-fault car insurance law isn’t going anywhere, at least this year. For motorists, that means continued reliance on personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and proof of serious injury before pursuing a fault-based car accident claim against negligent drivers.

Governor Ron DeSantis has vetoed the bipartisan Senate Bill 54, passed by state lawmakers in April. The bill would have rewritten our unique, no-fault state car insurance law and required drivers to obtain new policies by next year.

In a short statement released by the governor’s office, DeSantis, while calling the current law “flawed,” explained he felt the bill failed to adequately address issues faced by Florida drivers and could have adverse, unintended consequences for both consumers and the market.

The veto was a bit of a surprise, given that the bill had strong bipartisan support, passing with little debate several months ago. Supporters  insisted it would reduce auto insurance premiums in a state that consistently ranks within the top five. However, analysis of potential impacts yielded mixed results. Plus, the insurance industry and medical providers came out swinging hard against it.

What Does Florida No-Fault Car Insurance Mean for Motorists?

The effect of the veto is that nothing really changes for Florida drivers, at least not this legislative term. No-fault auto insurance remains in place.

Florida is one of the few states that continues its use of no-fault car insurance, as opposed to a system of fault recognized by many states. Contrary to what some presume by its name, no-fault insurance doesn’t mean no-fault is assigned in the crash. It just means the coverage pays certain damages incurred by insureds upfront, regardless of who was at-fault. Continue reading