Attorney Nicholas J. Roselli’s Article on UM Coverage published in Sun Sentinel
Attorney Nicholas J. Roselli of the Law Offices of Roselli & McNelis recently has his article outlining the importance of carrying Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists coverage on your auto insurance policy, published in the Sun Sentinel Newspaper. The Contents of the Article have been pasted below.
As a personal injury attorney in South Florida, I have had countless experiences in which potential clients and even close friends have advised me that they are unsure whether or not they have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage under their auto insurance policy. Frequently, clients are not even sure what this coverage is.
Under Florida law, you must be offered UM coverage by your auto insurance provider and either accept the coverage or specifically reject it in writing. Therefore many people are rejecting UM coverage without understanding what it is and how it can benefit them, in order to minimally reduce their premium payments.
In Florida, under most circumstances, a person injured in an auto accident must first utilize their No Fault Personal Injury Protection Coverage under their own auto insurance policy, for payment of their medical bills and lost wages. However, this minimal coverage can be exhausted in the emergency room on the day of an accident or early on in the treatment period if injuries are severe.
Thereafter, the injured party or their attorney must determine whether the individual(s) responsible for the collision have bodily injury liability coverage to pay for the injuries and damages they caused. Unfortunately, there is no present requirement that motor vehicle owners or drivers in Florida carry bodily injury liability coverage under their auto policy.
Furthermore, according to recent studies by the Insurance Information Institute, Florida ranks second in the nation for uninsured motorists. In Florida, there is approximately a 1 in 5 chance that the at-fault driver is uninsured. If the at-fault driver does have insurance, more often than not it is minimal coverage resulting in the driver being underinsured.
In the event you or your passengers are injured in a collision caused by a driver who has no bodily injury liability coverage, your UM coverage can cover medical expenses and lost wages not fully paid by your no fault coverage. Your UM coverage may also cover future medical expenses and wage losses, as well as non-economic damages such as disability, pain and suffering, and the loss of ability to enjoy life.
On the contrary, injured parties who reject UM coverage under their own policies, are often left with little to no compensations for their severe injuries and damages as a result of the negligence of an uninsured driver. Florida drivers must understand that the statistics are not in their favor when it comes to the likelihood of an at-fault driver in an accident having bodily injury liability coverage. UM coverage is an affordable coverage that should be considered one of the most important coverages under your own policy.
Nicholas J. Roselli is an attorney with the law firm of Roselli & McNelis, with offices in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale.
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