Full Coverage?

The term “full coverage” is an extremely misleading term when it comes to insurance.  I always cringe when my clients use that term, because it tells me that they probably have no idea how much insurance they have.  In reality, the term full coverage has no meaning at all.  If you assume the meaning of full coverage to mean the minimum amount of insurance required by Florida law, that amount of coverage could hardly be described as full.  Florida law only requires a minimum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection coverage to pay for YOUR medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of who is at fault in the accident, and $10,000 in property damage liability coverage to pay for the damages to the other driver’s vehicle, if you are at fault in the accident.  That’s it.  This minimum amount doesn’t require any coverage to pay for the other driver’s bodily injuries if you are at fault in the accident.  Unfortunately, there are many Florida drivers with the minimum coverage.

As far as the maximum amount of coverage allowed by law, there is no maximum.  If you have the money, you can pay for almost an infinite amount of insurance coverage between auto, health, and umbrella insurance policies.  So, if anyone ever says they have full coverage, or if someone tells you that you have full coverage, especially your insurance agent, ask them what they mean.  Too often I have had clients complain that they thought they had full coverage, when in fact, the coverage they had could hardly be described as full.  Many of these people are left unable to obtain compensation for their injuries in an accident because they do not have adequate insurance.  So, check your policy.  Even though you may think you have “full coverage,” you may not.  I would recommend a policy with at least some bodily injury liability coverage and uninsured motorist coverage.