Comprehensive Insurance in Florida: Making the Most of Your Auto Coverage Protection
Although not required by law, comprehensive insurance can protect your car and your assets in the event of an accident or other incident.
In Florida, the insurance requirements for all drivers include a $10,000 property damage liability policy as well as a $10,000 policy called the Florida no fault insurance or personal injury protection coverage. This policy is only concerned with personal injury protection; it has nothing to do with any property that has been damaged in a vehicular accident. It is important to note that these two policies may not provide you with all the insurance that you need.
Personal injury protection (or PIP) was originally meant to protect the state from excessive lawsuits, but there are cases where fraud is committed.
Why Comprehensive Insurance May Make More Sense
The Florida no fault policy will only cover injuries, which may or may not exceed the $10,000 amount of the policy. The same can be said for the property damage liability coverage.
Consider this:
- In many cases, property damage plus personal injury will exceed the combined amounts of the two minimal policies. For instance, if you hit an elderly couple in a Mercedes, the expenses can accumulate quite quickly.
- Your liability insurance coverage will not cover the replacement cost of your own vehicle.
- If you have financed your vehicle through a bank or financing company, your liability insurance may not cover the full cost of vehicle plus its financing/interest costs, leaving you to foot the bill.
Additional Protections through Comprehensive Insurance
Liability insurance will only cover damages to another person’s vehicle and only in certain situations. So, what happens if your car is stolen and then damaged before being returned, or worse, is never found again? What protection should you have in place?
Comprehensive insurance is meant to protect your vehicle and, in the case of financing, the lien holder’s interests as well. In addition to damages caused by an auto thief, comprehensive insurance can provide protection for:
- Damages that are caused by a collision with an animal. In Florida, there are instances of cars hitting alligators that are walking onto the roadways, which may cause serious damage. Other animals may also be problematic.
- Damages caused by something that has flown out of someone else’s vehicle or has bounced up from the roadway.
- Damages caused by a falling tree limb or other object.
- Damages caused by acts of God such as serious weather. Florida is known for pleasant weather conditions throughout much of the year, but can often see serious conditions including hurricanes, flooding, landslides and similar tragedies.
It is important to note that in Florida, like in most states, collision insurance only covers vehicular damage that occurs when there is a collision, as the name implies. It is also important to note that in many cases, a collision may lead to additional damages, including hitting other types of property that may not be covered in a simple liability or collision insurance policy.
Pennsylvania Comprehensive Insurance
Pennsylvania is a no fault state but that does not protect your vehicle in an accident.
Insurance can be confusing and may seem very expensive to the average person, especially for something that you hope you will never need or use. For every year that you go without an accident, you grumble and growl thinking that you have yet again wasted a whole year’s worth of premiums and for what? For a service that did nothing for you, for twelve months! But, the minute you have an accident and the bills start rolling in, you quickly understand that not only are you going to be glad that you have the minimum insurance, you are going to be glad that you were smart and got additional coverage as well.
The Threat of Driving in Pennsylvania without Insurance 
If you are caught without insurance in the state of Pennsylvania, you face penalties, fines and more expenses. These can include:
- Your license can be suspended for three months for a first offense and longer for a second or additional offenses
- Your registration will be subjected to the same type of suspension
- You will have a $50 restoration fee to pay once the suspension has expired
- You may have a number of fines that can range in costs depending on the situation
- Your car may be impounded
- You will be required to show proof of insurance at the time you apply to have your license and registration reinstated. You may also have to show that proof periodically as determined by the court. Your insurance may be the high risk insurance, which is far more expensive than other types of insurance coverage.
Those situations are the best/worst case scenario meaning that nothing terrible happened. But, what if something terrible does happen and you do not have auto insurance on your vehicle? The costs of even a minor accident can be devastating to your family.
Pennsylvania Drivers and the Four Legged Obstacles They Face – DEER
It sounds like the set up for a funny joke: what is cute, furry and costs more than three billion dollars a year? But, once you look at the statistics, deer quickly stop being so cute and the joke is nowhere near funny. Deer cause more than a million and a half vehicular accidents every year and cause costs that total nearly four billion dollars. Two hundred people die every year after an accident with a deer.
Even in an accident where there is not a fatality, there can be serious injuries and serious damage to the vehicle. In most accidents where a deer has been hit, the deer will die and the car will be totaled. Collision insurance will not cover the cost of this damage because it did not involve another car.
Determining the Best Deductible
In Pennsylvania, like other states, comprehensive insurance requires a deductible. The deductible is an amount that you pay before the insurance kicks in. You have the ability to change that amount when you start your insurance policy, adjusting it up or down to suit your needs. The higher the amount of your deductible, the lower your up front, premium will be. However, keep in mind that while you are saving money right now, if something happens that would require insurance coverage, you will have to face a potentially large bill before the insurance company will pay. That high deductible can be hard to pay all at once if something has happened to your car.
If you are buying insurance from an insurance agent, they will probably suggest that you go with a mid way point- a slightly higher deductible but not one that is so high that it would be hard to pay out in the event of a covered incident.
Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
In addition to protection for damages caused by deer or other animals in Pennsylvania, comprehensive insurance also covers:
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Objects falling from vehicles, bridges or trees
- Glass breakage
- Natural disasters such as hail, snow, floods and more
During the winter months, ice and snow can be a major concern in Pennsylvania. Another problem that drivers in the Keystone State may have to deal with is called black ice. Black ice forms on the roadways and is particularly dangerous because it is not immediately seen. Usually you don’t know it is there until you are slipping and sliding toward a ditch, a tree or string of mailboxes. It is only one of the major hazards that can be seen in the winter months here.
Car Theft in Pennsylvania
In 2009, nearly 18,000 vehicles were stolen in the state of Pennsylvania. Not only do you lose a vehicle, there might be additional problems, financially and legally, when this happens. If you do not have insurance on the vehicle, you are not going to be financially protected, no matter what happens. You may be able to legally protect yourself from any obligations once the car was reported stolen, but you will still have to pay for it. You will still have to pay for a replacement. (Now you are paying for two cars!)
If you don’t report it stolen and the thief commits another crime using your car, you may face a number of criminal charges.
By having comprehensive auto insurance, you protect yourself legally and financially. Report your stolen vehicle as soon as you discover it missing and then file your insurance claim. Once the car is listed as stolen, it is unlikely that you would be charged for those additional crimes if there are any committed.
Many cars are never seen again. Those that are found are usually damaged beyond usability. Liability insurance or collision insurance will not cover those damages at all. You need comprehensive insurance for that.
