Pros and Cons of Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Florida

Reviewed by Lorraine E. Robinson, Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar | Updated 9/30/2026

Key takeaways

• Florida does not require uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, but insurers must offer it when you buy bodily injury liability insurance, and you can only turn it down in writing.
• UM coverage pays for losses PIP does not cover, including wage losses above your PIP benefits and pain and suffering if your injury is serious enough, when the driver who hit you has no insurance or too little.
• UM also applies to hit-and-run crashes and can apply when you are hit as a pedestrian or bicyclist.
• The main downside is the premium. The main risk of skipping it is paying out of pocket after a serious crash with an uninsured driver.

Florida requires drivers to purchase no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage. PIP coverage pays medical bills and wage benefits regardless of whether the insured caused a car accident. However, Florida does not require drivers to purchase bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance unless the driver has caused a car accident resulting in bodily injury or death or committed certain traffic violations (e.g., DUI).

Drivers may voluntarily choose to purchase BIL insurance to protect them from liability if they cause a traffic accident. When you buy this insurance, the company must include an offer of uninsured motorist coverage. However, according to Florida Statute §627.727, you can reject uninsured motorist coverage in writing.

What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is insurance you buy on your own policy that pays you when a driver without bodily injury liability insurance causes a crash that injures you.

Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country. About 21% of Florida drivers were uninsured in 2023, the seventh-highest rate in the nation, according to the Insurance Research Council’s 2025 study. If a driver who does not have BIL insurance injures you, you could be responsible for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages not covered by your PIP coverage.

The policy compensates you for damages that would normally be covered by the at-fault driver’s BIL coverage.

UM coverage can pay for your:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages and benefits
• Diminished earning potential
• Pain and suffering
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Permanent impairments and disabilities

What is the difference between UM and UIM coverage?

Drivers may also choose to carry underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. UIM pays the difference if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s BIL insurance coverage policy limits. In Florida, the two protections are usually sold together as UM/UIM coverage.

Here is how the two differ in practice. UM applies when the at-fault driver has no bodily injury liability coverage at all, or drives off before you can identify them. UIM applies when the driver has coverage, but not enough. For example, if the at-fault driver carries $10,000 in bodily injury coverage and your losses reach $60,000, UIM can pay the $50,000 gap, up to your own policy limits. This comes up often in Florida, where the same Insurance Research Council study estimated that about 38% of drivers were underinsured in 2023, the second-highest rate in the country.

How Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Work With PIP in Florida?

PIP pays first, and UM covers what PIP leaves behind. Florida remains a no-fault state in 2026, so your own PIP coverage pays a share of your medical bills and lost wages no matter who caused the crash. PIP is capped at $10,000 per person. It generally pays 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost income, and you must get initial medical treatment within 14 days of the crash to use it.

When those benefits run out, UM steps in if the at-fault driver is uninsured. PIP never pays for pain and suffering, but UM can, as long as your injury meets Florida’s serious injury threshold, such as a permanent injury or significant scarring.

PIP does not replace UM coverage. A serious injury can use up $10,000 in PIP benefits quickly, and without UM, the remaining losses fall on you when the other driver has nothing to pay with.

What Is Stacked Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Stacked UM coverage lets you combine the UM limits for each vehicle on your policy. If you insure three vehicles with $100,000 in UM coverage each, stacking can make up to $300,000 available after a crash. Non-stacked coverage limits you to the amount on a single vehicle, and it usually costs less.

Florida insurers offer both options. If you chose non-stacked coverage, your insurer should have a signed form showing that choice. Check your declarations page to see which you have.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Purchasing Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Florida?

The benefits of UM coverage usually outweigh its cost, especially in a state with as many uninsured drivers as Florida.

Pros of UM coverage:

• It adds a layer of protection if an uninsured driver injures you. Once serious injuries exhaust your PIP benefits, you can file a claim against your UM coverage for damages PIP does not cover.
• It protects you if you are injured by a hit-and-run driver.
• It can apply if you are a pedestrian or bicyclist struck by a motor vehicle. See our pages on pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents.

Cons of UM coverage:

• It adds to your premium. UM coverage is relatively inexpensive compared to the potential benefits, but it is a real cost.
• You file the claim against your own insurance company, and your insurer may dispute what your claim is worth just as another driver’s insurer would.

Everyone is at Risk of a Motor Vehicle Accident

In 2024, Florida reported 381,423 traffic crashes, resulting in 3,098 traffic deaths and 246,426 injuries, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Statistically, there is a good chance that you or your family member will be involved in a traffic accident during your lifetime. Even the safest driver is at risk of a traffic accident because they cannot control the behavior of other drivers.

Therefore, all we can do is take steps to protect ourselves and our loved ones when we leave home. Wearing seat belts, motorcycle helmets, and bicycle gear reduces the risk of injuries in a traffic accident. Purchasing insurance coverage to pay for injuries sustained in an accident is another way to protect yourself and your family members.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Clearwater, FL

If you are involved in a traffic accident, pull over to the nearest safe location and call 911. The emergency operator will dispatch police and emergency medical services.

Documenting the accident scene can protect you from liability if you did not cause the accident. It can also help you prove that the other driver caused the crash. Taking photographs, making a video, and asking eyewitnesses for their contact information are all excellent steps to take after a crash.

Do not say that you are “okay” or “fine” at the accident scene. It could be interpreted to mean that you did not sustain injuries, especially if you refuse medical treatment. Instead, say that you will see your doctor for a follow-up after being treated by EMS at the accident scene.

Beware of insurance adjusters who request written or recorded statements. You are not required to provide statements to file a claim. It is best to allow a Clearwater car accident lawyer to handle communications with a claims adjuster.

How to File an Uninsured Motorist Claim in Florida

1. Get the police crash report. It records whether the other driver had insurance and is the starting point for a UM claim. Our guide on how to find out if someone has car insurance walks through the lookup.
2. Notify your own insurance company promptly and ask for a copy of your policy and declarations page.
3. Confirm your UM limits and whether your coverage is stacked or non-stacked.
4. For a hit-and-run, report the crash to police right away and keep records of any witnesses. Your insurer will ask for proof that an unidentified driver caused the crash.
5. Keep treating and save every medical bill and record of missed work.
6. Talk to an attorney before you give your insurer a recorded statement or accept an offer.

Continue Medical Treatment and Contact an Experienced Clearwater Personal Injury Lawyer for Help With an Uninsured Motorist Claim

Continue treatment with your doctor and seek legal advice about your options for filing a claim. Even though Florida is a no-fault insurance state, you may file a claim against the at-fault driver if you sustained serious injuries because of the accident. You may also have a claim under your uninsured motorist coverage.

The insurance company wants to settle your claim quickly for the lowest amount possible. However, before accepting a settlement offer, make sure you understand your legal rights. Otherwise, you could receive an amount that is much lower than the actual value of your car accident claim.

If your own insurer delays or refuses to pay a valid UM claim, you may also have an insurance bad faith claim.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage FAQ

Contact the Pinellas County Car Accident Lawyers At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers for Help

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes has represented injured people in Clearwater since 1955, and our team includes Board Certified trial attorneys who handle UM claims against insurance companies every day. For more information, please contact the Clearwater and St. Petersburg car accident law firm of Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.

We serve Pinellas County and its surrounding areas:

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater
1875 N Belcher Rd. STE 201,
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 591-3354

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg
2560 1st Ave S,
St. Petersburg, FL 33712
(727) 591-3354