Florida Injury Attorney Blawg
Despite having many potential sources of payment for medical expenses in ride share-related crashes, Uber riders sometimes end up holding the bag.
The most common payment sources are PIP, MedPay, health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and bodily injury liability insurance.
With a few exceptions, every owner or registrant of a motor vehicle required to be registered and licensed in Florida must maintain PIP insurance. See Florida Statute 627.733. PIP, which applies without regard to fault, covers medical expenses and lost wages. Most Florida policies limit PIP coverage to $10,000 and apply deductibles.
One of the benefits of the ride share industry is that people can go without owning a vehicle. However, PIP is not automatically available to those PIP passengers who live in Florida and do not reside with a relative who maintains PIP insurance. Likewise, other medical insurance may not be available.
In some instances, ride share drivers have PIP coverage for passengers. The driver must inform his carrier of his ride share work and pay a premium for ride share coverage. If the driver fails to do this, the carrier will deny coverage. Uber is not required to maintain PIP in Florida, so it doesn’t.
Uber maintains bodily injury liability (BI) coverage and MedPay under its Florida insurance policies. Contrary to popular belief, it does not maintain UM/UIM coverage. Uber’s BI only applies if its driver is at-fault. It covers non-economic damages such as pain and suffering and economic damages such as income loss and medical expenses. Like PIP, MedPay applies without regard to fault. If PIP isn’t available or is exhausted, it will cover up to $5,000 in medical expenses. Unlike PIP, it must be reimbursed from BI payments (its own or from third-parties).
Health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid may also cover medical expenses. Like MedPay, they must be reimbursed from BI money.
Medical expenses are costly. Steps can be taken to limit personal exposure to those expenses.
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Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. is a South Florida based law firm committed to the judicial system and to representing and obtaining justice for individuals – the poor, the injured, the forgotten, the voiceless, the defenseless and the damned, and to protecting the rights of such people from corporate and government oppression. We do not represent government, corporations or large business interests.
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DISCLAIMER: This information provided by Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. is for informational purposes only and is intended to be used as a non-legal guide prior to consultation with an attorney familiar with your specific legal situation. It should not be considered legal advice or counseling. No such legal advice or counseling is either expressly or impliedly intended. This information is not a substitute for the advice or counsel of an attorney. If you require legal advice, you should seek the services of an attorney.