By Mike Hancock, Esquire, founder of Hancock Injury Attorneys · Last updated: October 2026
Mike Hancock is the founder of Hancock Injury Attorneys, a former insurance defense attorney, and an AV-Preeminent–rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, with over 35 years of experience practicing personal injury law.
Key Overview: How much car insurance do you really need in Florida? State law requires drivers to carry only $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL), and it does not require bodily injury liability (BI) coverage at all. Tampa personal injury lawyer Mike Hancock of Hancock Injury Attorneys recommends significantly more protection: PIP with no deductible, at least $2,000 in medical payments coverage, $100,000 in PDL, at least $100,000 each in BI and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, plus rental, collision, and comprehensive coverage.
If you buy only what Florida requires for car insurance, yes, you are legally allowed to drive. But, from the perspective of a personal injury lawyer who has represented thousands of injured clients, getting that bare minimum also means you are not protected.
We see what that gap costs every week. For example, a client is rear-ended on Dale Mabry, the other driver has no bodily injury coverage, and the only money available is the client's own policy. Whatever that policy says is the ceiling for coverage, unfortunately.
Mike Hancock began his career defending insurance companies, including Allstate, State Farm, and Geico. Now our Tampa car accident lawyers represent only injured people. This guide explains what each coverage does, what Florida requires, and the limits Mike recommends, based on what we see happen to real claims.
How Much Car Insurance Does Florida Require?
Florida requires only two coverages to register a car: $10,000 in PIP and $10,000 in property damage liability. Bodily injury liability is not actually required for most drivers.
Here is what the law says:
- PIP: Florida's no-fault law, Fla. Stat. § 627.736, requires $10,000 in personal injury protection. PIP pays 80% of reasonable medical bills and 60% of lost income, no matter who caused the crash.
- PDL: Fla. Stat. § 324.022 requires $10,000 to pay for damage you cause to someone else's property.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles lists those two as the minimums. Florida stands nearly alone in not requiring drivers to buy bodily injury liability coverage.
PIP also has a catch. You must get medical care within 14 days of the crash. And the full $10,000 is available only if a qualifying provider finds you had an emergency medical condition. If a provider finds you did not, PIP pays up to $2,500. Our guide to how PIP checks work in Florida walks through who gets paid and when.
Is Florida Still a No-Fault State in 2026?
Yes. Florida is still a no-fault state, and PIP is still required in 2026.
Lawmakers have tried to repeal PIP more than once. The Legislature passed a repeal in 2021, and the governor vetoed it. The most recent attempt, Senate Bill 522, died in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on March 13, 2026.
If you have read online that PIP went away in July 2026, that is not correct. We will update this guide if the law changes.
Why Isn't the Florida Minimum Enough?
The Florida minimum is not enough because it does almost nothing to pay for a serious injury, and many drivers on the road carry nothing more, or even no insurance.
The numbers make the risk plain:
- The Insurance Research Council estimated that 20.6% of Florida drivers were uninsured in 2023, the seventh-highest rate in the country, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
- Legal studies estimate that 50-60% of insured drivers carry only the required PIP and PDL, with no bodily injury coverage at all.
Put those together, and roughly six in 10 Florida drivers may have no bodily injury coverage to pay for the injuries they cause, your medical bills beyond PIP, your lost wages, or your pain and suffering.
When that happens, the at-fault driver's policy pays nothing toward your injuries. Your recovery depends on your own coverage.
What Car Insurance Coverage Does Mike Hancock Recommend?
Mike Hancock recommends seven coverages for Florida drivers. The table shows each one next to what Florida requires.
| Coverage | Florida requires | Mike recommends | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | $10,000 | $0 deductible | 80% of your medical bills and 60% of lost income, regardless of fault |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | Not required | $2,000 minimum | Medical bills PIP does not cover, such as the remaining 20% |
| Property damage liability (PDL) | $10,000 | $100,000 | Damage you cause to other people's cars and property |
| Bodily injury liability (BI) | Not required | At least $100,000, or as much as you can afford | Injuries you cause to other people |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Not required | At least $100,000, or as much as you can afford | Your injuries when the at-fault driver has no or too little BI |
| Rental car coverage | Not required | Yes | A rental while your car is being repaired |
| Collision and comprehensive | Not required | Yes | Repairs to your own car, including theft, storm, and flood damage |
Here is why each one matters:
PIP With a $0 Deductible
Florida insurers must offer PIP deductibles of $250, $500, and $1,000 under Fla. Stat. § 627.739. A higher deductible lowers your premium a bit. It also means the first part of your medical bills after a crash comes out of your pocket, right when you can least afford it. Mike recommends no deductible.
Medical Payments Coverage of at Least $2,000
PIP pays only 80% of your medical bills. MedPay helps cover the other 20%, and it can help after PIP runs out. It is usually inexpensive, and it fills a gap most people do not know they have until the first bill arrives.
Property Damage Liability of $100,000
The $10,000 minimum does not go far when repairing or replacing a modern vehicle. If you cause a crash with a newer SUV or pickup, or with more than one vehicle, the owners can come after you personally for the difference. A $100,000 limit protects your savings, not just the other driver.
Bodily Injury Liability of at Least $100,000
BI pays for injuries you cause to someone else. Without it, you are personally responsible for those claims. There is a second reason it matters: in Florida, your UM coverage is tied to your BI coverage. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.727, insurers must include UM in a policy that has BI, and your UM limits generally match your BI limits unless you choose lower ones in writing. Buying BI is usually how you get meaningful UM.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage of at Least $100,000
Of all the coverages on this list, UM is the one we most often wish our clients had more of. UM steps in when the driver who hurt you has no BI or not enough of it. It can pay for medical bills beyond PIP, lost wages, and pain and suffering, the losses a minimum-only policy leaves out. This article explains why uninsured motorist coverage matters in Florida.
Watch for the rejection form. Florida lets you turn UM down or choose lower limits by signing a written rejection. Many people sign it at the agent's desk without realizing what they gave up.
Rental Car Coverage
After a crash, an at-fault driver's insurer may delay or dispute your claim. Rental coverage on your own policy gets you back on the road while the body shop and the adjusters sort it out.
Collision and Comprehensive Coverage
Collision pays to fix your car after a crash, even if no one else is insured. Comprehensive covers theft, falling objects, and storm damage. In Florida, that includes flooding, as we explain in whether Florida car insurance covers flood damage. Together, these are what most people mean by "full coverage," a phrase that can be misleading, as we explain in debunking the full coverage auto insurance myth.
How Do Your Coverage Limits Affect a Real Injury Claim?
Your coverage limits set the most an insurer can pay, no matter how strong your case is. The limit is often the real ceiling on a claim.
We saw this in a Tampa uninsured motorist case. The insurer's initial offer was $3,000. We pushed back with the evidence and resolved the claim for the full $100,000 policy limit. Our client was protected because the policy had UM coverage, and the policy limit was the most that coverage could pay.
Past results are not a guarantee of future outcomes. Every case is unique, and results depend on the specific facts and circumstances.
The lesson for every Florida driver: you choose your ceiling when you buy your policy, long before a crash.
What Will the Insurance Adjuster Look For After a Crash?
After a crash, the adjuster will look for every limit, exclusion, and signed rejection form that reduces what the company owes.
From the defense side, Mike saw how adjusters approach these claims:
- The 14-day PIP rule. If you waited more than 14 days to see a doctor, PIP may not pay.
- The emergency medical condition finding. Without it, PIP benefits drop from $10,000 to $2,500.
- A signed UM rejection. If you or a family member signed one, the adjuster will point to it.
- Stacking choices. Florida lets insurers sell non-stacked UM, which can limit how much coverage you can combine across vehicles.
We pull the full policy, including the declarations page and any signed forms, before we tell a client what coverage is available. That is how we find coverage the adjuster does not mention. Learn more about why a former insurance defense lawyer can help after a Florida car accident.
How Can Hancock Injury Attorneys Help After a Car Accident?
We can find every source of coverage that applies to your claim and handle the insurers for you.
That work includes:
- Reviewing your policy, the at-fault driver's policy, and any household policies that may apply
- Filing your PIP and MedPay claims and keeping your medical billing organized
- Bringing a UM claim against your own insurer when the other driver's coverage falls short
- Answering the adjuster's arguments before they are raised
You talk with a senior attorney from your first free strategy session, and that attorney stays on your case. Mike Hancock has practiced personal injury law for more than 30 years, and the firm was founded in Tampa in 1996. We represent injured people throughout Florida from our Tampa Bay offices.
No fee unless we win. No file set-up fees. If your share would be less than our fee, we reduce our fee so you take home more than we do (barring extenuating circumstances).
If you were hurt in a Florida car accident and want to know what coverage applies to your claim, call Hancock Injury Attorneys at (813) 915-1110 for a free consultation.
FAQs
Do I Need Bodily Injury Liability Insurance in Florida?
Most Florida drivers are not required to carry BI, but going without it is risky. Without BI, you are personally responsible if you injure someone. BI is also how most drivers qualify for uninsured motorist coverage on their own policy.
What Is the Minimum Car Insurance in Florida?
The minimum is $10,000 in PIP and $10,000 in property damage liability. Those two coverages are what you need to register a vehicle in Florida. They do not pay for injuries you cause to others, and they do not pay for pain and suffering if someone else injures you.
Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Follow Me if I Am a Passenger or Pedestrian?
In many Florida policies, UM coverage protects you and covered family members even when you are a passenger in someone else's car or are hit while walking or biking. The exact terms depend on your policy, so read the UM section or ask us to review it.
Can I Add Uninsured Motorist Coverage After a Crash?
No. Coverage you buy after a crash does not apply to that crash. Review your policy now, and if you signed a UM rejection form in the past, you can ask your insurer to add UM back in writing.
Should I Talk With an Insurance Agent About These Limits?
Yes. A licensed insurance agent can quote prices for the limits in this guide. We focus on what happens after a crash, and we share these recommendations because we see what minimum coverage leaves families paying out of pocket.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.