In Florida, cyclists may think they’re covered in event of an accident under their car insurance. While it’s true that auto insurance can cover you in the event of a cycling accident, most cyclists discover they’re not as covered as they’d like to be.
It could seem over-the-top to think of buying bike insurance, when Florida is one of the most expensive states in the country to get automobile insurance. Yet there are some good reasons to pay more to make sure a bicycle crash or accident doesn’t affect you financially.
Bike Law Florida statistics and information
Here are some statistics to keep in mind before cycling on a shared road with automobiles.
-As quoted in Newsweek, over 20 percent of drivers in Florida may not have any insurance on their vehicles. But if you talk to Insurance Reps, like the one in Pasco County quoted by ABC News, more than 50% of drivers in Florida may not have bodily injury insurance or just $10,000 coverage of bodily injury — and that compensation doesn’t go far if a cyclist is hurt.
-Last year there were 8,413 bicycle crashes on Florida roads
-Of the ten most deadly places for bicycle accidents in the USA, seven are in Florida.
Even if they only involve minor injury, a bicycle crash can leave cyclists out of work, injured, or away from training for a considerable amount of time. Under bike laws in Florida, victims of a crash won’t necessarily be compensated.
Florida drivers aren’t required to carry bodily injury coverage by law. Drivers only have to have personal injury protection—which means while the driver is covered in a crash, anyone they injured won’t be compensated under their plans.
If you’re in a bicycle accident with someone driving for a business in Florida, that company may only have $10,000 in bodily injury coverage unless the vehicle is over certain weight requirements.
Florida Bike Law and Insurance—what does it mean for you?
Most states require much higher car insurance minimums than Florida—closer to $25,000 for injury coverage and $50,000 accident coverage is normal. These lower minimums make it more expensive for everyone…and more expensive for victims of a crash.
If you are in a car accident or riding your bike when another driver hits you, there is a chance that you will recover nothing from the other driver. This can leave you in a situation where you now owe tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills or aren’t covered for lost time and wages.
