Non-Vehicular PIP Insurance Coverage
July 17, 2025
For resident drivers in the Sunshine State, no-fault insurance called Personal Injury Protection primarily covers medical expenses and lost wages resulting from vehicular accidents, regardless of who is at fault. While PIP pays for injuries, Personal Damage Liability, on the other hand, is also mandatory in Florida and covers damages caused by the policyholder’s vehicle to another person’s property, such as their vehicle or other structures like fences, buildings, or landscaping.
The primary non-vehicular PIP coverage is the payment of medical expense for injuries resulting from an auto accident, including ambulance fees, emergency room costs, surgical treatments, prescriptions, and therapy. It may also cover lost wages if you or your passengers are unable to work due to injuries, and in some cases, essential services like childcare or house cleaning. It is PIP coverage that allows injured parties to receive financial assistance for immediate medical care without waiting for fault determination.
PDL benefits ensure that the policyholder is financially protected from the costs of having damaged another person’s property as an at-fault insurance coverage. In fact, it covers you or someone driving your insured vehicle during an accident. It’s not surprising that property damage liability is mandatory insurance coverage in most states, including the Sunshine State. While PIP auto insurance addresses the human element, PDL focuses on reparation for the damage inflicted to things belonging to others.
But PIP doesn’t pay for everything...
It is crucial for Florida drivers to understand the limitations of PIP coverage, as PIP insurance may not cover the full extent of their losses if only the minimum $10,000 of coverage is purchased. This is often true in the case of more severe auto accidents or instances involving an accident with an underinsured or uninsured motorist. In addition, PIP does not cover pain and suffering, your own property damage, or injuries caused by intentional acts or while committing a crime. In some cases, an injured or damaged driver may need to pursue a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance or explore legal options for pursuing a personal injury lawsuit. Nonetheless, to qualify for PIP benefits, injured parties must seek initial treatment for their injuries within 14 days of the accident.
PIP Coverage for Non-Vehicular Scenarios
In Florida, several non-vehicular scenarios may be covered under the Sunshine State’s no-fault insurance system, specifically through an owner’s personal injury protection. Although PIP insurance typically covers 80% of reasonable and necessary medical expenses up to the policy limits, PIP coverage does follow the insured individual, which means it also covers them if injured in an accident as pedestrian or cyclist, so it is crucial to understand the specifics of your coverage.
- Injured Pedestrian – If you are injured as a pedestrian, your personal injury protection still applies and provides benefits for both your medical expenses and lost wages within the policy limits.
- Injured Bicyclists – If you are injured as cyclists in a vehicular accident, your personal injury protection still applies and provides benefits for both your medical expenses and lost wages within the policy limits.
- Injured Resident Relative – If a resident relative is injured in a car accident, their medical costs are generally covered by the PIP insurance of the vehicle they were in and regardless of fault provided they don’t own a car and live with a relative who has PIP insurance coverage.
- Injured Passenger w/o PIP – If you are a passenger without Florida PIP protection, you will typically have medical bills covered by the driver’s PIP policy. If unavailable, the passenger may be able to pursue a claim against the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability insurance for serious injuries.
Naturally, there are exceptions to Florida's no-fault system, such as when a severe injury is considered "permanent" or when medical bills and lost wages exceed certain limits. In these cases, however, the injured party may be able to file a claim against the at-fault driver. While not mandatory, Florida law requires insurance companies to offer uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This can help protect you if you are injured by a driver who is uninsured or underinsured.
Other Types of Accident Insurance
Accidents can happen unexpectedly and at any time resulting in unforeseen bills. While PIP insurance covers medical expenses, it may not cover all costs especially following serious accidents with more severe personal injuries. This is where other types of insurance coverage can help fill the gap. Discussed below are some optional add-on insurance policies that help pay for unexpected expenses, especially for individuals with high-deductible health plans as well as those who would be damaged by out-of-pocket expenses following a vehicular accident.
- Private Health Insurance – Personal health insurance can cover medical expenses after any type of accident, including those that do not involve vehicles. However, if you receive a settlement from an at-fault party, your health insurance carrier may seek subrogation for entitled reimbursements.
- Supplemental Gap Insurance – Supplemental accident insurance offers financial protection in the event of an accidental injury, disability, or death. It provides a lump-sum payment or gap coverage benefits to help cover medical expenses and other costs arising from an accident.
- Uninsured Motorists Insurance – Having uninsured motorists coverage provides a financial safety net to help you manage the costs associated with an accident involving an uninsured or underinsured motorist. UM provides peace of mind in knowing you have financial support and focus on recovery.
- Medical Payments Insurance – Also known as MedPay, this is an optional add-on to your car insurance policy that can also help pay for medical expenses related to a car accident regardless of fault. The purpose of MedPay is help cover larger medical bills, including deductibles, co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses.
A key change in Florida personal injury laws is a reduced statute of limitations for filing claims. Prior to March 24, 2023, injured individuals had up to four years to pursue legal action. The new statute of limitations is now two years in most cases. The reduced timeframe emphasizes the importance of acting in a timely manner following any accident that resulted in injury. Although delaying legal action can mean losing one’s right to seek compensation for medical expenses or other damages, this new law does align Florida with most other states.
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If you're injured in a non-vehicular accident, seeking legal advice can help you determine the best course of action and navigate the different types of available coverage and potential avenues for compensation. On the other hand, if you cause an accident resulting in injuries and don't have additional bodily injury coverage, you're most likely considered personally liable for the other party's damages. Driving without PIP auto insurance is illegal in Florida. But, PIP limits are quite low and may not fully protect your assets in the event of an auto accident. Contact an independent agent at Nsurance Nation to find out what discounts our insurers offer and how to get the best deal possible when adding optional coverages like bodily injury liability and uninsured motorist insurance.
