If you cause a car accident that injures another person, bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage is the part of your auto insurance that pays for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. It protects you from having to pay those costs out of pocket — up to your policy limits.

When you are at fault in a car accident and someone else is injured, the injured person (or their attorney) files a claim against your bodily injury liability coverage. Your insurer then:

1. Investigates the accident and the injuries
2. Evaluates the claim
3. Negotiates a settlement or defends you in a lawsuit
4. Pays the settlement or judgment — up to your policy limits

If the damages exceed your policy limits, you are personally responsible for the difference.

Florida is unusual among U.S. states. It does not require most drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage. Florida is a no-fault state, which means drivers are primarily required to carry:

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): $10,000 minimum — covers your own medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault
• Property Damage Liability (PDL): $10,000 minimum — covers damage you cause to other people's property

However, there are important exceptions:

• Drivers with prior DUI convictions are required to carry BIL coverage
• Commercial vehicles are required to carry BIL coverage
• Drivers who have been involved in certain accidents may be required to carry BIL coverage going forward

The absence of a BIL requirement does not mean you are protected if you cause an accident. If you injure someone and do not have BIL coverage:

• The injured person can sue you personally
• A judgment can be enforced against your wages, bank accounts, and non-exempt assets
• Your driver's license can be suspended until you satisfy the judgment

Given the cost of serious injuries — a single hospitalization can cost tens of thousands of dollars — carrying adequate BIL coverage is essential financial protection.

Florida insurance professionals typically recommend:

• Minimum: $100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident
• Better: $250,000 per person / $500,000 per accident
• Best: Umbrella policy providing $1 million or more in additional liability coverage

These two coverages are often confused:

Both are important. Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the nation — approximately 20% of Florida drivers have no insurance. UM coverage protects you when the at-fault driver cannot pay.

BIL coverage pays for:

• Medical expenses (emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation)
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Wrongful death damages
• Legal defense costs if you are sued

It does not cover:

• Your own injuries (covered by PIP or health insurance)
• Damage to your own vehicle (covered by collision coverage)
• Intentional acts

If you are injured by a driver who does not carry BIL coverage, your options include:

1. Your own Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage — if you carry it, this is your primary protection
2. Your PIP coverage — covers up to $10,000 in medical bills and lost wages
3. A personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver — though collecting may be difficult if they have no assets

This is why carrying UM coverage is so important in Florida.

Juan Cordero Lawyers handles Car Accident Lawyer Florida and insurance coverage disputes throughout Florida. If you were injured in an accident and have questions about coverage, call 305.525.8957 for a free consultation — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We serve clients in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Martin County, and across South Florida.