I Was Hit by an Uninsured Driver in Florida: What to Do Now (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Roughly 20% of Florida drivers carry no auto insurance at all, among the highest uninsured motorist rates in the country according to the Insurance Information Institute.
- Your own PIP coverage pays first after any crash, covering reasonable medical expenses and lost wages up to $10,000, regardless of who caused it.
- Uninsured motorist coverage is not required in Florida, but insurers must offer it, and you have to reject it in writing or it defaults onto your policy.
- Stacked uninsured motorist coverage multiplies your limit by the number of vehicles on your policy; non-stacked coverage caps out at a single limit.
- Florida’s uninsured driver rate is a direct driver of the state’s high overall car insurance costs, alongside litigation costs, hurricane exposure, and vehicle theft.
Getting hit by a driver with no insurance is more common in Florida than almost anywhere else in the country. Roughly one in five Florida drivers carries no coverage at all, and what you do in the next few hours and days determines how much of your recovery you’ll actually get paid for.
Uninsured motorist coverage under auto insurance in Florida is governed by Florida Statute 627.727, but before any of that matters, there are immediate steps that protect both your health and your claim.
What to do right now if you’re hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver
- Call the police and get a report. Even for a minor-seeming crash, an official report documents that the collision happened and who was involved, which matters later if the at-fault driver’s lack of insurance becomes an issue.
- Get medical attention within 14 days, even if you feel fine. Florida’s personal injury protection rules require initial treatment within 14 days of the auto accident or you forfeit PIP medical benefits entirely. Soft tissue injuries and whiplash often don’t show symptoms right away, so don’t wait to see if soreness resolves on its own.
- File a claim with your own insurer, not the other driver’s, since they don’t have one. Your PIP coverage pays first regardless of fault, covering reasonable medical expenses and lost wages up to your policy limit. If the at-fault driver has no insurance, there’s no property damage liability or bodily injury policy on their end to pursue for anything beyond that.
- Check whether you have uninsured motorist coverage. This is the coverage that fills the gap once PIP runs out, paying for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering that PIP doesn’t reach. If you’re not sure you have it, your declarations page will say.
- Document everything. Photos of the vehicles and scene, the police report number, the other driver’s information even without insurance, and copies of every medical bill and repair estimate.
What does your own insurance actually cover after this kind of crash?
Your PIP coverage is the first thing that responds, and it pays regardless of who caused the crash. It covers 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost wages, up to a $10,000 limit. It does not cover damage to your vehicle, and it does not pay for pain and suffering. Once PIP is exhausted, or if your injuries exceed what PIP covers, uninsured motorist coverage is what actually covers medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering beyond that point, assuming you carry it.
If you don’t have uninsured motorist coverage, your options narrow considerably. An uninsured or underinsured driver typically has no property damage liability or bodily injury liability policy to pursue, so suing directly in civil court is possible but rarely worth it if they have few assets. This is exactly why Florida law requires insurers to offer UM coverage, one of the most important insurance coverage decisions a Florida driver makes.
How much does Florida’s uninsured driver problem add to your premium?
Florida already ranks among the more expensive states for car insurance, and the uninsured motorist rate is one of several factors insurers cite when explaining why. Under Florida law, proof of insurance is required for vehicle registration, yet many drivers let coverage lapse afterward, which is part of why the uninsured rate stays high. Every insured driver subsidizes the risk that a fifth of drivers around them don’t have insurance at all. That shows up most directly in what you pay for UM coverage itself, but it also feeds into overall claim costs and, indirectly, the rates every insurance company sets across the board.
If you need to shop for better UM coverage, how do Florida’s top insurers compare?
Since this crash may be the moment you realize your current UM coverage isn’t where it should be, it’s worth knowing how carriers stack up before you call around. Insurers don’t typically publish a UM-only price separately, since Florida law ties your UM limit to your bodily injury liability limit, so the most useful comparison point is the full-coverage rate, which includes UM at the common $100,000/$300,000 stacked tier.
| Carrier | Avg. monthly rate, full coverage (includes stacked UM) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | Approximately $175 | Ties for the lowest full-coverage rate in this dataset; local agents can help you review your UM limit directly |
| GEICO | Approximately $175 | Also among the cheapest; sold direct online |
| Travelers | Approximately $197 | Frequently ranked among the cheapest full-coverage carriers in Florida |
| Nationwide | Approximately $253 | Mid-range pricing among major carriers writing in Florida |
| Progressive | Approximately $442 | Rates vary sharply by driver profile |
Sample rates only, based on a 35-year-old driver with a clean record, drawn from a single rate survey for consistency. Actual quotes vary by driving record, location, and UM election. Source: NerdWallet.
The bottom line
If you were just hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver, get medical attention within the 14-day window, file with your own insurer first, and find out immediately whether you have uninsured motorist coverage, since that’s what determines how much of your recovery is actually covered beyond the PIP minimum. If you don’t currently have UM coverage, or you’re not sure whether it’s stacked, this is worth fixing at your next renewal rather than after the next auto accident.
Compare quotes from at least three carriers if you’re shopping for better coverage. UM coverage is one of the more affordable limit increases available on a Florida policy relative to the protection it adds.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first if I’m hit by an uninsured driver in Florida?
Call the police to get an official report, then get medical attention within 14 days to protect your PIP claim, and file with your own insurer, since there’s no other policy to pursue.
Does my PIP coverage pay if the other driver has no insurance?
Yes. PIP pays regardless of fault, covering reasonable medical expenses and lost wages up to $10,000, whether or not the at-fault driver carries any insurance at all.
What happens if I don’t have uninsured motorist coverage?
Your recourse is limited to what PIP covers, plus a civil lawsuit against the at-fault driver directly, which is rarely worth pursuing if that driver has no insurance and few assets.
Why is Florida’s uninsured motorist rate so high?
Florida’s minimum insurance requirements don’t include bodily injury liability for most drivers, which keeps the legal minimum policy relatively cheap but leaves many drivers underinsured or uninsured altogether.
Is it illegal to drive in Florida without insurance?
Yes. Florida law requires proof of insurance to maintain valid vehicle registration, and driving without it can result in fines and license suspension.
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