Driving without car insurance is illegal in Florida. If you are caught without insurance, you may face penalties such as fines, license revocation and loss of your car registration. In some circumstances, you could face jail time.
If you are involved in an accident and do not have insurance, you face penalties even if you were not the one at fault. The driver who responsible for an accident is usually liable for damages. But if you were driving without insurance, there could be limits to the damages you can recoup. Uninsured drivers will also have difficulty finding lower insurance rates once they do decide to shop for a policy, especially if they were involved in a crash while they were uninsured.
Fortunately, Florida is not a “no pay, no play” state. This means you can still sue for damages that are not easily quantifiable, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of consortium. You also are not subject to massive deductibles.
Just don’t drive without insurance
The best way to prevent these consequences from becoming an issue is to avoid taking the road without auto insurance. Note that you cannot go out and purchase an insurance policy immediately after getting involved in a car accident — the policy you get will only apply to accidents that occur after you purchased it.
When you have an insurance policy, make sure to keep a proof of insurance form in your vehicle. You may also be allowed to show proof of insurance on your smartphone if you do not have the paper copy in your vehicle. But having that paper copy in your glove compartment is a good idea in case you are in an accident in an area in which you have poor cell reception.
To learn more about the steps to take after a Florida car accident, contact an experienced Bradenton personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.