If you’ve been involved in a car accident and are seeking compensation, it may be likely that you have to pay a deductible. Some victims of car accidents assume that if they were not at fault in their accident, they would not have to pay their deductible. However, this is normally not the case. In the State of Florida, you have to pay your deductible even if the accident was not your fault. Having said this, if another party is proven to be at fault in your accident, you may have the opportunity to claim compensation to recover the deductible from your insurance company.
Recovering from the mental and physical damages after a car accident is often a long and grueling process, especially when financial burdens of medical costs and other expenses are involved. These damages are significantly more worrisome when you include the total amount of the deductible that must be paid to the insurance company. If you have been involved in a car crash in Florida, call The Law Place today. Our attorneys have over 75 years combined experience across multiple practice areas, including personal injury law, and know how to get the compensation that you deserve for your accident. With the help of an experienced legal team, you can rest assured that your case is in capable hands while you recover from the accident.
You can contact The Law Place by phone or by visiting us at our law office. Our phone lines are always open so feel free to contact us whenever it suits your schedule best. Call us today at (941) 444-4444 and schedule your free consultation with one of our top personal injury attorneys to discuss your insurance policy, coverage, and deductible.
What Is a Deductible?
When entering into a contract of insurance coverage for your vehicle, clients often have a deductible payment that they agree to. If you have been involved in an accident and want to file a claim with your insurance company, you will be obliged to pay this amount before the insurance company covers the rest of the damages. For example, if your deductible is $300 and the medical care you received as a result of your accident costs $1,000, you will pay the $300 deductible, and the insurance provider should cover the remaining cost of $700.
In Florida, car insurance deductibles typically range between $250 to $1,000. People that pay a premium price for their insurance coverage will often have smaller deductibles. In other words, if you have a lower insurance premium, your deductible will be considerably higher. In some cases, an insurance company may offer a $0 deductible in their insurance policy if the client’s insurance premium is particularly high.
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Do I Have to Pay the Car Insurance Deductible if I Didn’t Cause the Accident?
If you have suffered damages from your accident, including vehicle damage, and want to claim compensation from your insurance company to cover these costs quickly, you will have to pay the deductible. Your insurance company, as well as the other driver’s insurance company, will review your claim in order to determine who was liable for the accident and calculate how much compensation you may be entitled to, which can take months or maybe years to be agreed upon and finalized.
If it is determined that you were not at fault for the accident, your insurance company may be able to claim damages from the at-fault driver’s insurance provider for the collision. This can often cover the cost of the car insurance deductible as well as other damages incurred due to the crash.
With the expertise and support of experienced legal representation at The Law Place, you may be able to claim compensation without having to rely on your insurance provider. Our personal injury attorneys can determine liability in a car accident case and calculate how much you may be owed in compensation. Seeking compensation with the help of our attorneys can help cover the costs of the deductible amount as well as other damages incurred, including lost wages and medical expenses.
Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Laws
As per Florida Statute 627.7407, Florida is a no-fault state, meaning that drivers are required by law to be covered by personal injury protection (PIP) at a minimum of $10,000. In Florida, each driver must file a claim with their own insurance company before seeking compensation elsewhere.
Clients should note that PIP only covers medical costs and not the costs of property damage. Property damage, including vehicle damages, is covered by property damage liability coverage (PDL). It is also a requirement for every Florida driver to have PDL at a minimum of $10,000. Covering the costs of repairs and replacements of the damaged property can be expensive, so hiring legal representation to help recover these costs can be essential in lessening the financial burdens that usually follow a car accident.
If the damages incurred exceed the maximum policy limit of $10,000, then drivers can file a claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault driver. An experienced attorney at The Law Place can help accident victims claim for damages, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering incurred due to your car accident.
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Dealing With Your Insurance Company
When an insurance provider receives a claim after a car accident, the company usually rejects the initial amount put forward by the claimant and looks for flaws in the claim. They do this to dispute the liability of the at-fault party in order to avoid paying out large sums of money to a claimant. For example, an insurance provider may argue that the car repairs made after an accident were not necessary and therefore may refuse to cover the cost of repair to get the car fixed.
By hiring experienced legal representation from The Law Place, you can ensure that you can receive the maximum amount of compensation to cover damages, including the deductible of your insurance provider’s collision coverage. Insurance companies are known for disputing insurance claims made by clients, so having attorneys to fight in your corner is essential. At our law firm, we know how these companies operate, and therefore, we know how to handle them.
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What Can a Personal Injury Attorney Do for Me?
First and foremost, a personal injury attorney can explain in detail how car insurance deductibles work and how much of your car insurance deductible you may be able to cover with our help. Our lawyers have ample experience in recovering deductibles that insurance companies impose and can help you to file your claim. As your legal representatives, our team will:
- Determine liability for your accident and decide if your case is strong enough.
- Help claim damages from the at-fault driver’s auto insurance provider if necessary.
- Analyze your car insurance policy and determine your deductible amount.
- Explain the laws and regulations surrounding your legal case.
- Handle negotiations with your insurance provider.
- Gather and record evidence that can strengthen your claim, including photographic evidence of the injuries sustained as well as medical bills and doctor’s records.
- Offer legal advice and consistent communication to keep clients updated on their case.
At The Law Place, we work on a contingency basis as monitored by The State Bar Association. This means you won’t pay any upfront fees for our legal services and will only have to pay a percentage of the total settlement awarded to you if we are successful in your case. We do this as we understand that deductibles can be costly, and covering these costs as well as legal fees and other damages incurred from your accident can cause significant financial challenges.
Contact The Law Place Today
After contacting our law firm, you will be assigned an experienced personal injury lawyer who will review your case and determine how much money you may be eligible to claim as a result of your car accident. Understanding the complexities of deductibles and other insurance technicalities can sometimes be difficult, which is why the expertise and knowledge of our legal team are often invaluable to our clients. We will guide you through your case, offer assistance when filing a lawsuit and inform you of any updates regarding your claim as soon as we have them.
Easing financial burdens by seeking compensation with the help of our lawyers can significantly reduce the stress and anxiety that often follows car collisions, especially if you have been physically injured or suffered from mental trauma after your accident. Insurance policies rarely prioritize the interests of those hoping to make a claim, so relying on your provider to get the maximum compensation is often futile. With our help, you may be able to pay your deductible without worrying about the financial repercussions.
Our phone lines are open 24/7, so you can contact us whenever you want. Call us at (941) 444-4444 to schedule your free consultation with one of our attorneys, who will determine if your deductible can be reimbursed.
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