How to Find Out If Someone Has Car Insurance in Jacksonville, FL
Florida uses a no-fault system of car insurance. Following a minor car accident, you simply file a claim under your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for medical and disability benefits for any injuries you may have sustained.
But if you’re involved in a serious accident, your PIP benefits might not cover all the economic losses resulting from a significant, permanent injury. In these cases, Florida law frees you from the no-fault limitations and allows you to pursue a claim against the at-fault driver.
Car Insurance in Florida
Florida requires you to have PIP coverage to register your vehicle. Most auto insurance policies purchased in Florida automatically include PIP coverage. If you get into an accident, PIP will pay 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost income up to $10,000.
The State of Florida also requires you to carry at least $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage. You must present your insurance cards with your PDL policy limits when you register your vehicle.
Florida law doesn’t make bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage mandatory, but that type of coverage is still offered in the state.
Getting Car Insurance Information
In the event of a crash that results in injury or death, Florida law requires drivers to exchange insurance information. This information must include both drivers’:
- Full names
- Street addresses
- Vehicle registration numbers
- Driver’s license or permit numbers if requested by the other driver
You do not necessarily have to exchange insurance information at the scene of the accident. However, you will need this information to file an injury claim if your PIP benefits do not cover your losses or you suffer a severe or permanent injury.
When it comes to securing another driver’s insurance information after an accident in Jacksonville, you have a few options.
1. Ask the Other Driver
The easiest way to get insurance information from the other driver is to simply ask for it. Florida law may not require you to exchange policy info, but custom dictates that you do so.
2. Request Police Assistance
Emotions can run high in the aftermath of a car accident. If you don’t feel comfortable exchanging information with the other party involved in the collision, you can ask the police to document it for you.
Under Florida law, the police must be called after any accident that causes injury or death. The responding officers will aid the drivers in exchanging information at the scene.
3. Consult the Crash Report
Once the police have been called, the responding officers will investigate the crash. As part of the investigation, the officers will collect each driver’s policy information and make a note of it in the official crash report.
If you don’t manage to get the other driver’s information at the scene, you can refer to the crash report later on. You can also purchase a copy of the report from the FLHSMV crash report portal or the investigating agency ten days after the crash.
4. File a Request with the FLHSMV
Occasionally, one party’s insurance information will not make it into the crash report. If, for example, the other driver was severely injured or killed, the police might not have been able to record the details of their policy.
In this situation, you can request the other driver’s insurance information from FLHSMV. Keep in mind that your request must include a copy of the crash report.
Using the Information You Collect
Once you’ve got the at-fault driver’s insurance information, you and your attorney can use it to file a personal injury claim. You don’t ordinarily need their policy number to do so, but you will need the name of the insurer and the driver’s name and address, as well as the vehicle’s VIN, license plate, or registration number. Armed with this information, you can begin seeking compensation for your losses.
Contact the Jacksonville Car Accident Law Firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Today For Help
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra car accident law firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today with a car accident attorney.
We serve in Duval County, St, Johns County, and its surrounding areas:
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville
9471 Baymeadows Rd #105,
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 396-1100
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Downtown Jacksonville
121 W. Forsyth St. #170
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 822-4225
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Ponte Vedra
480 Town Plaza Ave #130,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
(904) 675-1167