HomeFirm OverviewAttorneysPractice AreasVerdicts and KudosOurBlogEn EspanolResourcesContact Us
 

PROTECT YOURSELF

[ No Comments ] Posted on 09.01.09 under DAMAGE CONTROL, INSURANCE, INSURANCE FOR CYCLISTS, MOTORCYCLES

Florida is a “no-fault” state, which means that motorists must carry minimum insurance of at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) to reimburse accident related medical bills. This requirement does not apply to motorcyclists. A motorcyclist must either carry health insurance or pay accident expenses out of his/her own pocket. With the rising costs of health care, an accident can be financially devastating.

This may not be new information for the experienced rider, but the rider may believe they can recover against the motorist who caused the accident. However, the economic downturn means more motorists than ever are driving without insurance. It is believed that one-third of drivers do not have insurance. Add to this the fact that Florida does not require a driver to carry bodily injury liability coverage (the insurance that pays for injuries you cause to someone else) and it is clear the roads are very dangerous indeed.

In order to protect yourself, it is necessary to carry uninsured motorist coverage. This provides coverage when the other driver has no insurance or cannot pay your damages. In addition, if you own more than one vehicle, you should also make sure the uninsured motorist coverage is stackable.

If you are not sure of your insurance coverage, we are happy to discuss your insurance situation. The time to act is now– before you discover that you don’t have the coverage you need.

Mary Ann Morgan

WHY ARE “OLD SAYINGS” OLD SAYING?

[ No Comments ] Posted on 08.21.09 under CAR ACCIDENTS, DAMAGE CONTROL, INSURANCE, INSURANCE FOR CYCLISTS, MOTORCYCLES

WHY?

Because such sayings represent very important concepts to save us aggravation and a lot of money. “A stitch in time saves nine.” “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” One very important and very simple application of the concept is to always confirm it in writing.

Example: You buy a motorcycle. You tell your Insurance Agent you do not have health insurance so you want to be sure your motorcycle policy includes medical coverage for you if you are in an accident. You get the policy in the mail but you don’t see anything in it that looks like medical coverage for you. You call your Agent. She assures you that you do have the coverage. You get into an accident and are injured. Your insurance company then tells you your policy does not include medical coverage for you. You call your Agent. She now denies having told you your motorcycle policy included medical coverage for you.

What happens next?Unpaid medical bills. Ruined credit. A lawsuit that you may not win.Now lets rewind to before the accident when the Agent told you that your policy included medical coverage for you. If you had spent a few minutes sending the Agent a short letter, confirming in writing what she said, you would probably have avoided all the unpaid medical bills and the ruined credit. Moreover, if a lawsuit was necessary, you would probably easily win.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”   So, always confirm important things in writing.

Joseph E. BoatwrightBillings, Morgan & Boatwright

 

 

ARE YOU COVERED?

[ No Comments ] Posted on 06.02.09 under DAMAGE CONTROL, INSURANCE

With the start of hurricane season, now is a good time to prepare. The National Hurricane Center provides an excellent reference on what you need in case of a hurricane. One aspect many people overlook is flood insurance. Homeowner’s policies do not protect you in the event of rising waters. Flood protection is something every homeowner should consider and it is one of the most affordable insurance policies to own.

For more information, see http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml.