Since 1972, Florida law required that all drivers carry basic personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. PIP provides $10,000 to cover medical bills and lost wages after an accident regardless of who was at fault. The following new conditions now apply to PIP policies and will become effective on July 1, 2012 (medical changes effective January 1, 2013).

• The legislation requires an accident victim to obtain treatment within 14 days in an ambulance or hospital, or from a physician, osteopathic physician, chiropractic physician, or dentist.
• The full $10,000 PIP medical benefit is available only if a physician, osteopathic physician, dentist, or a supervised physician’s assistant or advanced registered nurse practitioner determines that the insured has an “emergency medical condition.” If this condition is not met, the PIP medical benefit is limited to $2,500.
• An “emergency medical condition” is defined as a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, which may include severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in any of the following: (a) Serious jeopardy to patient health (b) Serious impairment to bodily functions (c) Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
• Follow-up services and care requires a referral from a physician, osteopath, chiropractor or dentist. Massage therapy and acupuncture are not eligible PIP benefits.
• Examination under oath. If the patient does not show-up, their PIP benefits are eliminated.

Please take note of these changes in the law so that you are educated and aware of the how your mandatory insurance is structured and the benefits that are available to you.

If you have questions about these law changes, or you have been in an accident, feel free to contact us for a free consultation.

Rooney and Rooney Law

Vero Beach, Florida